Rosemary May Increase Memory by 75 Percent

I’m coming off a rather busy time that involves attending two trade shows, the closing of the year’s biggest issue of American Spa, and the planning of a summer family trip. One thing I’ve learned about myself is that when I get busy, I get forgetful. Just this week, I’ve forgotten my keys, my cell phone, and the names of several people I’ve met several times. So when I read this blog post from Cristina Proano-Carrion of Aromandina, I realized there may be an all-natural solution—rosemary. Check out her blog and see if this memory boosting essential oil might be a good option for you and your clients.

“Oops! I forgot” is a common refrain and a very embarrassing one too, especially when you forget a loved one’s birthday or when a seemingly important task simply skips your mind. Maybe it is our stressful lifestyles or maybe we are just not attentive and alert enough to make a mental to-do list, but forgetfulness is something that most of us experience more often than we’d like. If you have been wondering what you can do to help yourself out of this annoying tendency, here’s something that will pique your interest.

Shakespeare said it, we said it, and now even scientists have agreed to the “memory-enhancing” properties of Rosemary essential oil. A recent article published by the Daily Mailstates that exposure to rosemary essential oil can improve memory by a whopping 60 to 75 percent!

This particular research, carried out by psychologists at the Northumbria University, Newcastle, aimed to test the effect of rosemary aroma on peoples’ ability to remember things. Sixty-six subjects were randomly distributed between two rooms, one of which was diffused with rosemary essential oil, and the other was kept aroma-free. Both groups were handed out a test especially designed to test ‘prospective memory’ (a person’s ability to remember to do things in the future, such as taking medicines, completing a task on the to-do list, or fetching something from the market).

It was found that the group exposed to rosemary vapors scored 60 to 75 percent better on the test than the control group and also had a higher concentration of 1,8-cineole in their blood plasma. 1,8-cineole is the active compound in Rosemary that was believed to influence the biochemical processes that determine memory function and recall ability.

I was particularly happy to come across this new piece of research because I have always believed in the extraordinary powers of rosemary essential oil. Several studies before this have also pointed towards the effect of rosemary in enhancing alertness and long-term memory. According to Researcher Jemma McCready, “this study supports our previous research indicating that the aroma of rosemary essential oil can enhance cognitive functioning in healthy adults, here extending to the ability to remember events and to complete tasks in the future. These findings may have implications for treating individuals with memory impairments.”

Several of my clients have reported that rosemary essential oil has helped them stay more alert and become less forgetful and absentminded about day-to-day activities. In fact, Rosemary is a vital ingredient in many of my aromatherapy blends, including the bestselling Memoria Blend and Alerta Body Mist. I also recommend using Rosemary essential oil on its own in a diffuser or a bath.

The best part about Rosemary is that it can be used by people of all ages – children can use it while preparing for exams, working professionals can use it to stay more focused at work, housewives can use it to help them with multi-tasking, and elderly people can use it to keep their mental faculties sharp.

So when are you going to start using rosemary essential oil?