It’s probable that when you hear the word “lavender,” a lighter purple color comes to mind. This plant, however, is not simply one color.
Learn more about the potential health benefits of lavender, as well as its various uses and potential downsides, by reading on.
1. What Exactly Is Lavender?
The blooming plant known as lavender, which belongs to the mint family, is easily identified by its seductive flowery scent. It has a 2,500-year history and is believed to have its roots in the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and India.
In the past, lavender was regarded as a holy herb. In addition, it was commonly used to scent and refresh a range of personal items, such as clothing and hair.
2. What possible health benefits does lavender possess?
Nowadays, lavender is more than just a gorgeous flower. It seems that this plant is commonly used for healing and medicinal purposes. If you have a few medical issues of your own and don’t want to risk the negative side effects of several over-the-counter and prescription treatments, here are some potential health advantages of using lavender.
3. Could aid in sleep
Insomnia is a chronic condition that keeps you up all night. Sleep may be aided by caffeine withdrawal and increased exercise. However, sometimes these efforts and other remedies fail. Because of this, you wind up being groggy all day.
Lavender essential oil was found to be an effective therapy for improving the sleep quality of intensive care unit (ICU) patients who had problems sleeping in a 2017 study involving 60 participants, so if you’re prepared to do everything to get a decent night’s sleep, you might want to give it a try.
If you’ve tried various sleep remedies without success, place a few drops of lavender essential oil on your pillow before going to bed tonight. It’s best to avoid ingesting it or any other essential oil because doing so might be bad for your health.
4. Could Help Treat Acne Skin
Lavender is one of the many wonderful essential oils that may be used in dermatology. If you have acne, eczema, or other skin issues, applying lavender oil to the affected areas of your skin may really help alleviate blemishes and lessen inflammation. However, more extensive clinical studies are needed to validate this. Applying essential oils straight to the skin might irritate it, therefore it is best to first dilute them with water or a carrier oil.
Lavender’s antioxidant qualities could potentially speed up the healing of wounds.
Before incorporating lavender into your skin-care routine, check with your dermatologist to be sure it won’t interact with any of the drugs you’re already on.
5. Possibility of Natural Painkiller
Some people use over-the-counter medicines when they are in severe or ongoing pain. Depending on how bad your pain is, you could request a prescription from your doctor.
Before employing more traditional pain management techniques, try using 2% lavender essential oil diluted in water as part of your aromatherapy regimen. Lavender was found to be an effective therapy for postoperative pain in a small 2014 experiment.
The oil has analgesic properties due to the presence of linalyl acetate and linalool, two anti-inflammatory chemicals found in several essential oils.
A 2021 study found that lavender oil extracted at the beginning of the plant’s blooming period has a potent anti-inflammatory effect on a range of compounds.
According to other study, using lavender aromatherapy during labor may help to lower the discomfort’s intensity but not its duration.
6. Reduce blood pressure and heart rate
The added strain that long-term high blood pressure exerts on the heart increases the risk of heart attacks and stroke. Their blood pressure and pulse rate both dropped, showing that the oil had a positive effect on these vital signs.
The authors do acknowledge that more research—specifically, a randomized controlled trial with a larger sample size, the gold standard in medical research—is needed to validate this possible benefit.
7. Could Lessen Asthma Symptoms
The anti-inflammatory effects of lavender may be beneficial for bronchial asthma. In a 2014 mouse research, it was shown that lavender essential oil enhances respiratory health by lowering allergic inflammation and mucus hyperplasia. It’s unclear if humans would have the same outcome.
8. Reduces menopausal hot flashes
Hot flashes, commonly referred to as hot flushes, are a common menopausal symptom that affect many women. It causes an abrupt sense of heat to spread throughout the body, which might result in flushing and sweat.
A 2016 research, however, discovered that 20 minutes of lavender aromatherapy used twice day may help reduce menopausal flashes and improve quality of life.
9. Aid in avoiding the growth of fungus
Lavender may have antifungal qualities, according to several studies. Studies suggest that using lavender essential oil might help stop the growth of certain fungus, such Candida albicans. The oil may also be used to treat ringworm and athlete’s foot, two fungus-related disorders, according to earlier studies.
10. Possible Ways to Encourage Hair Growth
Mice treated with lavender essential oil once daily for five days a week for four weeks showed a thicker dermal layer and more hair follicles. This leads researchers to speculate that lavender may be useful for promoting hair growth, however more research is needed.
11. What Effects Does Lavender Have on Stress Levels?
Stressors you encounter on a daily basis might harm your mental health. Your degree of worry raises your risk for headaches, despondency, and low energy.
The good news is that lavender may be able to lift your spirits and remove the ominous cloud that has been hanging over your head.
Lavender has been shown in several studies to be helpful for mood, stress, anxiety, and depression.
Less premenstrual syndrome symptoms were observed by women who breathed lavender essential oil.
12. Which of the Various Lavender Varieties Exist?
There are many different lavender products available. For illustration:
Nectar from the flowering plant is utilized to create the fragrant oil known as lavender oil. Once diluted, the oil can be used for aromatherapy by diffusing it, using it physically, or placing it on a cotton swab or pillow.
Lavender plant It smells good, this perennial bush. It gives out a pleasant scent and gives a landscape more color.
supplements or lavender-infused pills Lavender pills are also available as a supplement. For medicinal purposes, use as directed, but see your doctor to ensure the supplement won’t adversely affect any other prescriptions you’re taking. Be advised that supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Lavender Tea You may create a soothing tea with this form of lavender that promotes sleep and relaxation. You may purchase lavender tea or make your own by simmering fresh lavender buds in boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes.