Health & Beauty
Boost Your Energy Levels & Motivation – the Benefits of Focus Essential Oils
Nowadays, essential oils are becoming more and more popular, with some people claiming that they are a cure for everything. But with all the claims for and against aromatherapy, it is hard to tell what is true and what’s not. For that very reason, to help you make an informed purchase, we have created a list of the primary benefits of essential oils, focusing on essential oils for focus (pun intended), as well as listing everything else you need to need before you start with your aromatherapy sessions at home.
What Are Essential Oils?
Simply said, essential oils are concentrated extracts from plants. There are different ways to extract the concentrated liquid. Some of the most popular methods are distillation or cold pressing. The process of distillation consists of heating a liquid to separate the components. This is possible when different components have different boiling points. For example, one of the components evaporates and the other one doesn’t. The process of cold pressing is exactly that – pressing the plant until the juice is released.
How to Use Essential Oils?
While essential oils are plant-based, they are not to be ingested. The Department of Health recommends storing them out of the reach of children, in childproof containers. Likewise, if they are undiluted, they can cause an allergic reaction or skin irritation. It is not recommended to use essential oils during pregnancy and around babies. Regarding children and pets, consult a pediatrician or veterinarian.
So, how can you use them? The best and safest way to use essential oils for focus is with the help of a room diffuser. This means indirect inhalation. If you intend to directly inhale them, dilute a few drops in water and use an inhaler. You can also have a relaxing bath – just add a few drops in your bathtub full of water. As for applying essential oils topically, you can mix a few drops with a carrier oil. However, avoid massaging areas where the oils can enter your body, such as eyes, mouth, etc. Before coming in direct contact, check to see if you have an allergic reaction to a certain oil. Apply a few drops of diluted oil on a small area of your skin and wait to see if your skin gets irritated. If your body does not have a negative reaction to it, you can start using essential oils safely.
The Three Potential Benefits of Essential Oils
1.Improve focus and concentration
Some studies claim that rosemary, peppermint and spearmint essential oils can improve focus and concentration. A study done on mice using rosemary and spearmint showed that the extracts are beneficial for learning and memory. According to the study, this was attributed to the antioxidant properties the rosemary and spearmint extract have. Further research is needed, but in the meantime, it won’t hurt to diffuse your favourite rosemary essential oil for focus during your study or work session.
Besides rosemary, lavender extracts have also been researched. The research included 79 Ukrainian students. The participants were divided into three groups: the lavender group, the rosemary group and the control group. The study found that the rosemary and lavender group had increased image memory. Supposedly, the rosemary extracts also increased the participants’ ability to memorize numbers. Due to that, we can say that rosemary is the ultimate essential oil for focus and concentration. For maximum effects, you can opt for a focus blend essential oil consisting of at least rosemary and lavender.
2. Boost your mood
Different studies have reported that nice smells associated with good memories can improve our mood and make us happier. The smell of freshly baked bread in our favourite bakery can bring back happy memories of childhood meals. The smell of our partner’s perfume can remind us of some of the best dates we’ve had in our relationship. It’s safe to say that the olfactory sense, the sense of smell, can have a direct effect on our mood. When we are in a good mood, we are also more creative and productive. An environment with a pleasant smell will make you feel good, which, in turn, will make the tasks at hand seem easier to complete. The best time to try and solve a problem is when you are hopeful of a good result. So, choose the extract you like best and reap the benefits of your favourite essential oil for focus and concentration.
3. Help you relax
Besides putting you in a good mood, a nice and warm bath with a few drops of your favourite smell can definitely help you relax. And companies have started using the relaxing benefits of fragrances in their advantage. Clothing, lingerie, cosmetics, furniture stores and even supermarkets are using fragrance diffusers and air refreshers to make their customers more relaxed and improve their shopping experience. And happy and relaxed customers aren’t in a rush to leave the store and cut their shopping trip short, right?
As a proud Pisces known for the selflessness, Olivia joined up the blog fascinated by the idea she can help readers with info on topics and their related benefits like health and beauty, travel, food and drinks. When not writing, she likes to call it a day reading comic books in the company of her Tonkinese cat Chatty or binge-watching The Big Bang Theory with her SO like the nerd she is.