Why Does Lavender Speaks to the Stressed Soul?

   Lavender can be used in a variety of herbal remedies, including herbal teas and aromatherapy. When in contact with your body, "linalool acts as a sedative by influencing the aminobutyric acid receptors in the central nervous system" (Ghavami et al., 2020). This creates the calmness you feel when stress begins to leave your body. When using essential oils, "the olfactory nerves smell the aroma and report (hormonal release) to the emotional part of the brain (limbic system)" (Ghavami et al., 2020). Even if your sense of smell has been lost or you cannot smell temporarily, essential oils can still give the same benefits.

   Lavender is classified as generally safe, meaning that it is safe for children and adults when used at the right dosage (too much of anything can hurt ya). Studies have shown "evidence for pediatric nurses caring for newborns using lavender oil to reduce stress and improve positive behaviors in newborns" (Basdas et al., 2024). This study was conducted to help premature babies during their stay in the NICU. Lavender used in the bath and as a massage oil (mixed with sweet almond oil) helped increase the babies' sleep durations, helped reduce sleep disorders, cortisol levels, colic symptoms, and both pain from invasive treatments and/or injections. It was shown that both methods showed a decrease in stress scores after 1 minute. Researchers have said that "The use of lavender herbal tea is suggested as a complementary treatment for anxiety and depression due to its accessibility, low price, and safety" (Bazrafshan et al., 2020).

   Lavender is said to "significantly reduce labor pains and dysmenorrhea, improve the healing of episiotomy, decrease depression, improve the quality and treatment of sleep disorders, and lower blood sugar" (Ghavami et al., 2022)  In a controlled study, 30 elderly participants were given 2 grams of lavender herbal tea to use twice a day (morning and night) as a decoction to help reduce anxiety and depression. Another group of 30 participants was not given anything and was used as the control. After 2 weeks, there was a significant difference in anxiety and depression scores. This research highlights how lavender directly interacts with both the body and mind, showing that its calming effects are not just emotional or sensory, but also biological- working through scent pathways and neurotransmitter systems to reduce stress, anxiety, and even physical symptoms of tension. Overall, lavender's ability to soothe the mind and body makes it a powerful natural remedy in managing stress, offering both immediate relief through scent and deeper support through its interaction with the nervous system 

Here Are A Few Amazing Herbal Recipes to Try Using Lavender

Here are a few herbal remedy ideas that feature lavender and that I personally use:

Lavender Stress Relief Tea:

·         1 tablespoon Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

·         1 tablespoon Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)

·         0.5 tablespoon Peppermint (Mentha x piperita)

·         Add herbs to a cup, boil some water, add the water to the herbs, strain, and enjoy!

 Calming Lavender Room/ Linen Spray

·          1 tablespoon Witch Hazel

·         5 drops Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) Essential Oil

·         4 drops Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) Essential Oil

I also wanted to include this blog that includes a variety of herbal recipes to try making 10 Things to Make With Lavender!