Aromatherapy oils can work wonders when you feel tired and lethargic, lifting your mood and boosting your energy levels.
We often this of aromatherapy as something to help us relax and unwind at the end of a long day, however, many oils can work just as well to get you moving in the morning or to revive tired muscles and a flagging mind in the middle of a weary day.
Clear, fresh scents are best for waking you up and giving you a burst of energy, and these are often most effective when combined with cold water, for example, in cool showers or compresses.
Alternatively, you can try a short, sharp shock to your system to wake you up. Try using a spray on your pulse points or an inhalation from a handkerchief.
Scented candles and vaporizers that fill your home with zesty, uplifting aromas are also ideal.
By choosing from these energy boosting essential oils you can create your personalized invigorating blend.
To stimulate the mind: Use 6 drops of either lemon, orange or peppermint, 3 drops of either aniseed, clove or rosemary and 1 drops of either sandalwood or patchouli.
To stimulate the body: Use 6 drops of petitgrain, peppermint or tea tree, 3 drops of black pepper, juniper or rosemary and 1 drop of rose, patchouli or ginger.
To stimulate the emotions: Use 6 drops of bergamot or thyme, 3 drops of pine or Melissa and 1 drop of rose, rosewood or sandalwood.
Use stimulating oils to create an invigorating shower, massage or compress to wake you up first thing in the morning or refresh you before an evening out.
BATHROOM BLENDS
Add the following blend to some of your usual shower gel to give yourself an invigorating scrub while you wash. Set the temperature of the water slightly cooler than you prefer, nothing beats a cold shower for waking you up.
To wake you up:
- 2 drops bergamot
- 4 drops grapefruit
- 4 drops lemon
- 10ml grapeseed base oil
- 20ml shower gel.
An aromatic massage blend is especially good for treating chronic fatigue. Jasmine is restoring and revitalizing, as well as calming. It combines well with rosewood’s enlivening properties. Add the following blend to your usual gel for an invigorating shower before you go out in the evening.
Before an evening out:
- 5 drops jasmine
- 5 drops rosewood
- 20ml shower gel
MASSAGE
Add either of the bathroom blends to 30ml of grapeseed base oil, instead of your shower gel, to make an energy boosting massage blend.
Head and neck massages can be particularly refreshing, especially if you work energy boosting massage oils into the pulse points at the neck and temples.
BREATHE IN FOR AN ENERGY BOOST
Essential oil burners are a simple and effective way to surround yourself with invigorating and uplifting aromas.
Fill your vaporizer bowl to the brim with water and add:
10 drops orange
10 drops pine
10 drops thyme
Leave the room for a few minutes to allow the aroma to diffuse then return to gain the full benefits.
You can also make a room spray by adding 40-60 drops of the same blend to water in a small atomizer bottle. Shake the bottle well and spray around the room.
Place a few drops of lemon, rosewood or bergamot oil on a handkerchief or inhale them straight from the bottle for a quick and stimulating energy fix.
A cold compress alone can invigorate you and wake you up, but by adding essential oils you can be stimulated even more.
1. Add 4-5 drops of essential oil to a small bowl of cold water.
2. Dip a cotton cloth or flannel into the water and wring out the excess water.
3. Apply the compress to your forehead or nape of the neck for a few minutes.
Use aromatherapy to boost your energy. If you feel yourself starting to flag before the end of your working day, a quick dab of zesty oil on your pulse points can help to perk you up. Add a few drops of stimulating oils to a vaporizer and breathe in the refreshing aroma. Rinses a flannel in cool water enhanced with essential oils and apply it to your forehead or neck. You will soon feel energized.
