Lavender is simply an amazing remedy from every standpoint. It’s effective for so many things, being a topical antiseptic, wound healer and pain reliever. Its soothing qualities happen both on a local cellular level and on the grander scale of our overall body and mind. Its effective and its safe. Very safe, in fact — safe for everyone of every age. And it has a lot of scientific research to back it up; it may be the second most researched oil of all time, and the oil which actually began the modern aroma-medicine revolution. So what’s all the latest hub-bub about? Its the proven (meaning at least “very thoroughly tested”) anti-anxiety effects that are so potent as to match the most effective pharmaceutical drugs available. Here’s a quick look at the overall effects of Lavender, and the latest and greatest in science to back it up.
The overall action of Lavender oil is both calming and regenerating. It’s a profound effect, as our bodies need to be relieved of stress in order to heal, and lead healthy lives in general. The sweet smell alone bestows calm on folks of all ages; from the little ones all wound up when it’s time for bed, to the wizened generation whom may be recovering from illness, loss, or general fatigue. It has done the same for lab rats, hamsters and mice in research laboratories (we do not condone the testing of any essential oil on animals — yet these studies have been performed and the data is worth discussing).
The wonderful aspect of the stress-relieving action of Lavender is that it’s so easy to make use of the oil this way. For personal use, you only need to inhale deeply from a bottle, or dab a couple drops on your wrists to get a little whiff of the scent now and then. For the home, family, or workplace, there are several styles of essential oil diffusers available which release aroma into the air. Any diffuser style will work for stress reduction; it just takes a hint of the aroma in the air to have its effect.
Now, science is finally affirming the positive results of ingesting Lavender essential oil. This is a wonderful confirmation of the efficacy of the medicine that essential oils really are. Inhalation clearly works by interacting with the olfactory sense, which is tied to the limbic system and hippocampus. The result of stress reduction through inhalation has always been thought to be a response from the “emotional center” of our brains, telling the rest of our body that we can calm down, and “all is well”. Yet the possibility of our physiology responding to the oil actually floating around in our bloodstream has been casually ignored. In this case however, the oil is not being smelled at all, yet is manifesting all of its reputed anti-stress actions.
This latest research (abstracts of all research referenced in this article are available through pubmed.gov) was an evaluation of a new capsule containing 80mg of the essential oil (the equivalent of about 2 drops of oil). Study participants took one capsule daily for ten weeks, and came in every two weeks for an assessment of their mental, emotional and physical well-being. The primary focus was whether the Lavender capsule was effective at treating “non-syndromal” anxiety, which essentially means anxiety that isn’t so serious as to be all-consuming of one’s life. The results were impressive: under every evaluation technique or scale used in the study, the Lavender capsule outperformed the placebo. Participants were less stressed, slept deeper, and had better health and well-being overall.
To really be convincing, these same researchers also evaluated the Lavender capsule against a well-known, very potent anti-anxiety drug. The results were very impressive. The natural capsule was as effective as the pharmaceutical preparation in every way, with the researchers noting the important difference that the essential oil capsule had no potential for abuse. This was due to the fact that all the anti-anxiety properties came about without the additional feature of sedation; the Lavender oil pill could put you at ease without knocking you out!
Previous research that has focused on the aroma has also produced statistically significant results. In two separate placebo-controlled trials, participants in common stressful situations were exposed to Lavender aroma. One study examined the response of people waiting to have their teeth worked on, and others were about to take a major exam. In both cases, the essential oil resulted in reports of lower anxiety.
Other researched features of Lavender essential oil has been that the aroma has reduced the need for painkillers after operations. Smelling the aroma lowers the amount of cortisol being produced in the body. Cortisol is a hormone produced under stressful situations, and high levels of cortisol have been linked to a number of unhealthy conditions, including weight gain. The aroma increases the amount of deep, slow-wave sleep. And all these effects can lead to something greater: lessening stress and improving rest is almost always connected to a greater overall level of health, well-being, and positive mental outlook.
So clearly Lavender essential oil can really be of help to folks that are stressed out, or sleep poorly, or both. And the great thing about the oil is that is so easy to use for this purpose. No need to figure out dilution ratios for topical application — just inhale it! Open a little bottle and inhale straight from that, or sprinkle a little on your carpet, or go so far as to use in in an aromatherapy diffuser. You can even ingest a couple of drops a day, either in a capsule, cup of water, or “neat” if you like. Lavender essential oil is such a versatile, safe and effective stress reliever, its worth a try by nearly everyone in these fast-paced times.
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