As we enter the darker months, cold, damp weather and less daylight hours can begin to affect our mood and energy levels.
Essential oils (the little helpers as I like to call them) are a great support to keep us healthy and energised during this period. Read on to discover five warming, invigorating and restoring essential oils to support you from dawn till dusk.
Black Pepper (Piper nigrum) – the morning one!
Yang energy tonifier and support Qi circulation
Start the day with this spicy invigorating oil – it’s particularly good to use in the morning after a shower. Add one or two drops* to a neutral body lotion/oil (mix well with ginger, lavender, rosemary, frankincense, sandalwood).
Black pepper promotes strength, stamina, endurance and motivation. It is also a good stimulant for the nervous, circulatory, digestive and immune systems. It can also be used during pregnancy to help with appetite change and backaches.
*Always use diluted and at very low concentration as it could be skin irritant due to its rubefacient properties.
Ginger (Zingiber officinalis) – the midday tonic one!
Yang tonifier and help with Qi circulation
If you’re lacking energy, have a ‘sniff’ of this oil either alone or blended from an inhaler stick or a roll on (it goes well with orange, eucalyptus, lemon, geranium).
Ginger encourages focus, will-power and stimulates initiative and determination. It also boosts confidence and morale particularly for those with low vitality. It’s also a great support for the digestive, immune, respiratory and circulatory systems.
During pregnancy, it helps with morning sickness when combined with orange, roman chamomile and coriander oils.
Rosemary (Rosemary officinalis ct. cineole) – the ‘boost at the end of day’ one!
Tonifies and invigorates Qi
When the day isn’t quite over, but your looking for a little boost – Rosemary can keep you going. Use it either as an inhaler stick, or prepared as a roll or body oil (mix well with lavender, pine, cedar wood, thyme).
Rosemary counters fatigue, emotional and/or nervous exhaustion, memory loss, cold hands and feet and boosts clarity, confidence and energy. It’s also a great support for the nervous, digestive, immune, respiratory and circulatory systems.
This oil is not recommended during pregnancy due to its chemical components. Thyme linalool (Thymus vulgarise ct. linalool) can be used instead.
Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis) – the calming evening one!
Regulates Qi
After a long day, put a few drops of sweet orange oil in a diffuser and let the smell embalm your home (mix with Cinnamon oil to make it more Christmassy), or for your evening bath mix it with Epsom salts or a neutral bath oil (blend well with ginger, neroli, sandalwood, black pepper, bergamot).
Sweet orange has a calming effect on the nervous system and helps with depression and anxiety. It also promotes balance, positivity and regeneration and supports the circulatory, respiratory, digestive and immune systems.
Ravintsara (Cinnamomum camphora ct. cineole) – the deep sleep one!
Stimulates and tonifies the Lung-Qi and expels Wind
For a good night sleep, put few drops of this oil on a tissue lying next to you on your pillow or in a diffuser.
Ravintsara is a good general restorative oil; it’s also a respiratory stimulant-expectorant and mucolytic agents and so helps with colds and blocked sinuses. In addition to the respiratory system, it supports the immune and circulatory systems.
This is not recommended during pregnancy due to its chemical components. Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) or Eucalyptus globulus (Eucalyptus globulus) can be used instead.
