People often use essential oils for focus, but it is important to know which blends and oils are effective for specific cognitive goals!
Essential Oils for Focus
Essential oils are compounds extracted from plants. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Essential oils are used in many ways, including topically, blending with other oils, orally consuming (in rare cases), and using in aromatherapy. The aromatic compounds in many of these oils can have an impact on our bodies, from the immune system and the health of the skin to our neurological pathways and hormones. If you know how to utilize essential oils in the right and safe way, it is possible to naturally treat a number of common problems, such as a lack of attention span, poor memory retention, and an inability to concentrate, among others. Fortunately, over the past few thousand years, many essential oils for focus and concentration have been identified.
Essential Oils for Concentration & Focus
The most effective essential oils for concentration and focus include wild orange, lemon, rosemary, lavender, Cyprus, peppermint, cedarwood, and grapefruit, among others.
Rosemary Oil
If you are struggling with memory issues, one of the best oils you can use is rosemary, and numerous studies have linked this scent in a diffuser with increased retention. [1]
Lemon Oil
The invigorating nature of this oil can increase alertness and boost cognitive function. [2]
Wild Orange Oil
Many citrus essential oils are able to stimulate the brain and increase your ability to focus on a single topic. [3]
Cedarwood Oil
Known for its calming qualities, inhaling a few drops of this oil or adding it to a diffuser at night can improve sleep and leave you feeling energized in the morning. [4]
Peppermint Oil
This essential oil is reputed to be able to increase alertness and concentration, particularly when added to steaming water and inhaled gently. [5]
Lavender Oil
If you inhale small amounts of lavender before bed, it can help you unwind after intense days and feel balanced, which is good for relaxation and focus, calming a busy mind. [6]
Cyprus Oil
This is a subtle scent, but one that can rapidly increase concentration prior to a difficult mental task.
Essential Oil Blends
There are also many combinations of essential oils that are known to boost focus and concentration, such as the calm and concentrated blend and the bold and assertive blend, among others.
- Smooth Sailing Focus: Blend grapefruit (8 drops), basil (5 drops), bergamot (5 drops), and lavender (2 drops) essential oils and place 2-3 drops on your neck or temples.
- Calm and Concentrated: Mix lavender (1 tsp), bergamot (1/2 tsp), geranium (1/2 tsp), cedarwood (35 drops), and chamomile (10 drops) essential oils and use it in an aromatherapy diffuser.
- Alert and Aware: Blend juniper (15 drops), pine (8 drops), and rosemary (8 drops) essential oils, then use it as a massage oil all over the body.
- Pure Concentration: This blend is good for students and children, and can be a relaxing and soothing way to boost their performance. You can blend cardamom (10 drops), lemon (10 drops), and Litsea cubaba (10 drops) essential oils and then add them to a room diffuser, or put 5-6 drops on a pocket square or tissue.
