While we at Plant Therapy don’t exactly encourage excessive drinking, and our best recommendation to avoid a hangover is to drink responsibly, we know that it’s entirely possible you may still find yourself in need of a hangover remedy from time to time!
Essential oils and nausea:
This is the most dreaded of all hangover symptoms: Nausea. That familiar feeling means at best the room might be spinning, and at worst you’ll need to miss a day of work.
1. Lavender
For muscle tension and shakiness, a soothing lavender bath can relax your body naturally. Just add a few drops to your body wash or shampoo to feel the calming effects.
- Try putting 5 drops of Lavender and 5 drops of Peppermint in a diffuser. Lay down and relax.
- Apply Lavender topically to your temples or wrists to help you relax. Note: if you are having stomach issues, you might just stick to the peppermint.
2. Peppermint
Fresh and familiar, Peppermint Essential Oil is the perfect buddy for a tummy in distress. Peppermint helps to relax the muscles of the gastrointestinal tract so that you can get on properly digesting.
And when everything is moving along like it should be, say goodbye to feeling cramped, bloated, and gassy . It’s also known for easing feelings of nausea, making it perfect for helping to give you some hangover relief.
- Before taking a shower or bath, mix a few drops of Peppermint with your favorite all-natural body wash.
- Add 2-3 drops of Peppermint to 1 Tbsp carrier oils and massage into your temples or stomach.
3. Ginger Root CO2
A common ingredient in over-the-counter nausea-reducing remedies, Ginger has been used for centuries in both traditional medicines and as a common spice.
You’ve probably heard of ginger snap cookies and ginger sodas to help a stomach on the edge, right? Well, the same concept applies to Ginger Essential Oil; it has shown to support a healthy digestive system overall, but especially when experiencing nausea. Inhaling it deeply is such a quick and easy way to settle the stomach down and get some relief!
- Try blending 5 drops of Ginger Root Co2 with 5 drops Grapefruit Pink in your personal aromatherapy diffuser.
4. Cardamom
This spicy and warm essential oil is a great go-to for helping to relieve nausea, abdominal cramping, and gas. That makes it perfect for inhaling to avoid the discomfort brought on by drinking a little too much.
5. Coffee Essential Oil
For sensitivity to light and noise, Coffee Essential Oil can help to stimulate and revive your battered senses without upsetting your stomach.
Essential oils and energy:
To regain that sense of well-being after a hangover, diffuse our natural citrus essential oils, such as Grapefruit Pink, Lemon, or Orange Sweet.
Each will bring an uplifting sense of well-being and help you feel like yourself again after a hangover. Put the citrus oil of your choice into an aromatherapy diffuser, personal inhaler, or diffuser necklace for just 15-20 minutes. You will feel rejuvenated and ready for the next holiday get-together!
1. Grapefruit Pink
If you’re looking for a little pick-me-up to help you get through the day, Grapefruit is the ideal choice. Its sweet, juicy fresh citrus scent can help to lighten up mental fatigue and moodiness.
For a digestive upset, dilute appropriately in a carrier oil and apply topically to the abdomen.
Or, try adding 3 drops of Grapefruit Pink and Orange Sweet, with 1 drop of Lime to your favorite aromatherapy diffuser, personal inhaler, or diffuser necklace to create a wonderful citrus blend that is refreshing and helps brighten the mood as well as keep your energy up.
Grapefruit Pink may also cause photosensitivity, so we recommend a dilution no higher than 4%, or 36 drops of oil per ounce of carrier oil.
To learn even more about Grapefruit Pink, check out our essential oil spotlight blog post on this oil.
2. Lemon
Lemon is a wonderfully bright and fresh essential oil for the winter! It is fantastic for uplifting your mood, providing a boost of energy, and promoting mental clarity and focus, both of which may need a boost if you’ve been drinking a little too much.
To learn more about Lemon Essential Oil, check out these blogs:
- Explore Your Essential Oils: Lemon
- Cleaning with Essential Oils: Six Oils to Enhance Your Routine
- Essential Oils for Self-Esteem: Bright and Cheerful Inhaler Blend
If you want to use Lemon topically, please keep in mind that this is a phototoxic oil and can cause skin reactions if not diluted correctly (2% maximum). Make sure to use just 6 drops for every two teaspoons carrier oil used to avoid a negative reaction.
