Nothing is more frustrating than feeling foggy at the morning office meeting, forgetting where your car is parked or just feeling “out of it” all day. There are so many reasons that you might experience a temporary lack of brain function such as no sleep, poor diet and increased stress. While it might be tempting to turn to coffee and sugar to try and get a leg up, there is something simple you can do to feel more alert.

Rosemary, the earthy spice that we use to flavor chicken breasts and perk up our sauces also has incredible power when it comes to helping us focus. Rosemary contains a component called cineole that increases our ability to think effectively. One study found that cineole helped to enhance the ability of rats to navigate through mazes, while another study found that smelling the scent of rosemary helped people to better perform tasks at work.

You can make your own rosemary oil by simply infusing fresh rosemary with olive oil. Just heat a cup of olive oil and a few sprigs of fresh rosemary in a pan and simmer for about 15 minutes. After it’s cooled down, pour your mixture in a Mason jar and place in a sunny window. In about two weeks, drain the rosemary out and you have your very own rosemary oil you can use to help you think more clearly! You can also use your rosemary oil as a beauty treatment or to help stimulate hair growth.

Sources:

http://www.doctoroz.com/blog/mao-shing-ni-lac-dom-phd/4-commonly-used-healing-herbs

http://www.webmd.com/brain/news/20120224/can-the-scent-of-rosemary-make-you-smarter