People in different cultures around the world have used smoke from plants for medicinal and spiritual purposes for generations. Smoke is beneficial for various health conditions. It also symbolizes a spiritual connection between mind, body, and soul. Different cultures and religions have used smoke in various forms such as incense, havan samagri, and moxibustion in Asia; sage, cedar, and frankincense in Europe; and smudging in North America. Before using this as therapy, however, it is important to understand the benefits of smudging, its associated risks, and how it works in your body.
Smudging is a popular smoke-purification ritual used in Native American traditions. People usually perform it before or after a ceremony or an exclusive function. It is seen as a gateway to the higher dimension, acting as a means to remove spiritual and emotional negativity that has accumulated in a space or a person. In a way, the benefits of smudging extend across your mind, body, and soul.
The plants usually used for smudging include white sage, white prairie sage, or other sage species. During smudging, a wooden container holds plants and herbs. These are ignited with a wooden match and the flame is blown away. Then the smoke is drifted over participants, either by hand or with a feather. A participant then pulls the smoke to them and gently inhales it. As a part of the tradition, the ashes are brought back to mother earth by placing them on bare soil. People believe that the ashes absorb negative thoughts and feelings.
You can smudge yourself or have someone lead a smudging by holding the container and directing the smoke over you. In addition, you can also use a sage bundle or a sage stick in place of a container. Science has supported some benefits of smudging for your health and well-being.
The benefits of smudging include alleviation of fatigue, mental health conditions, and sleep problems. It is also used in the purification of air, aromatherapy, and for spiritual rituals.
Smudging works as an excellent remedy for providing relief from stress and adrenal fatigue. Your energy levels are boosted by the clearing of harmful energy or stress. The activating effect restores positive energy in your body. Researchers have shown that plants such as white sage contain substances with anti-anxiety actions. They stimulate receptors and modulate ion channels in the brain. As a result, stress and fatigue can be decreased.
Smudging uplifts your mood and decreases negative feelings. It is beneficial when you are suffering from depression or other mood-related health conditions. White prairie sage is used in certain cultures as a method for handling depression.
The benefits of smudging in improving the quality of your sleep cannot be understated. The time it takes to fall asleep can be decreased by smudging. Moreover, sleep is maintained and nighttime awakenings are reduced. Researchers have demonstrated that classic garden sage contains compounds that normalize your sleep patterns.
Smudging enhances your memory and concentration. Researchers have reviewed the beneficial effects of sage in conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Smudging cleans and purifies the air. It has antimicrobial properties that appear to kill bacteria, viruses, and fungi in the air. Studies have highlighted the antimicrobial properties of white prairie sage and white sage. They also repel insects.
Smudging is a part of spiritual rituals in many cultures. It is used to attain a healing state and connection to spiritual awareness. It works as a means to free yourself of negative energy which causes stress. This includes past traumas, bad experiences, or negative energies from others. This may assist in creating positive surroundings for meditation to receive the benefits of smudging. Researchers have suggested that particular kinds of sage, including salvia sages and white prairie sage, contain mildly psychoactive substances that can enhance insight, intention, and dedication to self-improvement.
The herbs used in smudging have a pleasant incense with a soothing aroma. This releases natural chemicals that help modulate neurotransmitters in your brain. Smudging is also an excellent air freshener without chemicals. Certain objects such as gifts or used items can be smudged for making them smell fresh.
For most people, smudging is safe if done in the correct way to get all the benefits of smudging. However, you must take some safety precautions while using it, and it is not a good idea for everyone.
However do keep in mind that the odors of the smudging can be very strong and if not used the right way, could cause paradoxical reactions or congestion in those with adrenal fatigue.
If you are thinking of trying smudging and have other health conditions, it is better to consult with your health professional before using it. Symptoms like headaches, nausea, and lightheadedness could happen with smudging, so beware and contact your healthcare provider if you have these adverse effects.
