Stimulating Aromatic Oils to Get Your Day Started Right

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Adapted from Grade-A-Notes.
Used by permission.

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Have you ever had one of those days when you wake up and just don't have the desire or motivation to do the things you need to do that day?  On days like that, you might wish you could just crawl back into bed.

We all have days like that once in a while (some of us more than others); but the day doesn't have to be unproductive because of it.  Therapeutic-grade essential oils have the ability to lift us out of times like that, and get our day back on track.

Possible scenarios and solutions

Maybe your day starts out fine, but you experience afternoon lethargy.  Circumstances that could cause us to need an invigorating essential oil to get us moving again include:

• boredom,
• lethargy,
• mental fatigue,
• lack of motivation,
• a need to stay awake and alert for driving, or some other reason.

Peppermint Oil, Deep Breathing and Reflexology

Deep breathing, all by itself, can be very energizing.  Just sit up straight and fill those lungs.

However, essential oils can add a very effective dimension for mental stimulation, alertness and general invigoration.  It always amazes me how quickly I feel invigorated when I use essential oils.  And, a research study by Dr. William N. Dember, of the University of Cincinnati, demonstrated that inhaling peppermint oil can increase mental accuracy by 28 percent.

Peppermint oil is my favorite energizing oil.  Just put a drop or two into your hand, rub your hands together in a clockwise direction, cup them over your face and inhale.

Another idea for energizing your day is to put a drop of oil on the meaty part of your big toes or thumbs.  There are reflexology points there corresponding to the brain.

Eucalyptus Oil

Another oil that has been shown to be helpful for alertness is eucalyptus oil.  Studies have been done with truck drivers, testing this oil's effectiveness for keeping them alert and preventing lethargy.  The drivers were asked to inhale the eucalyptus oil periodically, and when they felt tired.  It was shown to be more effective than caffeine and other stimulants, without their side effects.

I get this same result with the peppermint oil, and use it to keep awake when traveling.

Black Pepper Oil and Oils from Trees

Black pepper is another stimulating essential oil, and has been studied for its effects on cellular oxygenation.

Many of the stimulating oils come from trees.  That may be why we feel so good when we walk through a forest.  Eucalyptus, pine, spruce, cypress, cedarwood, Douglas fir and juniper all have stimulating and mentally invigorating properties.

Benefits of stimulating oils at the end of the day

Stimulating scents can also be helpful at the end of the day, when you find yourself tired and worn out.  Some of the oil blends may be of particular help to invigorate and energize you.

A selection of stimulating oils

Two wonderful oil blends that are very useful for energy and motivation are the energy blend and the impetus blend.

• The energy blend contains oils that were traditionally used to help restore mental alertness.
  How to use: Diffuse, or put on ears and back of neck.  Put a couple of drops on a cotton ball and place in the air vent of the car, or dilute with a massage oil base for full body massage.
  Ingredients: Rosemary, juniper, nutmeg, fir, black pepper, lemongrass and clove.
• The impetus blend may enable a person to surmount fear and procrastination, and stimulate feelings of moving forward to accomplish new things.
  How to use: Diffuse, or apply on the ears, feet (big toe), chest or nape of neck.
  Ingredients: Roman chamomile, ylang ylang, spruce and lavender.

Other blends that are very nice include:

• The mental focus blend, which promotes a clear mind and alertness.  The rosemary and peppermint found in this blend have been used for years for improved mental acuity and vitality.
  How to use: Diffuse; put in bath water; put on cotton ball in air vents.  Apply on temples, wrists and neck.
  Ingredients: Basil, cardamom, rosemary, peppermint, rosewood, geranium, lemon, palmarosa, ylang ylang, bergamot, Roman chamomile, and jasmine.
• The enlightenment blend helps bring you the inner awareness necessary to make successful changes and desirable transitions.  This may help you progress toward your highest potential.
  How to use: Diffuse, add to bath water, dilute with a massage oil base for body massage, use as an aftershave, or wear over the heart, on the wrists or on the neck.
  Ingredients: A combination of the oil of gladness blend, the pardoning blend, the sweet dreams blend, the in the now blend, and the accord blend, in a base of almond oil.
• The mental prowess blend, a specially-designed essential oil blend rich in sesquiterpenes.  Use it to clarify your thoughts and support concentration.
  How to use: Apply over the back of the neck, on the temples, on the soles of the feet and under the tongue.
  Ingredients: Cedarwood, sandalwood, frankincense, melissa, Australian blue cypress, lavender and helichrysum.

Two oil blends with several tree oils:

• The scent of evergreens blend, distilled from a variety of aromatic pine, cedar and spruce trees.  Its crisp scent brings the essence of a refreshing forest glade into your home.
  How to use: Diffuse, or place a few drops on hands, cup to nose and inhale deeply.
  Ingredients: Colorado blue spruce, Ponderosa pine, red fir, cedar, white fir, black pine, pinyon pine, lodge pole pine and other conifers.
• The mountain sanctuary blend, a blend of oils that are extracted from conifers such as fir, spruce, and cedarwood to represent the sacred feeling of the mountains.  They bring about a feeling of protection, strength and security.
  How to use: Diffuse, or apply on crown of head, forehead, base of head, chest, wrists and behind the ears.
  Ingredients: Spruce, ylang ylang, fir, and cedarwood.