12 Essential Oils for Energy and Motivation

Do you often feel fatigued, demotivated and even have a tough time getting up in the morning? Let’s face it, most of us could do with a boost of energy from time to time.

For many people, caffeine can provide the shot in the arm they need to get going but the positive effects are short-lived and often simply delay the inevitable energy crash.

Being fatigued throughout the day can seriously affect your productivity at work or school and a lack of motivation can creep into your home life too. If you are one of the many people that could do with bolstering your energy levels and staying motivated throughout the day, then we may have a natural solution.

Essential oils might help in a number of ways. certain essential oils are known to help boost energy levels. They can also  increase productivity and focus and help make your day more productive without experiencing the crash that often comes with overdoing the caffeine.

What are Essential Oils?

If you are unfamiliar with essential oils, they are highly concentrated compounds extracted from various parts of plants by a variety of methods including steam distillation or cold pressing. Essential oils have a very wide variety of potential health benefits, both physical and emotional. They are commonly used in aromatherapy where they are typically inhaled or applied topically to the skin.

The sheer number of essential oils on the market today is dizzying and making a choice for your particular need can be tough. Many oils are claimed to help enhance energy and boost motivation but these claims are not always supported by science.

Only a handful of oils have been studied for their ability to reduce fatigue and increase energy and motivation levels. However, a number of other oils are commonly used for the same purpose. Despite the lack of scientific support, these oils may well work for you.

We will start by looking at the five essential oils that have been backed by science and then go on to look at the other oils with popular user support.

The Best Essential Oils to Boost Energy and Motivation

Peppermint Essential Oil

Peppermint essential oil is an extremely popular essential oil in aromatherapy because of its very wide range of therapeutic uses. It is an effective remedy for headaches, nausea, stomach issues and joint pain, to name just a few of its uses.

Peppermint oil has analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic actions. Everybody will be familiar with the uplifting, fresh fragrance of peppermint, but did you know that it could help prevent fatigue and boost energy. Well, according to one small-scale study, it might.

A study published in 2013, looked at the effects of peppermint essential oil on athletic performance in 12 healthy males. The men drank half a liter of water containing 0.05ml of peppermint essential oil each day for 10 days and the effects were measured.

The researchers found that peppermint essential oil added to the water improved athletic performance, respiratory rate and blood pressure levels in the participants. The researchers believe that the essential oil worked by decreasing blood lactate, increasing ventilation and relaxing bronchial muscles. (1)

Bear in mind that this was a very small-scale study. The participants also took the essential oil internally, which we do not recommend unless you are under expert supervision. Simply inhaling peppermint essential oil directly or through a diffuser may have a similar effect but there is no evidence to suggest that it does.

Nevertheless, many people use peppermint essential oil to combat fatigue and boost energy and it is certainly worth a try.

Rosemary Essential Oil

Rosemary essential oil has become increasingly popular because of its growing list of proven health benefits.

In aromatherapy, rosemary essential oil is used to nervous tension and stress and to improve respiratory health. it is also commonly used to relieve fatigue and negativity and to increase focus, alertness and enhance concentration.

One study, published in 2012, demonstrated that when inhaled, rosemary oil had a stimulating effect. The study showed that the oil could positively impact mood and brain wave activity as well as stimulating the nervous system. (2)

A more recent study, published in 2018, found that rosemary essential oil had a positive impact on memory and focus.  The study involving 79 school students aged from 13 to 17 separated the students into three groups who wither inhaled rosemary essential oil, lavender essential oil or a placebo which was sprayed into the class room.

The researchers found that the students who inhaled rosemary essential oil had significant memory improvements over those who inhaled either lavender essential oil or the control group. In fact lavender essential oil caused weaker memory than the control, likely because of its known sedative effects. (3)

If you need to a boost to get through the day at work or school, try inhaling rosemary essential oil when you feel your focus starting to waver.

Spearmint Essential Oil

Spearmint essential oil may not be as popular as peppermint but it does have a range of very similar health benefits. When inhaled, it might help relieve fatigue, boost concentration and improve motivation so you can get through the day more productively.

One animal study found that a combination of spearmint and rosemary essential oils had significant beneficial effects on the memory and learning of mice. the researchers also found that this blend of oils helped decrease oxidative damage to the brain. (4)

See below for another study that combined spearmint essential oil with sweet orange.

Sweet Orange Essential Oil

Citrus essential oils have a wonderful uplifting effect that can help fight fatigue and bolster concentration and motivation.There is also some evidence that evidence that sweet orange oil can help boost energy.