The benefits of smudging for those suffering from adrenal fatigue involve helping with symptoms of stress, fatigue, and sleeplessness.
Smudging acts by reducing the NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) Stress Response. The NEM system is your body’s way of handling stress. There are six circuits of organs and systems involved in the NEM stress response that work in collaboration against stress. The main circuit that is suppressed by the action of smudging is the Neuroaffect circuit.
Neuroaffect circuit of the NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) Stress Response model is composed of the brain, autonomic nervous system, and the microbiome in the gut. The autonomic nervous system consists of multiple branches of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), the adrenomedullary hormonal system (AHS), and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). The word ‘microbiome’ consists of two parts: micro (meaning small), and biome, which includes all the characteristics found in an environment, involving the biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components. Your microbiome thus involves the bacteria and other microorganisms that live throughout your body.
Under the conditions of acute stress, your body responds by rapidly increasing the cortisol, the anti-stress hormone released from the adrenal glands. However, after an extended period of stress, the adrenals decrease the cortisol due to fatigue. This leads to Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS). The symptoms include fatigue, problems with sleeping, lack of concentration, memory loss, mild depression, and chronic infections.
Fatigue, brain fog, and difficulty sleeping can all make your life miserable. However, the benefits of smudging can help remedy all the mentioned changes which occur due to fatigue.
In adrenal fatigue, there is no cortisol which can oppose epinephrine. Epinephrine is released by the adrenal gland acting under the action of the SNS or AHS. This leads to the surge in the levels of epinephrine in your body. This makes it hard to sleep.
This sleep deprivation then becomes another stressor on the body and begins the stress response all over again. Your brain receives information regarding the high levels of epinephrine. This impacts your biological clock, its function, and output. Likewise, the biological clock, in turn also regulates the neurotransmitters. The disruption in the biological clock causes an imbalance of the neurotransmitters as well. Your sleep pattern is disturbed and you have difficulty in falling asleep or staying asleep.
Similarly, the disproportion of the hormones in adrenal fatigue harms your brain. Mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression develop as a result. In AFS, anxiety is usually the outcome of dysfunctional thinking that leads one to believe they will never get relief. In addition, the feelings of impending doom give rise to significant symptoms later. The dysfunctional levels of norepinephrine and epinephrine add to this anxiety.
Similarly, depression coupled with feelings of sadness and frustration is a consequence of adrenal fatigue. The amount of cortisol in the body and the timing of its release are both involved in developing this type of depression. There is also an imbalance of serotonin and dopamine.
Further, chronic stress is one of the primary causes of neurodegeneration or the loss of neurons. You may suffer from loss of memory and lack of concentration. This condition occurs in conjunction with the inflammatory change in the brain.
Smudging also helps with fatigue and improves energy levels as it improves sleep quality. Depression and anxiety also consume your energy levels. As energy levels are normalized, the associated conditions also notice improvement. Therefore, the benefits of smudging extend over a spectrum of related conditions. It restores your ability to be more productive and lead a meaningful life. Contact your health provider to find out if smudging might be right for you.
In nutshell, you can do some things to normalize your health if you are bothered by sleep problems, fatigue, and mental health conditions. The benefits of smudging include reducing stress and improving your sleep.
No matter what plan of action you decide to take, however, please seek advice from an open-minded healthcare practitioner who will assess your particular situation and help determine whether smudging is right for you.
If you would like to get additional information about the benefits of smudging, the team at Dr. Lam Coaching can help. We offer a free** no-obligation phone consultation at +1-626-571-1234 where we will privately discuss your symptoms and various appropriate choices. You can also send us a question through our Ask The Doctor system by clicking here.
© Copyright 2021 Michael Lam, M.D. All Rights Reserved.
The benefits of smudging include alleviation of adrenal fatigue, mental health conditions, and sleep problems. It works for the restoration of the health of your mind and body. It is also used in the purification of air, aromatherapy, and spiritual rituals.
