As my first semester of college seems to just blow by, I’ve learned a few things about myself:

1. I am not a morning person. At all.
2. It’s really hard for me to stay awake in my third class of the day.
3. When it’s finally time for bed, my mind just doesn’t want to stop, because I just know that I have so much more that I should be doing other than sleeping.

In short, I have a difficult time getting out of bed, staying awake throughout the day, and going to sleep at night–what a difficult life, right? Well, I’m sure that I am not the only one facing these issues here at Penn State, so I’ve compiled two lists–one of the best essential oils to use to energize yourself and keep yourself alert and the other of the best essential oils to use to get yourself in a calm state where you’re able to get some sleep! These lists will come in two parts–the first, you get right now, (yay!) and next week, you’ll get the rest of them! Without further ado, I present:

Photo by U.S. Army

The Best Essential Oils for Getting Your Butt Out of Bed and Keeping It Out!

Rosemary Oil

Rosemary has been proven to increase blood flow to the cerebrum, thus is a great oil to use to increase mental productivity! The best way to use this oil for this purpose is to inhale it directly from the bottle–hold it up to your nose and take a whiff or two!

Peppermint Oil

Peppermint oil is just all around one of my favorite essential oils. It’s great for a LOT of things–which we’ve already talked about, so I won’t get into that right now, I’ll just tell you about how great it is for keeping you awake! It is great for boosting your mental clarity, but it is also effective in supporting your physical energy as well–use it when you’re working out after class, and you’ll be golden. You can inhale this one directly, but I think that the most effective results come from rubbing it into the base of your neck or under your nose.

Orange Oil

Simply put, orange oil makes you happier. The fresh, tart aroma of orange oil is effective in getting you into a better mood–it doesn’t keep you awake, per se, but you can use one of the other oils to do that, and then use some orange oil to make your awakeness happy! This one is best to inhale directly, but you could also diffuse this one if you’ll be hanging out in your dorm or if you have a portable or personal diffuser.

Grapefruit Oil

In keeping with the theme of happiness, next, we’ll talk about grapefruit oil! Similar to orange oil, grapefruit oil is a definite booster of the mood–something about citrus really just makes us humans happy. Alongside being a joy motivator, grapefruit oil is a metabolism booster and will help with physical fatigue as well! Diffusion or inhalation work for this one, but it is most effective if you rub it into your wrists and the sides of your neck.

Lemongrass Oil

Lemongrass is a great flavor booster for foods due to it’s zesty and lively flavor, but it is also a fantastic pick-me-up. Apply it topically to your temples, and you will feel instantly uplifted and ready to take on the rest of your day!

Cinnamon Oil

Cinnamon oil!! Have we talked about cinnamon oil yet? I don’t think so (but if we have, just pretend that we haven’t, because I’m going to continue right now). Cinnamon oil is another one of my favorites–I have a blend that I spray in my room that is predominantly cinnamon oil.

BONUS!!

Here are two blends that I like to use when I’m tired!

Photo by Ascension Kitchen

Get the Heck Out of Bed!

What you need:

20 drops Grapefruit Oil

10 drops Peppermint Oil

10 drops Orange Oil

Don’t Let Your Professors Catch You Asleep In Class!

What You Need:

15 drops Lemongrass Oil

10 drops Rosemary Oil

5 drops Peppermint Oil

Come back next week to learn how to fall asleep!!

Over and Out.

-Courtney