Everyone struggles to focus on what they need to get done from time to time. Before you reach for your fifth cup of coffee before ten am, with caffeine-induced shaky hands, consider a healthier alternative.
Essential oils have numerous recognised benefits, especially for the brain. Not only do some oils help you focus, but they can also make you feel more energised and help you relax at the end of a long hard day. Add a few drops of essential oil to your Yin oil burner to make you feel great all day long.
WHAT IS AN ESSENTIAL OIL?
The use of essential oils has become very popular, but do you know what an essential oil is and why we use them? Are you ready for some big sciency words? Here goes…
Essential oils come from aromatic plants, in other words, plants that smell good. Each oil contains a combination of volatile compounds, or chemicals that are released into the air. Now for the words that make you sound really clever! Terpenes, phenolics, ketones, alcohols, esters, amines, and amides, amongst others are responsible for the aroma released when you heat essential oils in your essential oil burner¹.
The aromatic oils can be extracted from all parts of the plant including the flowers, bark, stem, leaves, roots, and fruits. Their benefits were first discovered when scientists observed that they are absorbed by the skin. The most common ways to use essential oils are through inhalation, direct application to the skin and in a bath².
Once they enter the system they are modified. They are then able to target the area in the body that is distressed to bring about relief. Essential oils are used to manage depression, headaches, insomnia, skin problems, and, of course, can help you concentrate, relax and boost your energy levels³.
ESSENTIAL OILS THAT HELP YOU FOCUS
In another blog article we talked about how making yourself comfortable on your meditation cushion, closing your eyes, focusing on your breathing and meditating can have both short term and long term effects on your brain. You may not always have time to meditate, but lighting your oil burner is quick and easy.
With the right essential oils you can create an environment for yourself that makes it easier for you to concentrate and recall information. These oils have been shown to be useful to boost your brain power⁴:
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Rosemary
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Peppermint
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Sage
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Lemongrass
You can use them on their own, or create a brain-invigorating blend to help you pass that all-important test, or ace your next presentation at work.
ESSENTIAL OILS THAT HELP YOU RELAX
Adding a few drops of relaxing essential oils to your essential oil burner when you do your yoga practice at the end of the day can enhance the stress relief benefits of yoga. (By the way, we think our cork yoga mat is the best yoga mat by far! Yes, we are a bit biassed, but they really are great.)
Lavender oil is the go-to essential oil for calming the mind, but there are others that are equally effective. You can try one of the following oils added to your evening bath or in your oil burner to create a soothing atmosphere in your home⁵:
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Lavender
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Rose
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Bergamot
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Sandalwood
ESSENTIAL OILS THAT HELP YOU FEEL ENERGISED
Our daily lives can leave us feeling less than energised. Lots of people struggle with fatigue that can sometimes feel overwhelming. Don’t let feeling tired get you down. An article published on Healthline.com gives a great summary of the essential oils that may help give you a bit of an energy boost. Some have even been backed by science:
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Peppermint
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Sweet Orange
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Spearmint
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Lemon
ESSENTIAL OILS HAVE MORE BENEFITS THAN JUST A NICE SMELL
Essential oils can help you manage whatever your day throws at you. Whether you need to enhance your focus to kill it in the office, soothe your mood after a stressful day, or energise yourself to take on the world, adding a few drops of your favourite essential oil oil to your oil burner can make everything feel okay.
Essential oils have proven benefits. The aromatic compounds that are released into the air soon after lighting your essential oil burner are more than just a nice smell. So, whether you are gearing up for an energising yoga workout, or settling in for a calming meditation session, boost the effect with the right essential oil.
