Using Essential Oils to Boost Your Mood
Do you ever feel like you’re in a funk or need something to lift your mood? Essential oils can be an effective way to do just that. Aromatherapy has been around for centuries, with evidence showing that certain scents can help improve mood, reduce stress, and bring about a sense of clarity and focus. In this article, we will explore the various benefits of using essential oils to boost your mood, which varieties work best, and provide an overview of how to use them safely and effectively.
Benefits of Using Essential Oils
Using essential oils for emotional balance offers numerous benefits that go beyond feeling good in the moment. Studies have shown that using essential oils can provide relief from stress, promote positivity and well-being, improve sleep quality, enhance focus and concentration levels, and more.
Essential Oils to Help You Relax and De-Stress
Ready to start using essential oils to boost your mood? Below are some of the most popular varieties you can use to aid in relaxation and relieve stress.
Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender essential oil has a sweet, floral scent and comes from steam-distilling the flowers of the lavender plant. It’s often used to calm the mind and improve sleep quality, as well as increase focus and concentration levels.
Bergamot Essential Oil
Bergamot essential oil is an invigorating and revitalizing essential oil that has a sweet and tart citrus aroma. It's widely used in aromatherapy to help alleviate stress, induce relaxation, and improve focus.
Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
Ylang ylang essential oil is a powerful essential oil with a wide variety of uses in aromatherapy and topical applications. Extracted from the flowers of the Cananga odorata tree, it’s native to tropical regions of Southeast Asia and has a lovely floral scent. Its main components include linalool, geranyl acetate, caryophyllene, and cinnamaldehyde, which work together to create feelings of wellbeing, while boosting energy levels.
Essential Oils to Increase Focus and Energy Levels
In addition to promoting relaxation, essential oils can also boost energy levels and concentration. A few essential oils that are widely used for this include the following:
Ginger Essential Oil
Ginger essential oil is renowned for its invigorating characteristics with a spicy aroma that has been used for centuries to promote alertness and mental clarity.
Rosemary Essential Oil
Rosemary essential oil is another powerful essential oil that can assist with attentiveness and mental acuity. Its distinct earthy scent has energizing properties that aid in staying concentrated on tasks throughout the day.
Peppermint Essential Oil
The refreshing scent of peppermint essential oil aids in stimulating energy levels. One of the main components in this oil is menthol, which provides a cooling sensation that can be uplifting on the body and mind.
Lemon Essential Oil
Extracted from the peel of the lemon fruit, lemon essential oil has a light, refreshing citrusy scent that can help uplift your energy levels and clear mental fog.
How to Use Essential Oils for Mood Boosting
Once you have chosen an essential oil, there are several ways to use it safely and effectively.
Aromatherapy is one of the most popular methods for using essential oils for mood boosting. To do this, add 3 to 4 drops of your chosen oil into a diffuser (with water as directed), or simply place a few drops onto a cotton ball and inhale deeply. Taking slow, deep breaths while focusing on the scent will help create feelings of relaxation and improved wellbeing. When diffusing essential oils be sure you are in a well-ventilated room and do not leave your diffuser on for prolonged periods of time. Additionally, avoid diffusing around kids, pets, and anyones with respiratory issues.
Another option is to use essential oils topically with a carrier oil such as jojoba or argan oil. This can be done by adding 2 to 3 drops of the essential oil to 1 teaspoon of carrier oil before applying it directly onto the skin. You can also add 2 to 3 drops of an essential oil to your favorite lotion or shampoo to achieve mood-boosting benefits. A special note on safety: Essential oils should never be applied directly to the skin without diluting them first, as this can cause irritation or allergic reactions in some people. You should also conduct a patch test before applying it to a larger area.
In addition to diffusing and applying essential oils topically, you can also add them to a warm bath to promote relaxation and focus. Simply add 3 to 4 drops of an essential oil to ½ teaspoon of honey and stir the mixture into your bath water and soak.
When you’re feeling down or fatigued, it’s sometimes hard to bring yourself out of that state of mind. By incorporating essential oils into your daily routine you can keep yourself balanced and grounded. To learn more about how you can use essential oils to enhance your wellbeing, take a look at this article: DIY Aromatherapy Inhaler to Boost Your Confidence.
