Winter means a lot of things to a lot of people. For some, it’s the time to kick back with a Snuggie and a mug of hot cocoa. For others, it means hitting the ski slopes or the sledding hill. But for some of us, it means colds, the flu, and the winter blues.
While we can’t always prevent SAD or the common cold, we can take precautions against them. And one simple way to help bolster our immune systems, kill germs, and improve our moods is to diffuse some high-quality essential oils. These are some of the best essential oils to try this winter.
Peppermint
There are few scents more associated with the winter season than peppermint’s fresh, crisp scent. But peppermint isn’t only good for making a place feel as fresh as a brisk winter morning. Peppermint is perfect for easing several cold symptoms, with properties such as:
- Opening up nasal passages
- Relieving headaches
- Calming an upset stomach
- Soothing irritable bowel symptoms
Peppermint may also help the joint pain or achy muscles you incur after shoveling the driveway.
Cinnamon
We think of cinnamon as an ingredient in our favorite cold-weather desserts. However, it’s also a popular scent for cleaners. That’s because cinnamon has properties that make it an effective disinfectant—perfect for keeping germs at bay without harsh chemicals.
Cinnamon is also a good answer to winter mood slums. The scent of cinnamon can reduce anxiety while boosting more pleasant moods.
Douglas Fir
Nothing is more refreshing than a wintery walk through a forest of evergreen trees. The scent alone can help tighten your focus, soothe anxiety, and promote a sense of emotional well-being. And if you want all that without having to trek around outside, you can diffuse Douglas fir oils in your home.
Along with lifting you out of your cold-weather blues, Douglas fir can help fight another common winter ailment: rough, dry skin. This oil contains antioxidants and can help purify and moisturize your skin when you apply it topically.
Tips for Using Essential Oils This Winter
So you have a shopping list of the best essential oils for winter. Now what? Start with acquiring them from reputable sources that create pure oils. Or extract your own oils using ethanol or CO2 extraction techniques.
From there, it’s all a matter of incorporating oils into your daily routine. A few ways you can try this include:
- Diluting oils in water and putting it into a spray bottle to use as a cleaner
- Mixing it with a carrier oil and using it on your face, hands, or muscles
- Adding a few drops to a diffuser
- Putting a few drops on your wrist or neck
Winter can be fraught with health challenges, but that doesn’t mean you have to face them unprepared. Essential oils can’t stop winter, but they can make it a lot more pleasant.