Botanicals to increase your energy

Our energy levels ebb and flow in cycles throughout the year, the seasons and within the 24-hour window of our daily lives. It is completely natural to have times of lower energy, and to feel less motivated or focused in general. However, when low energy levels become a more frequent occurrence, it can be a real problem.

Plenty of external factors come into play here, from our blue light screen time to our caffeine and sugar intake. If you are looking for a way to boost your energy throughout the day, the natural world has plenty of botanical remedies to help.

The best botanicals to use for energy

Peppermint

This fragrant, delicious mint is a hybrid of water mint and spearmint– and it is a wonderful option to give you a burst of fresh energy during a lull in your day. A study of 144 people discovered that using the aroma of peppermint essential oil increased their alertness and improved their memory.

Sweet Orange

It probably comes as no surprise that citrus scents are a great way to give yourself a natural energy boost– and it has been found to help with sports, too. A 2016 study on student athletes found that breathing in sweet orange essential oil resulted in a significant decrease in running times, as well as increased lung function.

Eucalyptus

Known for its respiratory benefits, eucalyptus is perfect for helping with congestion and encouraging deeper breathing. Author of The Healing Powers of Essential Oils Eric Zielinski said: “We often don’t think about it, but deep breathing is directly connected to better energy… One reason why many people have an energy deficit is because they’re taking such shallow breaths all the time and there isn’t enough oxygen flowing through the body and to the brain.”

Clove

Clove is commonly associated with cooking and festivities, but not often with boosting energy. However, in a study in the Journal of Medicinal Food, clove was found to help improve your stamina and can act as a wonderful pick-me-up. It can also act as a blood sugar stabiliser, helping keep those daily ups and downs to a minimum.

Cinnamon

Similar to clove, cinnamon is a warming spice that can help instantly energise you. A study found that cinnamon can help keep your energy levels steady and prevent sugar spikes.

How to use botanicals for energy

You can utilise the power of nature to give yourself an energy boost before your workout, or bring yourself out of a mid-afternoon slump at work.

There are several ways you can weave them into your daily routines, but here are a few of our favourites:

• Breath them in. You can use either pure essential oils, natural candle blends or diffusers to inhale the botanical fragrance straight into your lungs for an instant energy boost.
• Ingest them. You can brew some of the botanicals and spices into teas (or buy pre-made tea bag blends), and use some essential oils and spices in cooking.
• Apply them to your skin. Use roll-on perfumes or balms, diluted essential oils (with a carrier oil), or blended bath salts to help the botanicals soak into your skin.

If you feel inspired to weave botanical products into your daily routines and create relaxing atmospheres in your home, you can browse our luxury natural candles and reed diffusers here.

You can also learn more about individual botanicals’ history, biology and cultural significance in our extensive Botanicals library.