The Best Essential Oils to Improve Athletic Performance
Today’s athletes push their bodies harder than ever before, and the constant quest to maximize performance is something that can take up a huge amount of time and energy. While your overall performance will naturally be tied to your own physical and mental capabilities, there are also plenty of different tools out there that can be used to help you along.
Tools like jump ropes or exercise machines are the obvious options here, and investing in the right one can help you start seeing improvements to your performance. But there are more affordable and more surprising solutions out there as well that are worth looking into. A perfect example of this is essential oils.
Essential Oils For Better Athletic Performance
It surprises many to hear that something as simple as an essential oil could help an athlete get more from their performance, but it’s true. From keeping the body clean to aiding in sore muscle pain relief to helping give a boost of energy, the right essential oil can have a big influence in how you work out. Here are some options to consider.
Peppermint
Peppermint is one of the best options for those who are serious about boosting their athletic performance. It offers a wide range of benefits including the following.
- Help relieving nausea and indigestion – including those nervous pregame jitters.
- Improved mental alertness and better concentration
- Relief of aches and pains, particularly muscle pain and arthritis pain
- Improved respiratory function
By helping you breathe more easily and improving mental performance, peppermint stands out as a must-use option for those who are looking for a way to improve their athletic performance through the use of essential oils.
Lemon
Bright and citrusy, lemon essential oil is easy to find, easy to use, and helps provide the body with a wide range of different benefits including several that are specific to athletes.
- It can help stimulate nervous system performance and maintain good health
- Elevates mood and helps increase positivity for those days when you’re not feeling 100%
- Can be used to treat and prevent athlete’s foot
- Can help to detoxify the body and maintain peak performance
Clove
Clove essential oil is something that has been tested to look into the overall effectiveness of it for various things. It’s been shown to provide very real results in a number of aspects of health and in athletic performance.
- Studies show that it can increase white blood count and immune function, keeping you healthy for training.
- It can help reduce inflammation, helping to reduce arthritis pain and improve flexibility.
- Its antiseptic properties can make it easier to keep the body clean and free from skin infections and also helps fight against athlete’s foot.
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus essential oil has a recognizable, strong aroma that is a key part of how it helps promote better healing and improved performance. In particular, it offers several benefits including:
- Improved respiratory function for better stamina and performance
- Fights inflammation in the muscles to reduce pain and promote better flexibility
- Mixed with water in a spray bottle, it can help keep the body cool
- Great for ‘waking up’ the body and mind just before the match, game, or race
Lavender
Lavender is famous for its ability to help relax the mind and body and coax it into a more restful sleep. That may not be exactly what athletes want, but consider that getting a good night’s sleep is a must for peak performance the next day and you’ll see why using lavender to relax is so important. Additionally, it can help soothe and heal cuts, burns, and bruises so you can get back out onto the field again quickly.
How to Use Essential Oils
The oils above are among the best for improving athletic performance, and using them is simple as well. There are two options we recommend;
- Use a Nebulizing Diffuser – Add 20-25 drops of oil to and breathe normally as the oil is dispersed through the air.
- Use in a Massage Oil – Add 5 to 10 drops to a carrier oil such as sweet almond oil and massage into the muscles
Essential oils are strong and powerful. When applying essential oils directly to the skin be aware of any irritation and stop application immediately.
The bottom line is simple – essential oils can improve your athletic performance in a significant way. Keep the info above in mind and you’ll start seeing improved performance for yourself.
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Very interesting.
enhancing performance is good, there is some physiological change in the body but particularly for which sport activity is it best?
I read about how peppermint can enhance sports performance here, and was happily surprised to see a link to this article referenced! http://eluxemagazine.com/beauty/natural-perfumes-2/
I love and use lavender and peppermint quite often. It is good to know this about these oils as well.
Great topic!
Love discovering new product and uses
Love your suggestions!!!
I really would love to try these diffusers.
Lemon!
Thank you for this very informative read!!!
I have just started as a fitness coach and have been meaning to research beneficial oils for muscle soreness ect!
This info will come in handy!!
Thank You!
Looking forward to trying out your diffusers
I use clove a lot. It just works for me. Good info on this blog. Thanks
Lavender is a most in my household, I didn’t even know it can also help boost athletic performance in some way.
Lavender for relaxation and undisturbed zzzzz’s!! 🙂
Very nice read! I didn’t know essential oils affect athletic performance.
Love the look of this diffuser, and that the oils are organic. A much healthier choice!
I adore this diffuser! I have 2 at home!
Great tips
Great … Wonderful
Very helpful tips!! Interesting read on how essential oil can improve athletic performance.
I have lemon and eucalyptus. I diffuse these for energy when I clean the house. Lavender relaxes me and I use while I sleep. At the moment I’m carrying my diffuser up and down the stairs every evening when I get home from work. I diffuse to keep me awake the rest of the evening. Then I carry it upstairs to use lavender to relax. I truly need another diffuser.
This is so great I would use it in my clinic.
These oils are great for so many uses, just always dilute to prevent injury!!
Usually use lavender in my diffuser to help me relax and unwind after a hectic work day.
Very interesting to hear about clove oil increasing white blood count and immune function, reducing inflammation, and of its antiseptic properties will definitely need to add that oil to my collection. Always enjoy your posts. 🙂
I am just learning all the awesome uses of essential oils!
What a great use for eucalyptus! I’m going to try a few drops in a spray bottle of watery this summer. Thanks for the ideas!
These all sound lovely.
I’ve only used lavender to help me sleep. I haven’t tried EO’s to improve athletic performance partly because lavender is the only one I have. However, your article is so helpful and I’m pinning it so that I’ll have it for when my EO collection expands!
love it!
Very interesting, another great use for these oils, they are among my favorites.
Lemon and clove oils for athletes foot is brilliant and the smells are an added bonus!