Did you know that you can use essential oils to boost your energy? That’s right! Those essential oils come from plants that have a boosting property and help stimulate your nervous system. They often come with added properties such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory or antiseptic.
It is important to note that essential oils will have more subtle and gentle effects than drugs. Some people are more sensitive and might feel a boost right away and others may appreciate the nice essence, but won’t feel much of a difference right away (like the persons who can drink 5 cups of coffee without feeling anything).
In any case, the use of essential oils in our daily lives is always beneficial. If you use them, along with making other changes like with your diet, your sleep pattern and implementing stress reducing habits, you will surely enjoy them!
For best results, always make sure to use good quality essential oils from reputable brands. The most efficient ones are pure and organic. Here are my top essential oils that I use when I need a little pick me up.
1. Peppermint (Mentha piperita)
Peppermint has a refreshing smell and we are used to have it in our toothpastes or chewing gums. In studies, peppermint has been shown to help with sustained attention, diminish mental fatigue, accomplishing tasks, memory and alertness. In other words, it helps with motivation and stimulates your brain to accomplish what you have to do with better clarity.
It also has antimicrobial, antiviral and antioxidant properties. This is possible through the activation and inactivation of some receptors of the neural cells.
There are different ways to use peppermint essential oil. One of them is by diffusion with an essential oil diffuser (easiest and safest). If you do not have a diffuser, you could also place one or two drops on a piece of tissues or textile and inhale it a few times. The essential oils aromatic molecules can get in your blood circulation in just a few seconds. It’s amazing!
Another application for peppermint is for headache relief. You can mix a drop in a little bit of vegetable oil and massage it around your temples. Be really careful not to go to close to your eyes! You can also make some peppermint herbal tea using the leaves of the plant to help with digestion. It makes a really nice warm drink after a meal.
2. Black Spruce (Picea mariana)
Like a lot of conifer trees, black spruce has an affinity for the respiratory system (helps with congestion, infection, cough, etc) and has anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.
What is interesting is its capacity to gently stimulate the system and help with feeling more energy. It contains monoterpenes that can support and help the adrenal glands for production of adequate hormones for energy. It helps have more vitality in times of stress and fatigue. It is amazing in the middle of winter when our energy reserves are running low and days are pretty dark.
How to us it? Again, in diffusion with an essential oil diffuser or by diluting one or two drop in a vegetable oil and massage on your back, in the adrenal/kidney area. By massaging it on your middle/lower back, you are helping it being absorbed by the skin and get the active components of black spruce straight to the adrenal glands for the beneficial stimulating property.
Lemon (Citrus limonum)
Lemon is a really amazing, versatile and easy to use essential oil. It is rich in d-limonene, which has been found to have antiproliferative effects on some cancer cells, which is why Citrus limonum is being studied for potential cancer treatments!
Lemon also contains a great deal of antioxidant properties (being an antioxidant means that it will cancel the effect of oxidative compounds which leads to cell degeneration for example).
Furthermore (because this is not good enough!) it also has anti-obesity and hypocholesterolemic properties and has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system.
When used in a diffuser it has a nice boosting effect on the mood and actually will help with creativity, attention level, concentration, cognitive performance and memory.
On top of that, it is a good air purifier because of its antiseptic and antibacterial properties. No wonder so many cleaning products use lemon scents!
If you are interested in other lemon properties, you can also check this study that talks about its benefits for pregnancy nausea and vomiting:
Yavari Kia P, Safajou F, Shahnazi M, Nazemiyeh H. The effect of lemon inhalation aromatherapy on nausea and vomiting of pregnancy: a double-blinded, randomized, controlled clinical trial. Iran Red Crescent Med J. 2014;16(3):e14360. doi:10.5812/ircmj.14360
Rosemary (Rosmarinus cineoliferum)
Rosemary is a big one and can be used for a variety of applications. Like lemon, it has anti-proliferative, antioxidant and antibacterial properties. In regards to the nervous system, it helps improve cognition, the mood and memory function. Naturopaths use rosemary a lot to help the liver functions as well.
Because of its potential effects on neural cells (neural cell death inhibition), it is even studied as a potential element in Alzheimer’s therapies. Rosemary has potential for improving brain functions and has been shown to have anxiolytic and antidepressant properties.
Another study done on university students was able to demonstrate that the use of rosemary helped with memory, anxiety, depression and even the sleep quality of these students (less stress, so better sleep!).
Rosemary is so potent that it showed the capacity to protect the liver in alcoholic liver disease and also had an effect on the circulating cholesterol. This is quite a hardcore study, but it shows the power that plants can have.
To use rosemary essential oil, simply add a few drops in your diffuser anytime you need some help energy wise and for additional focus. It mixes very well with lemon too if you’d like to enjoy the benefits of both!
Hemlock spruce (Tsuga canadensis)
Hemlock spruce has similar qualities to Black spruce as it contains monoterpenes: antimicrobial, antiviral, good for respiratory infections (especially in winter), anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.
There isn’t as many studies on hemlock spruce, but it has been use traditionally for respiratory infections and preparation for meditation.
What is great with Hemlock spruce is that energy wise, it helps you transition through different phases in life and helps you let go if you are holding onto something that doesn’t serve you. Some authors also relate that it can help with addictions such as tobacco.
In any case, it would help provide relief in times of anxiousness and more vitality to go by your day to day life.
Hemlock spruce helps to bring more harmony in your emotions: it has a relaxing but energizing effect in the sense that it will help with stress by giving a little boost of energy. It is also good for inspiration and imagination in times where you need to be focused on a project or anything that requires your focus and creativity.
I would use this one in a diffuser as well or in a piece of tissue for inhalation.
References
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DISCLAIMER
The information shared on this site is only for general information only and does not constitute a recommendation, an advice, a treatment or a medical diagnosis. All information provided is not a medical advice and cannot replace a medical consultation with a doctor.