Best Essential Oils For Focus (Boost Concentration)
There are times when we just need a little boost to help us focus better. We all get out of sorts and have our off days. However, when those days happen to fall when things need to get done, a lack of focus can be a real pain. These are the best essential oils for focus and concentration.
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I homeschool my children, so my family definitely knows the frustration that comes with lack of focus and concentration. We have experienced a lot of it.
There were days when it was tempting to just throw up our hands and surrender to do something else. I will admit, we had the luxury to sometimes choose to do that if the timing fit. But other times we had commitments and deadlines which required demonstrating self-restraint.
Adding different essential oils to a diffuser was an easy and effective way for us to engage our cognitive function to matters at hand. It was definitely helpful, but nothing is full-proof.
Overall, we did notice enough of a positive effect to add these into our routine when needed. Any increase in our mental clarity was a huge win for this homeschooling mom.
I also used these only when my kids were older. Essential oils are quite powerful at times. We used these for certain things like focus, energy, cleaning, and anxiety, but we did this in safe moderation.
This post goes over the best essential oil for focus that will increase concentration and are sure to rejuvenate mental fatigue.
Disclaimer: No content on this site should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor, a qualified clinician or other qualified health care professional.
Best Essential Oils for focus
Rosemary Oil
Rosemary essential oil has been shown in studies to be beneficial for improving memory retention and positively impacting cognitive performance. This study specifically shows the increase of short-term memory after inhaling rosemary oil in a room sprayed with the oil.
However, it is important to note where this oil is sourced and produced. Rosemary essential oil is consistently made up of primary components. However, other compounds may comprise this oil as well depending on the growing and processing of the herb.
Therefore, the purity of the manufacturing process makes a impactful difference. It can create a more effective oil due to its chemical makeup.
Additionally, rosemary oil has been shown to help with the nervous system and other neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. Its neuroprotective properties has been shown to slow memory loss. It's one of the great essential oils to use for learning and giving your brain a boost and awakening energy levels.
Peppermint Oil
Peppermint essential oil (also known as mentha piperita) is another oil shown to help brain function. This study on mice demonstrates the great potential for this oil to support memory.
Another study shows additional evidence supporting not only increased focus on a specific task but the beneficial effects on mood. A more stable mood helps to make focusing better on a task possible.
Also, peppermint oil strengthens connections between neurons in the hippocampus of the brain. This increases long-term memory capacity making the retrieval of information in the learning process easier.
Basil Oil
A third essential oil which has shown beneficial effects on cognitive tasks is basil oil. The chemical makeup of this oil allows memory recall to increase as well as focus and concentration.
This oil also helps with memory due to its potential to decrease distractions. This oil blends well with peppermint, lemon, and orange as well which are also on this list for a more powerful essential oil blend.
Lemon Oil
Lemon essential oil also enhances memory abilities. This is another oil that has been studied as preventative and treatment options for neurodegenerative diseases.
This specific study shows positive benefits for using this oil in aromatherapy treatment of Alzheimer's disease. These oils have been shown to be safe and effective and are being studied more often for memory problems.
Lemon oil is shown to stimulate the central nervous system which triggers a better mood and longer focus and concentration. It also helps with nervous tension allowing for better cognitive functioning.
Vetiver Oil
Vetiver essential oil has been shown to help with focus which is important for memory and retention. It has been shown to help with brain fog and and help with mental alertness and attention span. it also shows positive results with aiding in a good night's sleep which is vital for increased awareness and effective learning.
Bergamot Oil
Another oil beneficial for allowing the brain to focus is bergamot essential oil. This oil, however, does it in a different way. It allows the brain to gain clarity due to increased energy and grounding oneself.
Bergamot oil also helps with sleeps. It has a calming effect on one's mental health. Both of these characteristics naturally allow for better focus and concentration. Bergamot is included in several pre-made roll-on blends for these reasons.
Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil is shown to be helpful in as well with in comes to one being able to concentrate. This essential oil helps the body with fatigue. Therefore, when senses are more alert, concentration and focus increases.
Tea tree oil may not be the go to for focus as the oils above, however, using it can serve many purposes such as creating a better mood, purifying air, and offering better focus to the ones inhaling it.
