Many of us love eucalyptus for its sharp but relaxing scent that makes it easy to imagine we’re on a serene hike in the middle of a pine forest.
With a lovely scent that inspires the senses, It’s no surprise that eucalyptus essential oil is one of our more popular essential oil choices. However, it also has many health and cognitive benefits!
Today, we’re sharing eucalyptus essential oil’s most incredible health benefits and easy ways you can incorporate this powerhouse essential oil into your routine.
Increases Alertness & Focus
Eucalyptus has a sharp, bright scent that many find stimulating, which is why we usually avoid this scent at night unless it’s blended with other essential oils. On top of this, research shows that eucalyptus has a plethora of cognitive health benefits.
One study testing eucalyptus on participants doing sustained attention tasks found that it increased their overall vigilance. We personally love eucalyptus for waking us up quickly in the morning or giving us a boost during an afternoon slump!
Another study examined eucalyptus essential oil’s effects on working memory performance. In the study, participants between the ages of 20 and 60 took matching parts and figures tests to assess their working memory. Participants who inhaled eucalyptus essential oil before the task did not significantly improve their working memory. However, the study recorded that participants who inhaled eucalyptus significantly improved their reaction time and speed during the task!
Interested in more herbal remedies for defeating brain fog? Check out our previous piece here.
How to Use Eucalyptus Essential Oil to Improve Alertness
To improve alertness, we recommend our classic Eucalyptus Essential Oil. It’s refreshing, energizing, and promotes greater clarity and alertness. It’s also a fantastic choice for opening the sinuses and supporting freer breathing.
If you love mint, you may also enjoy our Eucalyptus Radiata Essential Oil which has a delightful peppermint undertone. Peppermint is also stimulating and may improve your focus, so we recommend using this to boost your focus during tasks that require sustained focus.
Here are our favorite ways to use eucalyptus essential oil to support better focus and alertness:
- Diffuse eucalyptus essential oil throughout your home or office to sharpen your focus and give you some pep in your step.
- Open the bottle and take a few deep breaths, inhaling the essential oil, to promote greater focus. Alternatively, you can rub a couple of drops onto your palms or wrists and take a whiff of eucalyptus every so often while you work.
- Add a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil to your favorite lotion and apply each morning before you start working or first thing to help yourself wake up faster!
Antifungal & Antiseptic Properties
Eucalyptus also has many antifungal benefits. Studies have shown that several compounds in eucalyptus oil fight the herpes simplex virus, which causes those painful, raw cold sores on your lip.
Another study showed that eucalyptus essential oil’s antiseptic and antifungal properties made it an effective choice for an anti-dandruff treatment. This study by the Australas J Dermatol Group also indicated that eucalyptus essential oil effectively treated lice infestations in children.
If you plan on applying eucalyptus essential oils or any essential oils topically, always dilute them in a carrier oil or product, such as a salve, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, or soap, before use.
Our Recommendations
Our Lemon Eucalyptus Essential Oil can be used to promote the healing of athletes’ foot and other fungal infections, such as dandruff, scabs, cold sores, and cuts. This blend also has a relaxing scent that we recommend diffusing in the bedroom while you’re asleep, especially when you are under the weather.
Another great choice is our Sting Stop Roll-On Oil Blend, which combines lavender, tea tree, eucalyptus, and chamomile for the ultimate anti-inflammatory essential oil blend. Great for applying directly to bites, pokes, stings, or small cuts! Make sure you always remove the stinger before application.
Reduce Cold Symptoms & Killing Germs
Did you know that eucalyptus oil is a key ingredient in Vicks VapoRub?
Eucalyptus is a natural decongestant and cough suppressant because it contains eucalyptol which encourages the body to break down phlegm and mucus, allowing your airways to open up. Studies show that eucalyptol, the active ingredient in eucalyptus, may also reduce inflammation and pain when applied topically.
Another study found that eucalyptus and bergamot vapors killed influenza viruses after only ten minutes, showing that eucalyptus may also help kill certain germs while you’re sick, in addition to encouraging improved breathing and clearer airways.
How to Use Eucalyptus Essential Oil for Cold Symptom & Pain Relief
The possibilities are endless for using eucalyptus to encourage cold symptom relief. Here are a few ideas to get you started!
If you’re interested in eucalyptus essential oil for its antiviral properties, consider our Eucalyptus Radiata Essential Oil, an incredibly potent eucalyptus species highly noted for its antiviral properties.
We love using Eucalyptus Globulus Essential Oil to clear our airways by adding a few drops of it to a bowl of hot water, then breathing in the soothing steam. If you enjoy a hot bath when you’re under the weather, consider soaking in our fantastic Spearmint & Eucalyptus Bath Salts. This powerful combination of spearmint, rosemary, lavender, and eucalyptus promotes deep relaxation and clearer sinuses.
If you’re experiencing body aches or soreness, adding eucalyptus essential oil to a carrier oil or massage oil and rubbing it into your skin may reduce soreness and inflammation.
We also recommend our Mountain Air Roll-On. Our Mountain Air Roll-On is the ultimate respiratory-enhancing essential oil blend made of rosemary, peppermint, eucalyptus, and much more. It’s a great on-the-go roll-on that encourages deeper breathing and clearer airways. For best results, consider applying a little bit under your nose, on your neck, or upper chest so that you are breathing these essential oils in as you go about your day.
We hope today’s piece gave you some fresh ideas for how you can use this popular and delightful essential oil!
Best Wishes,
Natalie & Leilah