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Do you often wake up in the morning feeling depleted, lacking that morning glow that should naturally be there after a full night of sleep? Do you have to chug two to three cups of coffee before mid-afternoon just to give yourself enough momentum to get through the rest of the day?

Well, the majority of us can relate to these words. There are many reasons why our energy levels drop so low. Sometimes stressful job, parental duties, lack of sleep, anxiety or an underlying condition get the best of us. The feeling of fatigue is just a natural part of the life.

With that said, every natural problem has its natural solution. Instead of drinking another energy drink, try giving any of the below listed essential oils a try. Essential oils have been used as a natural remedy for physical and mental fatigue for centuries. Their pleasant aroma will help you stimulate your senses and make you feel energized and full of vigor once again.

Symptoms and Causes of Low Energy

A fast-paced world that we live in has burdened us with many responsibilities and duties. Every now and then, when we cannot physically and emotionally keep up with the rapid flow, we experience the symptoms of exhaustion. These symptoms are our body’s way of telling us that we need to slow down and start enjoying life at a slower, healthier pace.

The most common symptoms of low energy levels are:

• Feeling tired without doing anything
• Lack of motivation
• Inability to focus and concentrate
• Having body aches and muscle soreness
• Being sleepy at odd hours
• Being irritable and feeling depressed
• Increased or lowered appetite

Occasional feeling of tiredness and dullness is completely normal. But what if you are feeling tired all the time? In such case, persisting exhausting is more likely a symptom of an underlying condition. Many serious illnesses such as celiac disease, anemia, diabetes, hypothyroidism and depression cause abnormal fatigue that can persist for as long as the root cause is not treated.

Note: If you are being constantly tired, pay a visit to your doctor.

How Essential Oils Work

Essential oils are derived from twigs, leaves, fruits, and resins of most valuable plants of the Earth. The process of cold pressing or steam distillation captures the most remarkable and beneficial properties of these plants in a simple glass bottle.

An essential oil is a highly concentrated liquid full of aromatic molecules that, when inhaled, have a direct impact on our brain, particularly our limbic system (hypothalamus and amygdala).

Our limbic system is responsible for regulating blood pressure, for production and secretion of hormones, for our sleep-wake cycles, hunger and thirst, our emotional reactions and our fight or flight responses. According to a number of medical studies, inhalation of certain essential oils can help you combat the symptoms of physical and mental fatigue.

Topical application of essential oils is just as useful and beneficial as aromatherapy. Molecules found in any volatile oil are so small that they can easily penetrate the deep layers of the skin and capillaries, entering the bloodstream. For better and faster results, it is better to apply essential oils on parts of the body where the skin is thinner, for instance, feet and palms.

Top 8 Essential Oils for Natural Energy

Essential oils are extremely beneficial for our health. They are known to ease symptoms or, in some cases, even completely treat or prevent particular illnesses. Essential oils affect a number of biological processes and factors within our body.

Following list of essential oils for natural energy can help you improve your heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, stress levels and sleep-wake cycle. These improvements will have a direct impact on your overall health and of course your energy levels as well.

1. Lemon Essential Oil

Who doesn’t like lemons? Their sour and yet refreshing juice can liven up every dish, so why wouldn’t the oil derived exclusively from the lemon peel have the same exact impact on our body?

Lemon essential oil is packed with antioxidants, even the cancer-fighting d-limonene. This remarkable terpene helps fight anxiety and insomnia by activating adenosine A(2A) receptors on cell membranes. The lack of their activation is linked to reduced motivation and addictive tendencies in people. D-limonene within the lemon essential oil will certainly help you fight mental and physical exhaustion.

A simple inhalation of lemon essential oil can help you calm down your nerves and sleep better at night. With well-rested body and mind, you will feel refreshed, motivated and productive thought the whole day.

Rating: 4.5/5

2. Eucalyptus Essential Oil

Eucalyptus essential oil is an invigorating natural remedy obtained from fresh leaves of a tree bellowed by every koala. As a strong stimulant, eucalyptus essential oil is used for treating sluggishness and exhaustion in people suffering from various health conditions. Fresh and crisp eucalyptus essence has the ability to rejuvenate the body and mind.

