Winter marks a shift in the amount of daylight available to us which creates an imbalance of melanin in our body. Longer nights slow down nature, the skin dries up and a general sense of fatigue sets in. Not just the skin, but for a lot of people, their sinuses and joints also begin to dry out too during winter. The result is that irritated mucous membranes produce more mucus which becomes an open invitation for colds, flu and other bacterial infections to manifest. To take care of your overall health, both mental and physical, to feel good in these otherwise dark wintry days, to smell amazing and fresh and keep fungal and bacterial infections at bay, we list out some of the most useful essential oils for winters and how you can use them.

1. Lemon oil

Are you a fan of zesty, tangy lemon essence? You will find this in everything from hand soaps to shampoos to cleaning agents as lemon oil is the father of all essential oils for its usability and fruity fragrance. But apart from its commercial value, it is also an excellent ingredient for herbal formulations crafted for your skin. Diluted lemon oil has D-limonene that aids your fight against wrinkles, improves circulation and skin tone. It is rich agent of skin repair and is anti-inflammatory in nature. The fragrance has mood enhancing qualities too. A study showed that among rose, lavender and lemon essences, lemon had the strongest anti-stress effect on the participants of the study.

2. Lavender oil

Lavender oil is:

· Analgesic

· Antispasmodic

· Calming

· Sedative

· Antiseptic

· Antimicrobial

· Antifungal

Rashes, allergies, skin cracking-bacterial infections during the winter are a real threat for the body and skin. Lavender is bountiful when it comes to its antibacterial, antidepressant and anti-inflammatory properties. Have a stuffy nose, allergies or even a common cold? Grandmas would reach out for the lavender oil in the medical cabinet. Lavender oil is indispensable in winter for its excellent moisturizing and hydrating properties. Lavender oil is also calming and is medically proven to induce sleep and relaxation.

3. Marjoram oil

More commonly used as a spice in the food, marjoram oil is extracted from the flowers and leaves of the plant. It is known to be used for treating the common cold, digestive problems, dryness, improving appetite, relieving menstrual pain, regularizing muscle spasms, inducing sleep, reducing anxiety and headaches caused from o anxiety and stress. For its stress-relieving and relaxing properties it has even been mentioned in Greek mythology, where Aphrodite, the goddess of love, grew the herb in her garden.

4. Cinnamon oil

A popular antioxidant, cinnamon oil is a gift for your skin when it comes to combatting free-radicals, treating acne and cancerous skin cells. Sweet, spicy and warm, it is most commonly used in aromatherapy. It has analgesic, anti-septic, antimicrobial and detoxifying properties that make it a much sought after essential oil for many an herbal formulation, in treating skin diseases, sleep disorders, and muscle and joint pains. A known decongestant, it is also good for regulating blood circulation, improving your brain functions, relaxing the hippocampus, and boosts the health of your heart and arterial functions.

5. Lemongrass oil

Many vouch for the deeply sensual, sweet and appetizing aroma of lemongrass oil, not the least because it has anti-cancerous, antibacterial, anti-fungal, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties to go with the heady aroma it gives off when the oil is extracted from a steam distillation of, as the name suggests, lemongrass. For hair problems and issues related to fungal infections, dryness of scalp and flaky skin, lemongrass oil comes widely recommended for its anti-fungal properties.

6. Clary Sage

Used by the Egyptians in their medical formulations, for hormone regulating properties, ability to treat vision disorder and as a flavor of wine, clary sage has come to become an exotic herbal essence used in various premium herbal personal care products today for its aroma, flavor and therapeutic values. Studies on women undergoing postmenopausal syndrome showed, inhalation of the diluted clary sage oil produced calming and anti-stress effect (reduction in stress hormones like cortisol) and mood alleviation. Known for its excellent analgesic properties, it is known to help women manage menstrual and labor pains, when combined with essences of marjoram and juniperberries. It has linalyl acetate which is anti-inflammatory.

This article was originally published by the Shankara Editorial Team on January 14, 2019 (https://www.shankara.com/) and is reposted here with their permission

Disclaimer

The sole purpose of these articles is to provide information about the tradition of Ayurveda. This information is not intended for use in the diagnosis, treatment, cure or prevention of any disease. If you have any serious acute or chronic health concern, please consult a trained health professional. Check with your doctor before taking herbs, herbal food supplements or using essential oils.