“To those who question the power of aromatherapy, I say come and try it,” says Signe Fjord, a law school graduate turned life coach and indoor cycling instructor, who has brought aromatherapy to her classes under the banner of Aroma Bike.

“I keep it low key and I don’t shout too loud about it, because I know people might question it. In any case, it’s more profound than I can find the words to explain. But when you experience it for yourself, you understand.”

“It’s more profound than I can find the words to explain, but when you experience it for yourself, you understand”

This pragmatic approach makes sense, as in spite of many studies over the years showing the diverse benefits of aromatherapy – from stress reduction to improved sleep, pain relief to better digestion and more – many institutions still deem the evidence inconclusive.

Yet we know we sleep better with lavender on our pillow; we’ve felt how aromatherapy heightens a massage experience; many of us will have used tea tree oil for its antiseptic qualities; and in Australia, where Fjord used to live, “eucalyptus oil is used for everything!” She adds: “Aromatherapy is a millennia-old practice that’s naturally part of our daily routines.”

Powering performance

Fjord continues: “People mostly know about the use of aromatherapy in relaxation. Fewer people know about its impact on performance.”

She points to a US pilot study conducted among healthy male students and published in 2018, which set out to “investigate the acute effects of peppermint oil ingestion on exercise performance, in particular the ventilatory threshold”. Why? Because the ventilatory threshold – a percentage of VO2 max and, in layman’s terms, the point at which higher-intensity exercise causes hyperventilation – “improves with endurance training and has been shown to predict maximal endurance performance”.

“People mostly know about the use of aromatherapy in relaxation. Fewer people know about its impact on performance.”

The cycling-based study found the ventilatory threshold occurred at a significantly higher percentage of VO2 max following peppermint oil ingestion, without affecting VO2 max itself. In other words, it gave riders more scope to push themselves during training.

“One of my elite cycling friends, who has qualified for the amateur World Championships, now puts a drop of peppermint oil in his water whenever he’s cycling and rubs some on his chest to help him breathe easier,” says Fjord. “Most of my new customers are now male cyclists who want to perform better.”

That said, Fjord is quick not to make overly bold statements or any medical claims. “Mostly, Aroma Bike is about bringing additional layers of experience to a class, using uplifting oils that give people an additional reason and reward for attending in person.

“I like to offer as much benefit from every workout as I can, layering on the goodness while remembering that with aromatherapy, less is more: one drop of wild orange in someone’s palm after a stressful day can genuinely be the best moment of their day.”

Uplifting oils

Aroma Bike was initially born of need, says Fjord. “When I moved from the Copenhagen area to the north of Denmark, I began instructing at a small corporate gym where the cycle studio smelled pretty bad! Diffusing aromatherapy oils helped address that. But the gym manager quickly came onboard when I used doTerra’s Deep Blue oil blend to successfully relieve the tension in his neck; doTerra is the oil brand I use.”

She continues: “I’d always used oils here and there in class, but the north of Denmark is all about ‘hygge’, which gave me licence to develop a more complete Aroma Bike concept.

“I theme my classes and occasionally do something unpredictable, creating new experiences with unusual oils to surprise people. But mostly I keep it simple, creating workouts using Intelligent Cycling and then layering on oils that everyone will recognise.

“For example, in yesterday’s class I had three diffusers in the room – one drop of oil per diffuser so as not to overwhelm – and used my go-to blend of wild orange with peppermint. It’s a lovely blend to create a welcoming environment and brings you back to your natural balance; it’s amazing how the body knows how to heal itself if you give it the right tools.

“I then began the class with a drop of eucalyptus oil onto each rider’s palm for the warm-up. Eucalyptus is a great all-rounder, from helping you breathe to creating a sense of what the Japanese call shinrin yoku – forest bathing – the refreshing, feelgood sensation of being in nature. I looked participants in the eye and we took three deep breaths together. It’s a profound way to meet and greet each individual during the warm-up, focusing on positive thoughts. ‘I see you. I welcome you. You are important. You matter.’

“Towards the end of class, I dropped a balancing, grounding blend onto everyone’s palm to help them wind down. And then after class – it’s a really social gym where everyone stays behind to chat – I had peppermint oil and Deep Blue on-hand for tired muscles.”

“Aroma Bike brings layers of experience to a class, using uplifting oils that give an additional reward for attending in person”

Expanding the concept

Since she began at the gym a year ago, uptake of Aroma Bike has been so positive that Fjord also now runs aromatherapy mindfulness classes, using diffusers and topical applications to promote peace and balance. Coming soon, a new spa area will see aromatherapy oils diffused into the sauna.

“Cycling is how I stay connected with myself physically and mentally. Adding aromatherapy takes that a step further still.”

But it all started with cycling. Fjord concludes: “I’ve done many things in my life, but it’s always cycling I’ve come back to. From triathlons in my teens to Ironman aged 20 and an indoor cycling instructor for 14 years now, cycling has been a lifelong passion. It’s how I stay connected with myself physically and mentally.

“I’ve also found it a great way to help people around me be happy. Adding aromatherapy takes that a step further still.”