Eucalyptus aromatherapy is often used in classrooms as a natural tool for improving the cognitive performance of students. As a vasodilator, eucalyptus oil is able to widen blood vessels and increase the blood flow to the brain. Improved blood flow increases oxygen supply, which ultimately increases our brain power.

So, if you are feeling sluggish and can’t think straight, fix yourself a refreshing eucalyptus aromatherapy and make the best of your sharpness.

Rating: 4.5/5

3. Peppermint Essential Oil

Strong minty aroma of peppermint essential oil can wake up your senses within few whiffs. It is believed that peppermint essential oil may even improve concentration and focus in people with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Active ingredients found within peppermint essence, inducing menthol and menthone, help treat symptoms of hypothyroidism, an underlying cause of fatigue in many people. Peppermint essential oil helps treat depression, mental exhaustion, and indigestion. Inhaling peppermint oil can even reduce appetite and induce the feeling of satiety faster. This property will stop your emotional eating triggered by tiredness.

One of the best properties of peppermint oil is its cooling ability. Peppermint as a refrigerant substance helps alleviate pain and soreness in muscles. A simple peppermint oil massage can re-energize your body after an intense workout or after an injury.

Rating: 4.7/5

4. Rosemary Essential Oil

Rosemary essential oil is a great natural remedy for treating tiredness and potentially even chronic fatigue. Rosemary oil packs a punch due to its unique chemical composition containing an oxide called 1.8 cineole. It is believed that 1.8 cineole can increase cerebral blood flow, which leads to the improvement of energy levels in human body.

A 2011 study published in Journal of the Neurological Sciences found that people suffering from chronic fatigue have decreased cerebral blood flow. This makes rosemary essential oil a potential cure for chronic fatigue syndrome.

In addition to that, inhaling rosemary aroma helps improve cognitive performance as well as reduce stress. A 2007 study conducted at Meikai University in Japan revealed that smelling both rosemary and lavender essential oils for five minutes decreased the stress hormone cortisol in the saliva of 22 healthy participants. Heightened levels of cortisol can lead to weight gain, obesity, cardiovascular disease and digestion problems.

Keeping your stress at bay is not only important for maintaining healthy energy levels but also for preventing serious illnesses that may lead to more severe forms of exhaustion.

Rating: 4.6/5

5. Basil Essential Oil

Basil is a versatile aromatic herb used for culinary and medicinal purposes all over the world. Essential oil obtained from this very plant is rich in vitamin A, calcium, potassium, iron and magnesium. As a natural stimulant, basil essential oil positively affects our nervous system and adrenal cortex. By doing so, it helps us fight fatigue, brain fog, sluggishness, and moodiness. Inhalation of basil essence can help you build up your mental alertness and your energy levels.

Muscle soreness is one of the most prominent signs of exhaustion. Basil oil can help you tackle this issue as well. As a natural analgesic, basil oil provides relief from muscle and joint pain. In fact, this remedy is often used to treat more severe forms of pain caused by arthritis and sports injuries. So, if you ever notice that your mental exhausting is slowly starting to cause you physical pain, treat yourself to a basil essential oil massage.

Rating: 4.5/5

6. Orange Essential Oil

Orange essential oil has a pleasant citrusy aroma that awakens pleasant feelings and memories in each and every one of us. According to the 2014 study published in the Journal of Complementary Therapies of Medicine, both orange and rose oil induce psychological and physiological relaxation. Findings of the study show that 90-second exposure to the diffusion of both oils is enough to evoke the feelings of comfort and relaxation.

Stress is one of the main causes of our mental and physical exhaustion. If you are ever in need of a little energy boost, instead of drinking another cup of coffee, try inhaling an orange and rose essential oil blend straight from the bottle. You can keep this simple home remedy near your and use it as needed.

Rating: 4.5/5

7. Frankincense Essential Oil

Frankincense essential oil is a natural remedy obtained from the gum or resin of olibanum trees, scientifically known as Boswellia carteri. Frankincense oil is mostly known for its sedative properties capable of evoking mental clarity and peace. If you are having low energy levels due to the stress or depression inhaling frankincense can help you bring some balance to your body and mind.

A 2008 study conducted at Keimyung University in Korea showed that frankincense, lavender, and bergamot essential oil massage effectively relieved pain and depression in hospice patients with terminal cancer. Frankincense oil tackles exhaustion and mood swings by balancing hormone levels in our body.

