Lavender has more to offer than its lovely scent and beautiful color. In addition to having a pleasant fragrance, lavender oil also has beneficial health properties and healing powers due to its antiseptic, antimicrobial, antifungal, antibacterial, antidepressant, and anti-inflammatory benefits. Lavender essential oil, touted as one of the most popular and versatile herbal oils used in aromatherapy, bequeaths one with a soothing experience and has the power to heal the mind and body. Extracted from the Lavender plant (Lavandula angustifolia), the oil promotes relaxation and helps treat skin infections, fungal infections, hair problems, pain, allergies, depression, insomnia, anxiety, nausea, and menstrual cramps. Here is a quick overview of some of the remarkable health benefits of lavender essential oil.
Stress & Anxiety ReliefÂ
Known best for its mood-improving and calming effects, lavender oil may help with stress and anxiety relief. More than simply generating a peaceful state of mind, lavender can reduce anxiety by affecting the body’s fight-or-flight response. The parasympathetic nervous system controls the bodily processes associated with stress and anxiety, such as heart rate, breathing rhythm, and hormone secretion. Lavender can help regulate these physical processes by restoring a neutral state, lowering the heart rate, decreasing adrenaline levels, and slowing the breath. The abundance of adaptogenic and sedative qualities found in lavender essential oil improves the mood and relieves stress. It holds high significance in providing mental and emotional stability by regulating the stress hormone, i.e., serotonin, which reduces various symptoms of anxiety. Due to its renowned calming aroma and medicinal properties, the inhalation of lavender has a soothing effect on the nervous system, helping to alleviate stress and anxiety, reduce depression and fatigue, and increase general mental wellbeing. Doing so can help lower blood pressure and is beneficial for people who suffer from hypertension.
Wound HealingÂ
Flaunted by its antibacterial, antiseptic, and disinfectant effects, this aromatic oil has an acceleratory effect on wound healing and plays a crucial role in alleviating pain and healing wounds due to burns, minor cuts, or insect bites. This unique herbal oil aids in effectively healing wounds, preventing skin infections, and treating allergic conditions, such as rashes, itching, and burning sensation. Applying a dilution of lavender oil and distilled water to a wound can help stimulate cell regeneration and heal the wound faster. Extracts from the lavender plant have at least seven active ingredients known to promote skin regeneration and boost immune function. Lavender oil is also known to hold antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antifungal properties, which help reduce pain, redness, and swelling while also reducing the risk of infection. The antioxidant activity of lavender essential oil may also contribute to wound healing.
Helps to Improve Sleep
Best known for its calming and sedative effects, lavender has long been considered a natural go-to remedy to improve sleep quality, treat insomnia, and may assist with symptoms of restlessness and disturbed sleep. Lavender essential oil is a healthier alternative to medicines prescribed for insomnia or other sleep disorders and can support sleep disrupted by symptoms of allergies. It not only induces sleep but also promotes the regularity of sleep. Lavender works as an anxiolytic (anxiety reliever) because it interacts with the neurotransmitter GABA to help quiet the mind and body. Researchers who monitored sleep cycles with brain scans found that lavender not only increases slow-wave sleep but also slows down the heartbeat and relaxes the muscles. In turn, you will have a more restful sleep and wake up refreshed and ready to face a bright new day. Adding a few drops of lavender oil to a diffuser next to your bed at night can help relax the mind and the body and improve your overall sleep.Â
Hair Growth
The wealth of essential nutrients in lavender essential oil makes it a one-stop remedy for all your hair woes. This oil, sanctified with antimicrobial properties, stimulates and improves blood circulation in the hair follicles, prevents various hair infections, and actively takes part in collagen formation. It is exceptionally beneficial for revitalizing dull, lifeless hair. Regular use of lavender oil can improve hair texture, add shine, and stimulate hair growth. By effectively easing stress, it also prevents hair fall and premature graying of hair. Due to its effects on hair growth, lavender could potentially be used as a hair growth-promoting agent for treating pattern baldness and alopecia areata, a condition in which hair is lost from some or all areas of the body. This ability, together with lavender’s antiseptic qualities and the fact that it also nourishes the hair and lubricates the scalp, can naturally restore your hair to good health. As a natural anti-inflammatory and antifungal, lavender oil also helps in reducing dandruff and supporting scalp health.
Aromatherapy Benefits
Lavender oil is one of the most popular and versatile essential oils used in aromatherapy. The fragrance from the essential oils of the lavender plant promotes calmness, relaxation, and wellness. Aromatherapy can help patients manage the side effects of cancer treatment and may help those who suffer from dementia. Lavender aromatherapy is believed to be particularly effective for treating stress, anxiety, sinus congestion and flu symptoms, psychosomatic induced problems, muscular and rheumatic pains, digestive disorders, and may also alleviate premenstrual emotional symptoms, menopausal complaints, and postnatal depression. Hot flashes are a common menopause symptom that affects many women, causing a sudden surge of heat over the body, and can make the face flush and trigger perspiration. However, lavender aromatherapy for 20 minutes twice a day may help reduce menopause flashing and improve quality of life. Incredibly versatile, the health benefits of this extraordinary natural remedy seem to know no bounds. Its powerful healing properties have long been used in aromatherapy to treat a wide variety of ailments ranging from insomnia, headaches, and pain to working wonders for skin and hair health. Lavender is also renowned as one of the best natural remedies to improve mental wellbeing and mood. So, before you add yet another over-the-counter medicine to your first aid kit, first have a look at all the different—and natural—health benefits you can get from just one.
As you can see, lavender is a true multi-tasker and has many more health and beauty benefits than you might expect. Sonoma Lavender has a vast collection of lavender products you can use for everyday use at home. Whether you want something for bathing to soothe the skin or something to help alleviate pain, you are sure to find a product that suits your needs. For more information, contact us today.