e3 Tip: Use Essential Oils for Fatigue and Jet Lag

By Caryn Gehlmann

We’ve been focusing on kindness this month and I fell in love with this quote by author Christopher Germer, “Self-compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves that we would give to others.” Most often it seems when exhausted or under an extra load of stress, being kind to ourselves seems difficult! Using essential oils for fatigue and as a reminder of how important we are is a great way to show some self-compassion because it’s quick, easy, inexpensive, and the benefits are instantaneous.

Have you ever had a night where you are so exhausted you tell yourself you’ll be asleep before your head hits the pillow? Then what happens? Sometimes when you’re overly tired you toss and turn and end up with a restless night sleep even though you went to bed early. Super frustrating!
Here’s an example that illustrates the benefits of taking the time to show ourselves a little self-compassion. I was speaking with Wendy, e3’s AR & AP accounts manager, she shared with me an experience she recently had after flying home from Lisbon, Portugal. Here’s her story about using essential oils for jet lag fatigue in her own words…

“I always suffer more coming east to west but this time was particularly hard because of the early morning flight and having to get up too early. By the time I got home, I had been up for 27 hours straight. In the past, I had always considered taking a jet lag bath when I got home but always found a reason why I didn’t want to take the time.

However this time, I felt so out of body that I couldn’t justify not taking the bath. I took a cup of Epsom salts and added 15 drops of Lavender French and 9 drops of Geranium. I soaked in the tub 15-20 minutes. I wasn’t “cured” but I did feel better afterward.

The second thing I did to combat the jet lag was to get a massage the day after I returned. Combining these two things helped me to recover from this case of jet lag better than I ever had before.”

In addition to these suggested essential oils for fatigue, you can also find Wendy’s DIY Jet Lag Relief Recipe in a previous post. Her experience shows how simple self-care, even when you don’t think you have the energy to do it, can minimize fatigue in the long run.

Here are three ways to use essential oils the next time you’re particularly frazzled or fatigued:

1. Mix up a bedtime blend and spritz on your pillow or on linens before sleep. Lavender and Bergamot are both great essential oils for insomnia, and you can add Mandarin if you’re feeling worried, or Frankincense if your mind is racing.
2. Follow Wendy’s advice and take a relaxing aromatherapy bath. It’s best if the water temperature is warm so it’s relaxing rather than too warm or too cool, which can be stimulating. Remember, you never put essential oils directly in the bath water. Instead, blend 4-8 drops essential oils with a teaspoon of a carrier such as Jojoba, Fractionated Coconut Oil, 1/2 cup Epsom salts, whole milk or heavy cream.
3. Do a simple self-massage or schedule an appointment with a massage therapist. To add aromatherapy to the massage experience, blend essential oils with a lotion or carrier oil. Add 6-30 drops of essential oil in 1 ounce of fragrance-free, natural moisturizing lotion (e3’s Massage blend is a relaxing option). Once you’ve blended it, simply apply to your feet, neck, arms, chest, etc.

The key to showing self-compassion when you’re suffering from fatigue is to be prepared ahead of time. Take a few minutes this week to prepare an essential oil spritzer, bath kit, or massage blend for yourself. Then with the hectic holiday season approaching, you’ll be ready to take a time out for yourself and hit the reset button! If you’re new to blending essential oils, make sure to download our free guide, Listen to Your Nose: An Introduction to Aromatherapy. And visit us on Facebook this month to share your aromatherapy tips with us, we love hearing from you!