One study found that when combined with spearmint essential oil, sweet orange oil may have a positive effect on athletic performance. In the study, published in 2016, male athletes inhaled a combination of the essential oils just before embarking on a 1500 meter run.

The researchers found that this helped improve run times but pointed out that the study was small-scale and more research was needed.  (5)

Try inhaling a combination of orange and spearmint essential oils whenever you feel fatigued. Hopefully, it will have a positive effect on your energy levels.

Lemon Essential Oil

Citrus oils have long been used in aromatherapy for their uplifting effects. While we do not have a great deal of evidence to support the use of essential oils to boost motivation and energy, there is some evidence that lemon essential oil could be beneficial.

Lemon essential oil is a very popular essential oil with a diverse range of therapeutic benefits. It is widely used to treat a wide variety of ailments affecting the body and the mind.

One study, published in 2008, found that when inhaled, lemon essential oil had a significantly positive effect on mood. (6)

More research is needed on lemon essential oil, but traditionally the scents of citrus fruits have been thought to be uplifting.

When it comes to the effects essential oils have on the mind, there is no one size fits all. The oils mentioned above include those that have been studied and some of the most popular in aromatherapy for boosting energy and improving motivation.

However, what works for one person will not necessarily work for another. There are also a number of other essential oils that people find effective. these include the following :

• wild orange essential oil
• cinnamon essential oil
• black pepper essential oil
• frankincense essential oil
• basil essential oil
• lemongrass essential oil
• jasmine essential oil

 How to Use Essential Oils for Energy and Motivation

So, now that you have chosen your essential oils, how can you get the most out of them to ensure your energy levels, motivation and focus increase?

These are the safest and most effective ways to use to use your chosen essential oils :

• Inhalation : Perhaps the easiest way to use your essential oils is to inhale them directly from the bottle whenever you are feeling demotivated or fatigued. You can also add a few drops of your oil to a handkerchief or cotton ball and inhale.
• Diffuse : If you have a diffuser machine, this is a simple and effective way of inhaling your essential oils. Add your chosen oil or a combination of oils to your machine and diffuse it throughout your home or office. This can have a remarkably uplifting effect on your mind and body with very little effort on your part.
• Topical Application : Essential oils can be applied to the skin topically as long as they are diluted first. essential oils are very powerful so make sure that you dilute them well with a carrier oil like almond oil or coconut oil before massaging them into your skin.

Precautions and Side Effects

Essential oils are regarded as a safe form of therapy as long as they are used correctly. It is important to consider the following precautions to make sure you avoid any unwanted side effects :

• Never take your essential oil internally unless you are supervised by your doctor.
• Never apply your essential oil to your skin unless it has been diluted with a suitable carrier oil. There are a number of carrier oils to choose from. Some of the most popular include avocado, sweet almond, jojoba and coconut oil.
• Even after you have diluted the oil, you should perform a patch test to ensure you are not sensitive. Apply a small amount of your dilute oil to a the inside of your arm and cover with a bandage. Allow it to sit for up to 24 hours. If you do not experience any redness or skin reaction, you can go ahead and apply a larger dose.
• Pregnant women and those who are breastfeeding should speak to their doctor before using essential oils topically. While some are considered safe, there is a lack of concrete safety data.
• Do not use essential oils on children unless you have expert medical advise.
• Many citrus essential oils are phototoxic. This means they can make your skin extremely sensitive to sunlight. If you have used lemon essential oil or another citrus oil topically, you should avoid exposing your skin to direct sunlight for at least 24 hours.

Final Thoughts

Most everybody lacks energy and motivation from time to time. many of us have stressful lives and we get nowhere near the amount of sleep that we need to help recharge. Of course, it is easy to recommend more sleep but in truth, that is no easy task.

Many people will turn to a strong cup of black coffee or a sugary-filled energy drink or soda to help fight their fatigue. while this can have the desired effect, it is often short-lived and typically accompanied by a crash later in the day.

Fortunately, there is a potential solution in the shape of essential oils. Although, the scientific evidence for their effects is scarce, many people claim that they are highly effective. there is also a certain amount of evidence that some essential oils can stimulate the mind, boost focus and fight fatigue effect.

According to research, lemon, spearmint, peppermint, rosemary and sweet orange essential oils can have the desired effect. There are also a number of other essential oils that claim to stimulate the body and mind and boost energy, focus and motivation.

We feel it is well worth trying some of the oils from our list and seeing what effect they have on you. There is little to lose and you might well stumble across a sure fire solution.