15/10/2020
Essential oils support emotional and physical well-being, and can be an important tool in your energy makeover toolkit.
Essential oils can be used to help beat fatigue, in two ways:
relaxing, calming essential oils to soothe your mind, melt away tension, help you unwind and sleep well at night; and
invigorating, energizing essential oils to help you feel alert and revitalized during the day.
This article will focus on the second type: invigorating, energizing essential oils to help you feel alert and revitalized during the day, and how to use them. (You can also check out my companion article on ten relaxing, calming essential oils for night-time relaxation and sound sleep.)
There are many essential oils that provide a natural energy boost. They can be used to energize and uplift you when energy levels are low. They can also stimulate alertness and increase mental capacity. In addition, they can inspire feelings of positivity, creativity, and a cheerful mood.
Essential oils can be used aromatically, where smelling them activates certain olfactory receptors in the brain, or topically, where they are applied to areas of the skin and are absorbed, as well as smelled.
To use essential oils aromatically:
- Add five to seven drops of essential oil to a spray bottle of water and spray the mist into your bedroom or onto your pillow.
- Put a few drops on a cotton ball and inhale the scent frequently.
- Rub two drops of diluted essential oil onto your palms, cup your palms over your nose, and take several deep breaths.
- Use a water-based diffuser to disperse the essential oils into the air in your room.
To use essential oils topically:
- Dilute one to three drops of essential oil with one to three drops of a carrier oil, such as coconut oil, grapeseed oil, sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, or olive oil. (For children, the amount of carrier oil should be increased to one teaspoon).
- Apply to the back of your neck, underneath your feet, or to the inside of your wrists.
The following activating, invigorating essential oils are from these different categories of essential oils: citrus, spicy, minty, coniferous, and herbaceous. They can be used as a single essential oil, but they are even more effective when used in a blend of two or more essential oils:
Citrus essential oils such as lemon, grapefruit, and orange have a sweet, fruity aroma that creates feelings of positivity and happiness, and dispels negative emotions. They increase your energy and elevate your mood:
Lemon - This invigorating essential oil dispels depression, anxiety, and indecision. On an emotional level, it promotes a deep sense of well-being, and on a physical level, it improves poor circulation and lowers high blood pressure.
Grapefruit - The fresh scent of grapefruit essential oil increases mental capacity, relieves anxiety, and encourages feelings of happiness.
Orange (sweet or wild) - Orange essential oil, either the sweet or the wild variety, is cheering, and it enlivens the mind and relieves nervous tension. Like lemon, it also normalizes blood pressure and improves circulation.
Spicy essential oils have a warm, uplifting, and invigorating aroma:
Frankincense - This calming essential oil aids concentration, meditation, and introspection. It is useful for helping you focus if you need to work for long stretches.
Cinnamon - The warm and fiery aroma of cinnamon acts as a respiratory and circulatory stimulant. It relieves mental fatigue, improves concentration, and may help to lift depression. It’s very strong, it’s best used sparingly.
Basil - It has a powerful, spicy scent that is stimulating, uplifting, and great for mental focus as it clears the mind and improves concentration. It’s an excellent nerve tonic. It also helps combat migraine headaches. It should not be used during pregnancy.
Minty essential oils are fresh and invigorating. They increase mental focus and clarity, alertness, and concentration. They also improve memory retention and recall:
Peppermint - This strong, minty essential oil is refreshing and stimulating. It helps prevent fatigue. It can also ease headaches, including some migraines.
Spearmint - Spearmint essential oil relaxes the respiratory system and the nervous system, making it easier to wind down.
Coniferous essential oils have an earthy, balsamic scent, reminiscent of being in an alpine forest:
Balsam Fir - The sweet, rich aroma of balsam fir essential oil smells like crushed fir needles and is elevating, comforting, and cheering. It also helps clear the mind.
Herbaceous essential oils are extracted from different herbs and they have a clean, crisp, green aroma:
Rosemary - The fresh, herbal aroma of rosemary essential oil has a renewing, refreshing scent that makes it perfect for boosting energy, enhancing mental clarity, and improving memory.
Enjoy experimenting with these energy-boosting essential oils until you find the perfect essential oil or blend to help you stimulate alertness, increase mental capacity, and inspire feelings of positivity.
