Essential oils are well known for their ability to help us relax, unwind, and fall asleep. But many of these powerful natural aromas have energizing properties that provide a potent morning pick-me-up so that you can start the day with an extra spring in your step.
Energizing Essential Oils
In this post, I’ll explore some of the most effective essential oils to increase energy levels, boost mood, and kick-start your morning routine. Plus, I’ll also list some tried and tested ways to incorporate them into your daily routine.
7 of the Best Energizing Essential Oils to Wake You Up and Boost Your Mood
Many of us rely on stimulants like tea, coffee, and sugar to shift that groggy feeling when getting out of bed. But the aromatic essences listed below provide a gentle, balanced, and longer-lasting energy boost, and the science is there to prove it.
So, if you find yourself hitting the snooze button on repeat, these essential oils could be the perfect addition to your morning routine.
1. Peppermint Oil
Aromatherapists often use peppermint oil to help their clients shake off sluggishness and fatigue.
For thousands of years, this fresh, sweet scent has been thought to increase levels of focus and alertness. And recent research shows that it does indeed have a powerful beneficial effect, not just on the mind but also on the body.
Peppermint oil has been proven to aid concentration by boosting circulation and stimulating the nervous system.
But that’s not all. In 2013, the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition published a study demonstrating the oil’s ability to increase physical performance by increasing the flow of oxygen to the brain and improving blood pressure and heart rate during intense physical exercise.
So, it seems that peppermint could be a particularly useful tool for athletes. Still, even if you’re not running a marathon any time soon, everyone can benefit from the physical and mental energy boost that this popular essential oil provides.
2. Eucalyptus Oil
Many people use the refreshing scent of eucalyptus to clear their sinuses and breathe easier when they’re feeling blocked up.
But eucalyptus oil can also boost your mood and energy levels, leaving you feeling uplifted and ready to take on anything the day might throw at you.
This essential oil is also a particularly good choice for anyone looking to strengthen their immune system since, according to research, it activates an innate cell-mediated immune response.
So, by adding eucalyptus oil to your aromatherapy collection, you can enjoy increased energy levels and keep your body in tip-top condition to ward off colds and flu.
3. Grapefruit Oil
One sniff of grapefruit’s punchy, zesty aroma, and it’s easy to see why this essential oil is so popular in fighting fatigue.
All citrus scents have an energizing effect on our mental state, and grapefruit is one of the most potent and supercharged citrus essential oils of them all.
But this vitality-inducing scent doesn’t just wake you up; it can also help you relax, too. That’s because grapefruit, like many citrus fruits, contains limonene, which lowers stress and anxiety and reduces blood pressure.
So, if you’re looking for a vigorous morning pick-me-up that also helps boost your mood and relieve tension, then grapefruit essential oil is a perfect choice.
4. Lemon Oil
Just like grapefruit oil, lemon oil has a powerful citrus scent that’s been used to lift the spirit, increase energy, and induce a feeling of calm for thousands of years.
Lemon oil also contains the powerful compound limonene, so it provides all the same stress-relieving and mood-boosting benefits as grapefruit oil. Plus, it’s proven to help improve focus and alertness, too.
One interesting study carried out in 2004 tracked a group of fourth-grade language learners sitting their exams. Results showed that students who took the test in a classroom with a lemon oil diffuser scored significantly higher than those who didn’t.
So, if you have a challenging day ahead and you need your mind to be at its sharpest, then try including some zesty lemon oil in your aromatherapy routine and see how your mental performance improves.
And that’s not all; lemon oil has multiple other benefits, too. It’s a popular antiseptic treatment with immune-boosting and pain-relieving properties. Plus, it’s a great natural treatment for dry, dull, or greasy skin. What’s not to like?
5. Rosemary Oil
Rosemary is a common ingredient in the kitchen, but the essential oil is an important staple in any aromatherapy kit, too.
Thanks to the herb’s aromatic component cineole, rosemary oil has a gentle stimulatory effect which can boost cognitive function and increase blood flow to the brain.
This, in turn, helps to increase your overall energy levels, making you feel more focused, alert, and attentive throughout the day.
