Two oils go with me through almost every day. Peppermint in the afternoon, when things get sluggish. And lavender in the evening, when the day comes to an end. Both rituals take barely three minutes. In this article I show you how I use them, what researchers have measured and why I never mix the two up.
Why rituals with oils work so well
A ritual is a small action that always runs the same way. It gives your day structure. And it tells your mind: now something new begins.
Oils are especially good for this, because smell is the fastest way to your feelings. A smell reaches the areas of your brain that process emotions and memories without a detour. How exactly that works I described in my article “Smell is the fastest way to your feelings”.
If you always use the same oil for a particular moment, an anchor forms over time. The smell alone is then enough to bring you into that moment.
Ritual 1: peppermint in the afternoon
The afternoon slump
Around three o’clock, things get sluggish for me. My concentration drops, my eyes get heavy, and I used to reach for a third coffee. Today I reach for peppermint.
How my ritual works
- One drop of peppermint oil in your palms.
- Rub briefly.
- Hold your hands in front of your nose and mouth without touching your face.
- Breathe in deeply three times.
- Open the window, stand up briefly, then carry on.
It takes less than a minute. And the fresh, cool smell reliably brings me back to my desk.
What researchers measured
In 2008 a team led by Mark Moss at Northumbria University in England studied how the aroma of peppermint affects concentration and mood. 144 adults solved memory and attention tasks, either in a room with peppermint aroma, with ylang-ylang aroma or with no aroma.
The peppermint group did better in the memory tests. And the participants felt more alert. Ylang-ylang had the opposite effect: people felt calmer but were slower.
Peppermint in your water
I also use peppermint in the kitchen. One drop in a large jug of water makes it wonderfully fresh. For this I only use oil that is clearly labelled as food. That is the most important rule of all for me.
Ritual 2: lavender in the evening
My signal for the end of the day
In the evening, many people find it hard to switch off. Your head is still at the office, your phone is glowing, your thoughts are going round in circles. That’s why I’ve made a fixed evening ritual a habit.
How my ritual works
- Phone away. Really away, in another room.
- One drop of lavender in your hands, rub briefly.
- Breathe in deeply and slowly three times.
- A second drop in the diffuser.
- Simply stay seated for a few minutes.
Three minutes, two drops. That’s all. But for me it is the signal: the day is done.
What researchers measured
The same team at Northumbria University had already compared lavender and rosemary in 2003. Here too, 144 adults solved memory and attention tasks.
With lavender, the participants were more content than the group without aroma. At the same time, they did worse in working memory and reacted more slowly. With rosemary it was the other way round: memory was better, and people felt more alert.
Why I never mix the two up
This very result is the key for me. Lavender tends to make you calm. That is wonderful in the evening. At my desk, when I want to concentrate, it is exactly the wrong thing.
That’s why I follow a simple rule:
| Time of day | My oil | What for |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | citrus | a fresh start to the day |
| Afternoon | peppermint or rosemary | an alert mind at my desk |
| Evening | lavender | the signal that the day is done |
Everything I share about oils here applies to oils of outstanding quality. How to recognise them you can read in my article “Pure says almost nothing”.
Your little experiment for this week
Pick one of the two rituals. Just one. Do it for seven days, always at the same time. Then notice whether after a week the smell alone already feels like the moment.
Frequently asked questions
Can I put peppermint and lavender directly on my skin?
On the skin I always use essential oils mixed with a carrier oil. How many drops I use is in my dilution table in the article “Smell, apply, enjoy”.
How much oil goes into the diffuser?
Five to ten drops, depending on the size of the room and the device. For my evening ritual, a drop in my hands is often enough.
Can I put any peppermint oil in my water?
No. Only oil that is clearly labelled as food goes in your water. If the label doesn’t say so, the oil doesn’t belong in your glass.
Which ritual suits you?
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- Moss M, Hewitt S, Moss L, Wesnes K: Modulation of cognitive performance and mood by aromas of peppermint and ylang-ylang. International Journal of Neuroscience 2008;118(1):59–77: https://researchportal.northumbria.ac.uk/en/publications/modulation-of-cognitive-performance-and-mood-by-aromas-of-pepperm/
- Moss M, Cook J, Wesnes K, Duckett P: Aromas of rosemary and lavender essential oils differentially affect cognition and mood in healthy adults. International Journal of Neuroscience 2003;113(1):15–38: https://researchportal.northumbria.ac.uk/en/publications/aromas-of-rosemary-and-lavender-essential-oils-differentially-aff/
- Soudry Y et al.: Olfactory system and emotion: common substrates. European Annals of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Diseases 2011;128(1):18–23: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21227767/