Do you love exercising, or do you have to drag yourself to the gym every time? Either way, exercise is vital for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. When used on their own, essential oils offer many benefits for the body. When combined with regular exercise and proper eating, essential oils can be a major part of healthy living. For those who want to enhance their workout experience, care for the body pre- and post-workout, and love using natural products, essential oils can be the perfect companion to any exercise routine.
Whether your exercise routine features heavy lifting, recreational sports, intense cardio, or a dusty hiking trail, you’ll be able to use essential oils to help keep your body at peak performance.
Keep reading to learn about some of the best essential oils for exercise and how to use them for a more successful, more enjoyable workout.
Hydrate with Essential Oils
Hydration is key to overall health, but it’s especially important before, during, and after a workout. Because our bodies lose water when we sweat, it’s vital to replenish the body with water and stay hydrated. Dehydration will weaken your body and can even lead to serious health issues.
Do you have trouble remembering to hydrate before or after your workout? Turn plain water into a refreshing, flavourful beverage with the addition of essential oils. Citrus essential oils like Lemon oil, Lime oil, Grapefruit oil, Wild Orange oil, or Bergamot oil can add a tasty, invigorating flavour to your water. Consider adding a few drops of an oil to your water before a workout to help make sure you get the hydration you need.
Boost Performance with Essential Oils
There is increased interest for athletes to use essential oils to improve athletic performance. A recent experimental study included 20 male physical education students split into two groups. The study design modelled a before and after use of essential oils for each group. The oils were administered to the participants through inhalation commonly known as aromatherapy. Accurate records were kept throughout the duration of the research.
Essential oils selected for the experiment were Citrus sinensis L. (orange) and Mentha spicata L. (spearmint). Essential orange oil is commonly known as an antimicrobial and assists digestion and upset stomach. Essential spearmint oil has a long list of health benefits, including antispasmodic, decongestant, and diuretic.
Each 10 member group was nebulised (inhaled) with a determined amount of either essential orange or spearmint oil mixed with a saline solution for five minutes before running a 1500-meter testing cycle. The 1500-meter run was selected as the best distance to examine the aerobic and anaerobic systems of the body after essential oil inhalation. According to researchers, the distance was also required to “ensure the duration of effect of the oils.”
Lung function tests were conducted on each participant pre and post essential oil inhalation using a spirometer. A spirometer is a device measuring the air capacity of the lungs and shown to be 84 to 92 percent effective in diagnosing obstructive lung disease.
Results for participants nebulised with either oil showed enhanced lung function. Those individuals inhaling essential spearmint oil improved their spirometer test by 10 percent. The men using essential orange oil realised an even greater increase in lung status improving by 30 percent. Both study groups showed significant improvement in athletic performance with decreased running times.
Breathe easy with Essential Oils
Remembering to keep a clear and consistent breathing pattern whilst exercising is a key factor of meaningful exercise, and one that is often forgotten. According to the National Academy of Sports Medicine the average person’s lungs move about 0.5 litres of air with each relaxed breath. That amount can jump to 3 litres during vigorous exercise.
To put it simply: always exhale on exertion. For example, when you are pushing a bench press off your chest, you exhale on the push and inhale as you bring it slowly to your chest. When you are doing a pull up, you exhale on the pulling up motion and inhale on the way down. Having clear airways in your body promotes easier breathing.
doTERRA Breathe is one of doTERRA’s most popular essential oil blends due to its powerful uses and benefits. Well known for its ability to maintain feelings of clear airways, doTERRA Breathe is enriched with a series of oils that help cool and invigorate, promoting feelings of easy breathing. doTERRA Breathe essential oil blend can be used both aromatically and topically to help minimise the effects of seasonal threats. This powerful blend can also be used to promote peaceful sleep. doTERRA Breathe is a blend of Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Melaleuca (Tea Tree), Lemon, Cardamom, Ravensara, and Laurel Leaf that emits an airy and fresh mint aroma.
Ways that Essential Oils can Help Sore Muscles
- After a hard workout, massage two to three drops of Lemongrass into areas of discomfort.
- Take Alpha CRS+ daily to support healthy cell function and energy production.*
- For stubborn muscle discomfort, apply two to three drops of Deep Blue blend and rub into the affected area. Layer Deep Blue Rub over the top and massage.
