I live in the cold north of Michigan, and while I love it here—and I even love the winter—I must admit, the short, overcast days of the winter occasionally get me down. It just gets greyer and greyer here as December moves into January moves into February. But given my love for oils, I wondered: can you beat the winter blues with essential oils?
What are the “Winter Blues”
If you feel as gloomy as the weather looks, you’re probably experiencing the winter blues.
Feeling sad, but not for a specific reason? That’s the winter blues.
Feeling lethargic and like your get-up-and-go got up and went…yup, that’s the winter blues.
And maybe you just don’t feel like doing anything at all. Likely the winter blues.
These feelings often emerge when the days get short, and the weather turns cold. It’s only compounded when you live in a region that tends to have a lot of overcast days, with little sun exposure.
Just a few miles from me in Grand Rapids, Michigan there’s a 29% sunshine rate between the months of November and February (that happens to be tied for second place for the city with the lowest sunshine rate with with Portland, Oregon). The rest of the state of Michigan isn’t much better. So you know, I’m surrounded by lots of people feeling downright blue.
If you live in an area where winter seems to last forever, you might dread the upcoming season and wish it would pass you by. But there’s some good news! You don’t have to suffer the winter blues without any help.
There are, of course, many things you can do to combat the winter blues naturally. But you can also find relief using essential oils.
6 Essential Oils to Combat the Winter Blues
The aromatics of essential oils can help relieve some of the symptoms leading to the feelings of sadness, achiness, lethargy, and that overall blah feeling.
Take a look below at 6 essential oils for beating the winter blues. It’s true, you really can welcome the arrival of winter and feel ready to shine (even if there isn’t much sun around)!
1. Ginger Essential Oil
Ginger can help you avoid feelings of less energy and stamina. But ginger has some pretty cool benefits besides this too.
This essential oil is sometimes used to help maintain weight. Between the holidays and the cold making it difficult to get outside and be active, weight gain can be a real struggle during the winter months! Ginger is also a great tummy settler.
Use ginger essential oil by diffusing, baking with it, or just dab on a few drops and inhale.
2. Peppermint Essential Oil
Being cooped up all winter can lead to feelings of stress and weariness. If that’s what you’re feeling, peppermint essential oil can knock it out fast!
Place a little diluted peppermint oil on pulse points to help relieve tension and stress. Or try adding a drop or two to your shower to help you feel more invigorated on a cold, dreary day.
With its energizing fragrance, I love to diffuse peppermint oil during the day to help boost moods of everyone in the house — mama doesn’t need a houseful of cranky boys!
3. Spruce Essential Oil
Spruce oil not only smells like winter (more specifically the most wonderful time of the year — Christmas!), but it can help you battle winter blues, too. Diffuse some spruce essential oil in your space to feel invigorated and new.
4. Wild Orange Essential Oil
Wild orange essential oil is my favorite “happy oil.” It, along with the other citrus oils, can help boost your immunity while also lifting your mood.
Add some orange oil to your homemade bath products, diffuse it, or add to a pulse point. Along with helping your mood, it can help keep the crud that goes around this time of year at bay too!
5. Frankincense Essential Oil
A healthy immune system is key to feeling your best and banishing the blues. That makes frankincense essential oil a must have in your essential oil arsenal.
You can diffuse frankincense and enjoy the benefits all day. During the winter holidays, our immune system takes a beating, so this oil is perfect for helping you stay strong.
6. Oregano Essential Oil
Oregano? Isn’t that an ingredient in Italian cuisine? What’s that got to do with the winter blues? Surprise, surprise, it can indeed have a powerful impact on the winter blues.
Work some oregano essential oil into recipes (careful! you don’t need much) and reap the benefits. Oregano is also known to also fight the winter crud that can beat you down and make you feel like less than yourself.
Yes, I’ve kind of turned into one of those essential oil nuts. But it’s because I’ve seen how they’ve worked in my life (and many, many other people’s lives). Read more of my story about how I got started with essential oils and the impact they made on my life!
Mix and Match! Trying Out Oil Blends
You can also create your own oil blends—combining the properties of these oils to combat seasonal affective disorder. Here are 5 oil blends you can make today!
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