And like many of the energizing essential oils on this list, rosemary oil has a heap of additional benefits, too.
The plant’s cineole content also makes rosemary oil a powerful antiseptic treatment. It also helps to relieve digestive discomforts, such as indigestion and heartburn.
Plus, since rosemary can regulate blood pressure and prevent hardening of the arteries, it’s great for your heart health, too.
6. Tea Tree Oil
Tea Tree is famously used to treat acne-prone skin and zap zits, but there’s a lot more to this invigorating essential oil than these well-known skin-friendly benefits.
Traditional aromatherapists have long used tea tree oil to banish negative energy and boost positive thoughts. The uplifting yet soothing scent gently stimulates the nervous system while quieting a busy mind, helping you to start the day feeling alert, confident, and calm.
There’s more good news, too. A major active component of tea tree oil is a natural compound called terpinen-4-ol, which helps to boost your immune system and fight off colds and flu. Plus, it contains rosemary, tea tree, and cineole, which increase blood flow to the brain, and also act as a natural antiseptic.
And, of course, tea tree is great for your skin’s health, too. Not only does it effectively treat acne breakouts, but used topically, it can soothe burns, cold sores, and insect bites and even prevent dandruff.
7. Sandalwood Oil
Sandalwood oil has long been used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine as a muscle relaxant, an antiseptic, a powerful immune booster, and an effective treatment for a variety of skin conditions. But this ancient essential oil also acts as a powerful morning pick-me-up, too.
The rich aroma of sandalwood has a cooling effect on the mind and body, inducing feelings of relaxation while simultaneously boosting energy levels.
One study showed that sandalwood essential oil increased physiological arousal levels and improved mood and attentiveness, thanks to its active natural ingredient, alpha-santalol.
Inhaling this restorative aroma has also been shown to lower blood pressure and decrease levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
Sandalwood’s stress-relieving properties make this a particularly effective essential oil to use at the start of a busy day, especially if your to-do list is causing you to feel anxious.
How to Use Energizing Essential Oils?
There are various ways to incorporate the energizing essential oils above into your morning routine. Here are a few suggestions.
1. Inhale it Directly From the Bottle
For an instant, no-fuss energy boost, simply hold the open bottle a few centimeters below your nose and gently inhale the invigorating aroma.
If you’re prone to hitting the snooze button, try keeping the container on your nightstand next to your bed, and take a quick sniff as soon as you open your eyes in the morning. The stimulating scent will help to kick-start your brain and make you much less likely to fall back asleep.
2. Use it in the Shower
A morning shower is a great way to start the day feeling refreshed. But adding a few drops of energizing essential oils to the shower floor can take it to the next level, helping you shake off any residual sluggishness and wake up much faster.
3. Diffuse it
Diffusers are one of the most popular ways to harness the power of essential oils since they fill the room with a gentle and sustained aroma letting you enjoy the beneficial effects of each fragrance for longer.
Keeping an oil diffuser in your bedroom can help you wake up feeling refreshed, but you can also try diffusing energizing oils in your home office to keep you going throughout the workday.
4. Use as a Pre-Workout Boost
Inhaling essential oils before hitting the gym can enhance your workout on both a mental and physical level.
The mood and energy-enhancing properties of the fragrances listed above will help you push through mental barriers and keep your body moving for longer. Plus, some essential oils, particularly peppermint, can directly increase your physical endurance by boosting circulation and increasing oxygen flow to the brain.
5. Apply Topically
Applying essential oils to the skin is a great way to harness their energizing effects, and since the skin’s surface is a porous membrane, your physical health will benefit, too.
Plus, the scent will remain on your skin through the day, providing a sustained energy boost right the way through until the afternoon or evening.
But a quick word of caution; many essential oils are too potent to be applied directly to the skin. Instead, they’ll need to be mixed with a neutral carrier oil, such as olive or almond oil, or blended with your daily moisturizer to avoid irritation.
Conclusion
The essential oils listed above can have a profound energizing effect on both the mind and body, helping you start your day feeling refreshed, happy, and invigorated.
So, if you struggle to get out of bed when the alarm clock rings, try incorporating these essential oils into your morning routine and see what a difference it can make.
