Health Benefits of Lavender Essential Oil

Essential oils are very popular these days, especially Lavender essential oil, one the most affordable ones. Lavender oil is extracted mostly from the flowers of the lavender plant, primarily through steam distillation. The Latin name of lavender is Lavare, which means “to wash”, due to its particularly pleasant aroma.

Traditionally, lavender essential oil has been used in making perfumes. The oil is also very useful in aromatherapy and blends well with many other essential oils including pine, geranium, and nutmeg. It is frequently used as a gel, an infusion, lotion, and in soap-based products.

What are the Benefits of Lavender Essential Oil For Health?

The health benefits of lavender essential oil are vast. It can eliminate nervous tension, relieve pain, disinfect the scalp and skin, enhance blood circulation, and treat respiratory problems. Let's learn about a few of its most popular uses. 

For seasonal allergies, choose a natural remedy instead of over-the-counter drugs, mix a few drops of lavender essential oil and lemon oil and rub under your nose or on your temples to help soothe your runny nose or watery eyes.

While we love the potent smell of lavender essential oil, it is also a natural deterrent for many bugs such as mosquitoes, midges, and moths. Apply some of the lavender oil diluted with a carrier oil, such as jojoba oil, on the exposed skin to avoid bug bites outside. If you do happen to be bitten by one of those bugs, the lavender essential oil also has anti-inflammatory qualities that will reduce the irritation and pain associated with bug bites.

If you are having a hard time falling sleep at night lavender essential oil induces sleep which has made it a common recommendation for an alternative treatment of insomnia. It has such a relaxing impact on people that it can often replace modern medicine for sleep issues.

Lavender essential oil has a calming scent which makes it an excellent tonic for the nerves and anxiety issues. Therefore, it can also be helpful in treating migraines, headaches, depression, nervous tension and emotional stress. The refreshing aroma removes nervous exhaustion and restlessness while also increasing mental activity and is used as a treatment to regulate heart-rate variability. One study showed that people using Lavender essential oils had a significant decrease in mental stress and anxiety, as well as increased cognitive function when they inhaled lavender oil and rosemary oil before taking the exam!

Lavender essential oil is also good for improving the circulation of blood in the body. Research suggests that aromatherapy using lavender oil has beneficial effects on coronary circulation. It also lowers blood pressure and is often used for hypertension. This means that not only do the organs increase their levels of oxygenation, promoting muscle strength and health, but brain activity can have a noticeable boost, skin remains bright and flushed with blood, and the body is protected from the risks of heart attack that is often associated with poor circulation.

Lavender essential oil is also known as an excellent remedy for various types of pains including those caused by sore and tense muscles, muscular aches, rheumatism, sprains, backache and lumbago. A regular massage with lavender oil can also provide relief from pain in the joints. A study done on postoperative pain relief showed that combining lavender essential oil vapor into the oxygen significantly reduced the amount of pain experienced, versus those patients only revived with oxygen after a major surgery.

The health benefits of lavender oil for the skin can be attributed to its antiseptic and anti-fungal properties. It is used to treat various skin disorders such as acne, wrinkles, psoriasis, and other inflammatory conditions. It is commonly used to speed up the healing process of wounds, cuts, burns, and sunburns because it improves the formation of scar tissues. Lavender oil is also added to chamomile to treat eczema. According to dermatologists lavender essential oil is one of the most beneficial oils in the treatment of acne. Lavender essential oil inhibits the bacteria that cause the initial infection, helps to regulate some of the over-excretion of sebum by hormonal manipulation, and can reduce the signs of scarring after the acne has begun to heal. Adding a small amount of lavender essential oil to other skin creams or ointments can greatly increase the potential for relief and healing.

Lavender oil is widely used for various respiratory problems including throat infections, flu, cough, cold, asthma, sinus congestion, bronchitis, whooping cough, laryngitis, and tonsillitis. The oil is either used in the form of vapor or is applied on the skin of the neck, chest and back. It is also added to many vaporizers and inhalers that are commonly used for colds and coughs. The stimulating nature of lavender essential oil can also loosen up the phlegm and relieve the congestion associated with respiratory conditions, speeding up the recovery process and helping the body naturally eliminate phlegm and other unwanted material. The vapor of lavender essential oil also has antibacterial qualities which can battle respiratory tract infections.

Lavender essential oil is good for urinary disorders because of its stimulating effect on urine production. Furthermore, it helps in restoring hormonal balance and reducing cystitis or inflammation of the urinary bladder. It also reduces any associated cramps with these and other disorders.

Regular use of lavender essential oil provides resistance to a variety of diseases. It is well-known that lavender has antibacterial and antiviral qualities that make it perfect for defending the body against rare diseases like TB, typhoid, and diphtheria, according to early research in the 20th century.

It is very important to use caution using lavender essential oil as with many other essential oils, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid using lavender essential oil. It is also recommended that patients with diabetes stay away from lavender oil. It may also cause allergic reactions to people that have unusually sensitive skin.

Some people may also experience nausea, vomiting and headaches due to either common or excessive use of lavender oil. And most importantly, lavender oil should never be ingested, only topically applied or inhaled through means of aromatherapy or similar activities. Ingestion can cause serious health complications, characterized by blurred vision, difficult breathing, burning eyes, vomiting, and diarrhea.

So, unless you’ve purchased oils that are food-grade and labeled as digestible, no matter how much you love lavender essential oil and you think its a wonderful miracle cure, don’t get excited and start putting it on your food!