Grapefruit Oil
Finally, grapefruit essential oil is also beneficial when it comes to mental health and clarity. This oil is great to use because it refreshes the mind which helps with mental fatigue.
This oil also helps to stabilize the mood which allows the mind to concentrate. Additionally, it aids in memory recall. All of this make grapefruit a great addition to a focus and concentration blend.
How to Effectively use these Essential oils to increase mental clarity
There are quite a few different ways to use essential oils to help with the brain focus.
- Use in a Roller Bottle Blend pre-made or DIY (see recipe below)
- Add your few drops of your favorite essential oil for focus into a diffuser
- Use your sense of smell to become alert by sniffing an essential oil bottle. Do this using one of the above for a few seconds.
- Add the essential oils into a spray bottle and spray the room prior to study time or working.
- Add some essential oil to a beaded necklace or bracelet and wear when a boost of energy and focus is needed,
Roller Blend How To:
Take a 10 mL Roller Bottle
- Pour or Cypher in 10 mL or 2 tsp. of fractionated coconut oil (or another carrier oil) into the roller bottle.
- Add in 2 drops of rosemary essential oil, 2 drops of basil essential oil, and 2 drops of grapefruit essential oil.
- Shake and roll on
Seek medical advice or do your research before using this if pregnant or using with small children.
Helpful Essential Oil Products
You can add drops of essential oils of your choosing to this bracelet. The smell will last as you wear it throughout the day. Take a few inhales of it deeply when in need of a focus boost.
This essential oil roller is a pre-made blend by Plant Therapy. It helps with brain fog and making the mind focus.
This post Gave you insight into the best essential oils for focus and how they can help you to concentrate on tasks throughout your day.
- O.V. Filiptsova, L.V. Gazzavi-Rogozina, I.A. Timoshyna, O.I. Naboka, Ye.V. Dyomina, A.V. Ochkur,
The essential oil of rosemary and its effect on the human image and numerical short-term memory, Egyptian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, Volume 4, Issue 2, 2017, Pages 107 111, ISSN 2314-808X, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejbas.2017.04.002. - Micić, D., Đurović, S., Riabov, P., Tomić, A., Šovljanski, O., Filip, S., Tosti, T., Dojčinović, B., Božović, R., Jovanović, D., & Blagojević, S. (2021). Rosemary Essential Oils as a Promising Source of Bioactive Compounds: Chemical Composition, Thermal Properties, Biological Activity, and Gastronomical Perspectives. Foods (Basel, Switzerland), 10(11), 2734. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10112734
- Lv X, Feng Y, Ma R, Tang Y, Li Y, Cui D, Wu Y. Effects of Peppermint Essential Oil on Learning and Memory Ability in APP/PS1 Transgenic Mice. Molecules. 2022 Mar 22;27(7):2051. doi: 10.3390/molecules27072051. PMID: 35408451; PMCID: PMC9000406
- Prolonged Low-Level Exposure to the Aroma of Peppermint Essential Oil Enhances Aspects of Cognition and Mood in Healthy Adults Lauren Hoult, Laura Longstaff, Mark Moss*
Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. DOI: 10.4236/ajps.2019.106072 - https://nuscimagazine.com/aroma-in-action-enhancing-cognition-with-peppermint-5f13e1c00fdb/
- Sarahroodi, S., Esmaeili, S., Mikaili, P., Hemmati, Z., & Saberi, Y. (2012). The effects of green Ocimum basilicum hydroalcoholic extract on retention and retrieval of memory in mice. Ancient science of life, 31(4), 185–189. https://doi.org/10.4103/0257-7941.107354
- Liu, B., Kou, J., Li, F., Huo, D., Xu, J., Zhou, X., Meng, D., Ghulam, M., Artyom, B., Gao, X., Ma, N., & Han, D. (2020). Lemon essential oil ameliorates age-associated cognitive dysfunction via modulating hippocampal synaptic density and inhibiting acetylcholinesterase. Aging, 12(9), 8622–8639. https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.103179
- Zülfinaz Özer, Neslihan Teke, Gülcan Bahcecioglu Turan, Ayşe Nefise Bahçecik,
Effectiveness of lemon essential oil in reducing test anxiety in nursing students, EXPLORE, Volume 18, Issue 5, 2022, Pages 526-532, ISSN 1550-8307, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2022.02.003.
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