3. Energy essential oil blend
We could all use more energy at times! Plant Therapy’s Energy was created to give you a little boost during the day when you start feeling your energy drop. It is also great to help get your mind and body up and going in the mornings.
Place a few drops in a diffuser to promote a lively atmosphere at home or at work. Use at 3% in a body lotion, or in a massage oil for an invigorating and uplifting back massage.
Essential oils and hangover headaches:
No matter what you’re doing — working, relaxing, playing, reading, studying, getting ready for bed — there is one surefire way to put a damper on it: A headache. And a wicked hangover almost always comes with a painful dehydration headache. But there are some essential oils that can help keep your head feeling fine:
1. Eucalyptus Globulus
Known for its relaxing, pain-reducing effects and helping to break up mucus and other congestion issues, making this oil especially useful if you are suffering from a sinus headache. It’s also a great way to open the airways and help relieve sinus pressure.
2. Rosemary 1,8-Cineole
Stimulating and refreshing, this oil is known to improve alertness and reduce stress. It can also help reduce pain, relax muscles, and improve circulation. Studies have even been found to help with drug withdrawal symptoms, including headaches.
3. Chamomile Roman
A wonderful choice for helping headache symptoms associated with stress or exhaustion. Chamomile Roman also helps to relax tension in the body and is best used before bed, due to its sedative and relaxing properties.
Make your own DIY anti-nausea essential oil blend: 
What you’ll need:
- 7 drops Cardamom
- 5 drops Ginger Root CO2
- 3 drops Peppermint
Add all these products to your cart
What you’ll do:
Add the essential oils to your personal aromatherapy inhaler and use as needed for an occasional digestive upset.
Try pre-made essential oil blends to help avoid hangover symptoms:
If you don’t want to go through all the trouble of creating a hangover recipe of your own, Plant Therapy offers some great pre-blended options to keep on hand:
1. Tension Relief Blend
For tension and nausea relief, try our Tension Relief Synergy Pre-Diluted Roll-On.
Simply apply this blend of Peppermint, Lavender, Eucalyptus, Rosemary, Spearmint Cinnamon Leaf, Ginger Root, and other tension-easing 100% natural essential oils to your temples (after diluting in a carrier oil) and the back of your neck for soothing relief.
2. Digizen Blend
DiGiZen is another Plant Therapy Synergy Blend that was created with you in mind; we all suffer from times of having an upset stomach and are in need of relief (especially during hangovers).
Wait! One last piece of advice:
Avoid any strong or floral scents, because they may actually intensify or worsen the symptoms of a hangover. So save your Rose or Jasmine Absolute for a different time.
Still have questions?
Contact one of our Certified Aromatherapist at aromatherapist@planttherapy.com, or hop on over to Facebook and join our recipe group Safe Essential Oil Recipes!
Sources:
Ben-Arye, E., Dudai, N., Eini, A., Torem, M., Schiff, E., & Rakover, Y. (2011). Treatment of Upper Respiratory Tract Infections in Primary Care: A Randomized Study Using Aromatic Herbs. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine : eCAM, 2011, 690346. http://doi.org/10.1155/2011/690346
Deckard, A. (2016, May 27). 11 Proven Peppermint Essential Oil Benefits. Retrieved from https://healthyfocus.org/proven-peppermint-essential-oil-benefits
Koulivand, P. H., Khaleghi Ghadiri, M., & Gorji, A. (2013). Lavender and the Nervous System. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine : eCAM, 2013, 681304. http://doi.org/10.1155/2013/681304
Pertz, H., Lehmann, J., Roth-Ehrang, R., & Elz, S. (2011, July). Effects of ginger constituents on the gastrointestinal tract. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21305447
Solhi, H., Salehi, B., Alimoradian, A., Pazouki, S., Taghizadeh, M., Saleh, A. M., & Kazemifar, A. M. (2013). Beneficial Effects of Rosmarinus Officinalis for Treatment of Opium Withdrawal Syndrome during Addiction Treatment Programs: A Clinical Trial. Addiction & Health, 5(3-4), 90–94.
Srivastava, J.K., Shankar, E., & Gupta, S. (2010). Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with a bright future (Review). Molecular Medicine Reports, 3, 895-901. https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2010.377
