Essential oils are a great alternative to prescription drugs that offer energy and a healthier state of mind. I use essential oils every day in my shower, every night in a diffuser, and I even apply some to pulse points like on my wrists and ankles. Enjoying the pleasant smells of essential oils can make a difference in your life, helping the day go from stressed and hectic to focused and energetic.
For so many people, tiredness is an accepted way of life, but there are quite a few essential oils that can help with energy so the crankiness and fatigued part of your day goes away. If you’ve never used essential oils before, then keep in mind that not all of them will have the same effect on you as on another person, so one oil might make one person feel awake and another person really relaxed.
Also, I would recommend doing research on which oils can be used orally and which ones can only be used topically or diffused into the air (since drinking an essential oil isn’t the best idea). I’ve assembled a list of different essential oils that can help with fatigue and bring energy into your life, leaving behind those tired school and work days.
1. Eucalyptus
This is an oil I use in the bathroom every morning, not just because it’s great at opening sinuses and helping with asthma (which I have), but also due to its great mental stimulation qualities. Eucalyptus oil is good for removing mental exhaustion and fatigue as it helps increase blood flow to the brain, and getting more blood to the brain is usually seen as a good thing.
The oil can also help with stress and mental disorders, as gaining more mental clarity can reduce chaotic thoughts tied to stress and upsetting thoughts tied to depression. If you love the smell of mint, then Eucalyptus oil is an essential oil to consider in helping to remove the cobwebs from the mind and rejuvenate the senses to help you go about the day—happy and awake.
2. Lemon
This is staple for anyone into essential oils, as lemon oil can do so much from cleaning kitchen cabinets to helping with weight loss to getting rid of dandruff. My mom always keeps her trusted lemon oil under her kitchen sink cabinet, ready to be used in the dishwasher. As for lemon oil’s ability to help with energy, it’s great at reducing insomnia and regulating sleep, which will naturally help amp-up energy levels.
Lemon oil, not surprisingly, offers a whole ton of vitamin c, if taken orally, which can help boost your immune system and fight off colds and diseases, therefore taking away sluggishness and giving your body much needed energy. Since lemon oil tastes just like lemon juice when added to water, it’s a great oil to take internally and with a familiar taste, lemon oil isn’t as intimidating as lesser known oils. Of course, you don’t have to ingest it; just diffusing it into the air is good enough.
3. Grapefruit
I guess a lot of the citrusy oils have a common thread among them: They’re great at rejuvenating the mind. Just like lemon oil, grapefruit oil has a wealth of vitamin c to help you feel revitalized and ready to take on the day after waking up sluggishly in the morning. Grapefruit oil and eucalyptus oil both help with blood circulation, causing more blood to reach the brain.
If eucalyptus is too minty for you and lemon oil is too, well, lemony for you, then grapefruit is a little bit more on the orangey side of smells and flavors. Just the smell alone of grapefruit will help with reinvigorating the mind and body for the day ahead. Grapefruit can even act as a mild depressant, erasing “brain-fog” and sour moods, as well as removing aches and sluggishness within the body.
4. Cinnamon
Now onto the spicy stuff. If you’re not a fan of citrus or earthy smells, but love hot, spicy smells, then cinnamon oil for definitely for you. Cinnamon oil is good at releasing insulin into the body, which means it can help keep blood sugar levels stable, therefore helping with fatigue and crankiness or moodiness. Cinnamon oil can be taken orally, so you can add drops to a drink or a food recipe for flavoring or as an extra pick-me-up.
Though, due to the hotness of the oil, if you use it on a patch of skin, especially the face or neck, then dilute it with a carrier oil (coconut oil, olive oil, jojoba oil) so it doesn’t cause skin irritations. Once, a little bit of cinnamon oil accidentally got on an Aloe Vera plant I was using for my skin, so my face literally felt like it was burning, so be careful with this one. A good alternative to breathing in the oil, instead of putting it on the body, is to diffuse it into the air with a diffuser, that way you still can get the positive, energy boosting benefits of cinnamon oil.
5. Rosemary
Rosemary oil is good for improving mental clarity, which is why I love to put it into my shower every morning. It’s great at helping to reduce stress levels, since rosemary oil can decrease the levels of cortisol, a hormone that is related to the fight-or-flight part of stress. With newfound relaxation, your mind will be more at ease and ready to think more clearly and calmly, helping with mental focus and energy.
Just like lemon and grapefruit, rosemary oil can help keep the immune system strong, leading to reduction in colds. There’s nothing that screams “lack of energy” like a cold, so if inhaling rosemary oil helps with the common flu, then look to gaining more energy in the future. Rosemary oil has an herbal smell; if you love the smell of more natural, outdoor scents, then check rosemary oil out.
You don’t have to turn to prescription drugs if you’re feeling fatigued all the time, unless of course you’re dealing with a chronic disease, then going to your doctor is a wise choice. But if you’re feeling just a little tired here and there, then definitely give essential oils a chance. Listed are only a handful of all the essential oils that can give you more energy and mental focus, so I recommend doing more research and checking out even more essential oils for your journey into acquiring more energy.