You can use the calming scent of frankincense essential oil whenever stress and anxiety keep you up at night. Frankincense aromatherapy will calm you down, help you open up your breathing passages and most importantly help you fall asleep. A good night sleep will make you feel energized and full of enthusiasm.

Rating: 4.4/5

8. Cinnamon Essential Oil

Cinnamon essential oil is an excellent natural remedy for treating low energy. Cinnamon oil helps us improve our moodiness and fatigue by positively affecting the insulin and by keeping our blood sugar levels stable.

Diabetes is a common underlying cause of chronic fatigue. Research shows that cinnamon spice and cinnamon essential oil help control and improve some aspects of diabetes, for instance, insulin sensitivity, blood pressure, inflammation, and body weight.

You can tackle not just the cause but also the symptoms of your fatigue. Inhalation of musky and spicy cinnamon essence has been shown to improve brain function, memory, concentration, and attention. So, if you are ever having a brain fog due to lack of energy, simply sit back and relax, take a few whiffs of cinnamon oil and let your mind clear from all the stress and anxiety.

Rating: 4.6/5

For more on uses of essential oils, and different things they can be used for, please check out our complete list of essential oils and what they are used for here.

5 Essential Oil Recipes for Energy

Note: Know that following essential oil recipes are not recommendation or substitute for the treatment provided by your medical specialist. If you are having any concerns consult with your doctor beforehand.

1. Fatigue-be-gone aromatherapy

Ingredients:

• 1 drop of eucalyptus essential oil
• 1 drop of rosemary essential oil
• 1 drop of lemongrass essential oil

Instructions:

• Defuse this anti-fatigue essential oil blend with your diffuser.

2. Brain power blend

Ingredients:

• 15 drops of lemon essential oil
• 8 drops of basil essential oil
• 4 drops of rosemary essential oil

Instructions:

• Defuse the blend with your diffuser.
• Dilute this blend of essential oil in a carrier oil of your choice and use it for a soothing massage.
• You can add few drops of this essential oil blend to your bath as well.

3. Boosting massage blend

Ingredients:

• 4 drops of peppermint essential oil
• 4 drops of orange essential oil

Instructions:

• Dilute both essential oils in a carrier oil of your choice.
• Massage the blend on the bottom of your feet, or on the aching parts of your body.

4. Stress relief aromatherapy

Ingredients:

• 2 drops of frankincense essential oil
• 2 drops of orange essential oil
• 2 drops of cedarwood essential oil
• 1 drops of rosemary essential oil

Instructions:

• Defuse this anti-stress essential oil blend with your diffuser.

5. Muscle fatigue massage blend

Ingredients:

• 10 drops of eucalyptus essential oil
• 10 drops of rosemary essential oil
• 5 drops of thyme essential oil
• 5 drops of cypress essential oil
• 2 tbsp of carrier oil

Instructions:

• Mix all ingredients into a blend.
• Gently massage the blend on your sore muscles as often as needed.

Conclusion

Low energy levels affect our productivity and our social life. One of the best ways to give yourself a natural boost is by using essential oils. Essential oils pack a punch and they are a great alternative to the energy drinks or that third cup of coffee that you are eying.

Stimulating qualities of the above listed essential oils have a direct impact on our nervous system. Just a few sniffs of the right essence can improve your mood; improve your sleep and your energy. Essential oils can become a safe solution to your exhaustion because they do not cause any side effects as many over-the-counter and prescription medications nowadays do.

Essential oils give a quick fix, but to make a long-lasting change, it is best to find and eradicate the root of your health concern. Remember that establishing a healthy and stress-free lifestyle is an investment into the future.

Here are some last tips on how to use listed essential oils for natural energy in safe and effective manner:

1. Seek medical attention if you are feeling tired all the time.
2. Do a skin patch test every time you introduce a new essential oil to your therapy.
3. Always dilute your essential oils with carrier oil before applying them to the skin. Most common carrier oils include sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil, jojoba oil, olive oil, sunflower oil etc.
4. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, make sure that essential oils you are using are not harmful to you or your baby.

Want more next steps from here? check out our Best Essential Oils Brands Reviews in this next article.

References (medical studies):

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21167506
• http://www.psy-journal.com/article/S0165-1781(06)00011-4/fulltext
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25453523
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18753801