The essential oil that clears brain fog (and eases anxiety, insomnia and labour pains!)
Imagery: Courtesty of Maison Saine
Words: Sarah Tarca // @tarca
You know the drill: it’s mercury retrogade, or monday morning, or just pre-coffee on any given day and you really need to get shit done, but your brain in just playing the Mr.Whippy jingle on repeat. Rather than reaching for yet another caffeine hit, instead turn to your oil diffuser.
clear the brain fog
“By far the best essential oil for mental clarity is Rosemary,” says Deonne Clancy and Kobi Macleod Co-Founder’s of the essential oil based, holistic wellness brand, Maison Saine. “It hones our focus and improves brain fog far better than any other oil we’ve tried! The oil's primary chemical compound can increase a neurotransmitter responsible for memory, cognition, and learning.” Still feeling a little foggy? They also recommend Tangerine for sparking creativity (it’s known as the oil of joy and creativity), or Clary Sage, which “can help change our perceptions, dispelling our limiting beliefs about our work and opening our hearts and minds to new possibilities. We love to spritz around the work space our Crazy In Love mist, as it contains several oils that are uplifting, heart opening and help ignite your passion for life.
The essential oil goodness doesn’t stop there either - there’s a reason DoTerra is an unstoppable force right now, after all. These potent oils have so many therapeutic benefits and also have an effect on your brain. Here, Kobi and Deone share the best essential oils for anxiety, sleep and even childbirth.
anxiety
use: Lavender, Frankincense and Vetiver
“When feeling a little wound up or anxious, it’s great to apply or diffuse some oils that are going to help with centering and grounding your emotions like lavender, frankincense and vetiver,” says Kobi and Deone. As most of us know, lavender eases tension and soothes emotions, but vetiver is an interesting one, because it’s the oil for centering and descent. “This oil aids in the relief of stress, assisting in recovery from emotional trauma and shock and is also a sedative. It brings the individual back down to earth and is grounding, calming and supports self awareness. It helps uncover the root of an emotional issue by grounding oneself in the present moment,” they say.
Frankincense on the other hand, is known as the king of oils and is great for calming the nervous system. “It invites individuals to let go of lies, deceptions and negativity by encouraging feelings of love, protection, wisdom and enlightenment,” Kobi and Deone say.
Sleep
Use: Cedarwood, Lavender, Vetiver, Bergamot, Roman chamomile, Geranium and Petitgrain.
For Kobi and Deone, a solid night’s sleep isn’t just about the right out - it's about the ritual. “We’ve found that creating a bedtime routine, incorporating essential oils, has assisted with our sleep issues and many of our customers’,” they say. Add some calming oil to your diffuser, bath, or rub on the soles of the feet. Studies have shown that diffusing oils at night time improves the quality of your sleep and all of these oils have been proven to clear and calm the mind and invite a solid eight hours.
For childbirth
USE: lavender, Frankincense and Peppermint
Before you roll your eyes at this one, I did in fact use essential oils during labour. It’s not uncommon for hospital bags to remain untouched, but trust me it’s worth getting your oils out and on you, stat. “As one of us has had two children (Kobi) and the other one is pregnant, we love this topic! No matter how you approach childbirth and labour, using oils helps create a beautiful, sensory experience,” they say.
Again, lavender gets a look in for its calming and relaxing powers. The girls suggest using it in a diffuser or diluting it with a carrier oil and get your partner to massage you. Frankincense also works for its grounding qualities, especially, as Kobi and Deone suggest, when combined with lavender and a carrier oil to use for massage on the lower back and legs during labour.
If the hours are rolling on and you need a hit of energy, they suggest a combination of peppermint and orange in the diffuser for a lift. Or good oil peppermint, as it “helps to stimulate the central nervous system and improve alertness and assist with nausea. A few drops on a cold wet cloth does wonders when you are hot, sweaty and tired,” they say.
For more essential oil goodness, or to buy one of Kobi and Deone’s unique blends (we love the Hello Beautiful mist), head to www.maison-saine.com.au.