Keeping Cool This Summer with Essential Oils

For me, there is nothing worse than getting overheated. Well, that’s not true as there are tons of other worse things in the world. But you know what I mean. Rushing around, getting stressed out, and then ultimately wishing there was a nice, cooling pool nearby to dive into.

I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with the summer because while it meant time off of school and having fun on vacations, it also meant suffering in the heat under the baking sun. And I’m just one of those people who can’t seem to tolerate being hot very well. The good news is that you can use essential oils to help cool down when you get over heated.

Essential oils are the magical lifeblood of plants, flowers and other living things. We can distill or press the oils out of the fresh plant material and use the highly concentrated oils to help heal our body, mind and spirit. Essential oils need to be used with caution and care. I’m not going to bang on about essential oil safety in this article, but if you plan on branching out and creating something with essential oils, please do your research on how to do it properly to avoid potential health disasters. Below I provide a couple DIY recipes you can make at home with a few simple items and ingredients. These recipes have been tested and are considered safe.

Now back to the fun part. The essential oils that tend to have the best cooling effect on the body come from the mint family and contain a higher amount of menthol. Peppermint and Spearmint are the most common and inexpensive oils you will readily find from the mint family. Eucalyptus is another example of oil rich with menthol.

Peppermint oil has the highest concentration of menthol and has a very strong scent. A little goes a long way! It has also been known to ease tension headaches and relieve sore muscles when diluted and properly applied to the body. It can also help relieve motion sickness.

Spearmint oil also contains menthol, but it is not nearly as strong as peppermint. It has a little bit sweeter aroma, as well. I would use spearmint in place of peppermint at nighttime since peppermint is stimulating and may keep you awake.

Eucalyptus oil can be used in place of the mint oils, or as a complement in a blend. It also contains a good bit of menthol and has a nice cooling effect on the body. And due to its other potent chemical constituents, it can also be anti-inflammatory.

Not all cooling essential oils need to have a high amount of menthol. Citrus oils such as Lemon, Grapefruit and Bergamot can reduce the effects of being over heated. Patchouli and Cedarwood are also fine examples as they are also grounding and earthy, which can help dampen the heat.

Below are a few recipes you can make at home to help beat the summer heat.

Cooling Body Spray

Sweet Cooling Blend

Grounding & Cooling Blend

You can also use these essential oil blends in your diffuser so you can enjoy the aroma throughout your home.