Lavender Could Be Good As Valium To Calm Anxiety, Says Study
Tests on mice have shown the positive calming effects of lavender, which validates what aromatherapy already knew.
The subtle scent of lavender has been known to be calming in nature. Many toiletries such as perfumes, lotions, creams and massage oils contain lavender oil for its relaxing properties. Lavender essential oil is often recommended in folk medicine to people who suffer from insomnia. If you are sceptical about the calm-inducing properties of lavender oil, here’s something that will change your mind. A study has found a positive connection between lavender oil and stress relief. Researchers tested the effect of the oil on mice and were pleasantly surprised to find its calming effects.
The study was published in the Frontiers in Behavioural Neuroscience, where scientists used mice with a sharp sense of smell to inhale linalool, the substance that gives a unique scent to lavender flowers. Some were also injected with the substance. They compared the mice to another set of rodents who were on the valium benzodiazepines, a drug used to induce sleep. The results were stunning. The scent of the herb itself helped the mice to relax. Can Lavender and Tea Tree Oil Make Men’s Breasts Grow? 5 Everyday Things That Can Cause Man Boobs!
That’s not all. Just inhaling the scent of lavender produced similar effects as those of benzodiazepines. The mice who inhaled linalool were more relaxed and didn’t suffer from any side effects associated with valium use.
How You Can Use Lavender
If you have anxiety-related problems such as sleeplessness, lavender essential oil may be a good option for you. It can be purchased online or from any store that stocks aromatherapy products. Chose a good quality oil and invest in a good brand. Cheap ones are often fake and would not give you the same results. They can also cause an adverse reaction.
Add a few drops of lavender essential oil to your diffuser while you meditate or relax with a book. Put a few drops in your warm foot bath as you relax after work.
Those who cannot get a decent shut-eye, place a few drops on your pillow, your bed clothes or your bedding. The calming scent will help relax and fall asleep.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 24, 2018 11:21 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).