Lavender for Relaxation

Lavender has a long history of use in traditional medicine as a remedy for anxiety. A natural sedative, lavender works by passing signals through the nose to the brain.

Lavender for Relaxation that the key chemical in lavender, linalool, is responsible for its relaxing effects. Its odor stimulates the olfactory nerve cells, which then send messages to a part of the brain called the limbic system. This area of the brain is involved in emotions like fear, anger, joy and sadness. It also controls bodily functions, such as heartbeat and breathing.

The research found that patients who had deep breath relaxation techniques with lavender aromatherapy experienced less anxiety than those who didn’t. An average of 10 people who had high anxiety before the treatment became mild, and nine of those with moderate anxiety turned into mild as well.

The Scent of Serenity: Why Lavender Never Goes Out of Style

Inhalation is the most effective way to use lavender for anxiety, but it can be applied topically as well. It’s important to buy pure lavender oil from a trusted source, since the quality of lavender essential oils can vary dramatically. Look for an oil that lists the Latin name of lavender, lavandula angustifolia, on the label, as well as a certificate of analysis from a laboratory that uses gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to test for purity and authenticity.

A recent systematic review and meta-analysis found that lavender can significantly decrease stress in humans. The authors of the study analyzed 21 articles that examined the effect of lavender (L. angustifolia) on individuals’ stress levels, and found that a pooled estimate of the mean change in the level of stress in the intervention group was 0.63 +- 0.13 compared to the control groups.