Lavender is one of nature’s most powerful remedies for stress relief and anxiety reduction. For centuries, its soothing aroma and therapeutic properties have been utilized to promote relaxation, reduce anxiety, and enhance overall well-being. Whether used in essential oils, teas, or skincare products, lavender’s impact on stress and anxiety is backed by scientific studies, making it a must-have in any holistic wellness routine.
1. Introduction
Life is full of unexpected pressures at any given moment, whether it’s a significant change in work, an important exam, or planning a wedding. Anxiety and tension can build up and spiral out of control, leading to panic attacks and chronic worrying that seems impossible to overcome. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by feelings, but there are plenty of things to try to reduce stress levels and make things feel much calmer and easier. Lavender is an excellent natural solution for stress relief and anxiety reduction. Applying lavender oil to pressure points or popping a few drops into a bath can successfully calm the mind. Alternatively, lavender oil candles can burn at home for an all-day comforting aroma.
Lavender is a flowering plant that belongs to the mint family and is native to Europe, and today, it is widespread in many regions. People have used lavender for centuries as a natural remedy for stress relief, anxiety, and depression. There is a wealth of scientific evidence to back up lavender’s positive effects on sleep, mood, and cognition—all of which can contribute to greater stress levels if they’re out of balance. Lavender has mild sedative properties that help calm a person’s mind and feel relaxed [1]. It is often used in aromatherapy and is believed to help create calmness, lessen stress levels, boost morale, improve sleep quality, fight insomnia, and reduce anxiety and agitation [2].
2. History of Lavender Use
Lavender has a rich cultural history spanning across multiple continents. Ancient Egyptians prized it for its aromatic properties, using it in burial rites for mummification. They created lavender-infused oils that were exported throughout the Mediterranean. Greeks and Romans also embraced its fragrant nature, adding it to bathwater for its calming effect. [3]
Duarte, M. G. et al. (2023) identified numerous potential health benefits attributed to lavender from ancient writings on the Mediterranean islands to the modern day. Lavender was cherished for culinary, fragrant, sensory, and medicinal uses, from the times of Galen and Dioscorides (c. 200 AD) to medieval monasteries, platforms, and encyclopedias.
Embrace and engage in the appreciation of lavender through ocular, olfactory, gustatory, kinetic, or emotive interactions to ensure its cultural longevity. Despite the overall decay of historic landscapes that once inspired the appearance and fragrance of lavender in Europe’s gardens, an appeal is made to engage its cultivation, conservation, and trial at peri-urban gardens, biodiverse hedgerows, or borders coastal marshes [3].
3. Chemical Composition of Lavender
Lavender has been a popular name for the genus of plants belonging to the mint family, Lamiaceae. The common English name, though varies, often encompasses other plants with a similar appearance such tea tree as. However, lavender generally refers to Lavandula angustifolia (also known as L. officinalis) or Lavandula latifolia, both of which are native to the Mediterranean [4]. Complemented with other calming ingredients, such as chamomile and jasmine, lavender has been applied as an ingredient also in skincare products to impart a soothing scent. Indeed, lavender oil is popular for diffuser and aromatherapy purposes in health and beauty. In addition, a lavender fragrance developed for home use in a brand of fabric conditioner was found to reduce post-exercise malaise. Recently, some commercial washing detergents offered an interesting experience of washing with lavender fragrance on a hot summer day to prepare the shirts for the Sunday gathering during spring festival [2]. Pairing with such scent comprised detergents, using fabric softeners with lavender fragrance may become the next big laundry trend. Nonetheless, the various applications and commercial products of lavender fragrance far surpass the existing evidence on its effectiveness. Although lavender is one of the most studied medicinal plants, existing data on its sleep promoting effects remains substantially limited, leading to uncertainty in confirming its effectiveness.
4. Therapeutic Properties of Lavender
With a pleasant aroma and a long history of use in traditional medicine, lavender has been suggested to exert a calming and mood enhancing effect. Traditionally, lavender flowers have been used as a tea, in folk medicine, in herbal medicines, and as perfumery to induce sleep and for the treatment of stress, anxiety, and depression. Clinical studies have shown that oral administration of lavender oil extracts appears to alleviate mental strain, depression, and anxiety and induce a calm state, and lavender fragrance is effective in alleviating anxiety in some clinical settings. Lavender oil exposure has been shown to have a physiological effect by inducing a decrease in blood pressure, pulse rate, and skin temperature and inhibiting vasomotor activity of finger and toe circulation. Inhalation of Lavandula angustifolia essential oil may have an anxiolytic effect on preoperative patients undergoing dental extraction’s [5].
Lavender oil (Lavandula angustifolia) has been traditionally regarded as a relaxing and non-sedative fragrance for aromatherapy. The fragrance of lavender is well known for its calming effect, and this plant has been used to induce sleep for many centuries. The fragrance of lavender flowers is characteristically pleasant and energetic, stimulating the desire to sniff the lavender flowers. The therapeutic properties of lavender flowers have been studied by chemists, pharmacologists, L. angustifolia to alleviate emotional stress, insomnia and affective disorders [6].
5. Benefits of Lavender for Stress Relief
Lavender aromatherapy is known to alleviate stress. For example, in a randomized trial, applying lavender oil patches to hospitalized patients decreased anxiety, as measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, in a manner similar to lorazepam [1]. In dental patients, holding a lavender oil patch to the nose diminished pre-operative anxiety, even in patients who were not previously exposed to it, further suggesting a possible intervention for problem anxious patients. Lab studies also provide some physiological basis for amelioration of stress in well-anesthetized rats. The behavioral effects of lavender fragrance in healthy rats were studied. Experimental techniques within behavioral neuroscience and molecular pharmacology were utilized to evaluate the multi-site neuropharmacological actions of lavender essential oil on stress-modulated behaviors and its constituent linalool at both the behavioral and neurochemical levels [2]. Lavender oil reduced the time spent in the open arms of the elevated plus maze, the number of crossings in the open arms, as well as the time spent in the open sections of the light-dark exploration test. In addition, lavender oil ameliorated the chronic social stress-induced increase in the immobility time in the 2 min FST, while this effect was not observed in the 6 min FST. These findings suggest that lavender oil negatively modulates panic-like and anxiety-like behaviors, and that such behavioral effects may be mediated, in part, by the noradrenergic and serotoninergic systems.
6. Benefits of Lavender for Anxiety Reduction
Lavender is a natural herb that remains as one of the most popular plants on Earth because of its numerous applications in different eras and regions. The flowering tops of lavender plants of the Lavandula species, which belong to the mint family, are most commonly used for olfactory or cosmetic purposes. They have been reported to soothe the skin, and for their insect-repellent properties, so it’s no wonder that lavender flowers are often dried and contained in decorative fabric pouches for use in linen wardrobes. Apart from their shelf decorative use, lavender flowers, when burned, release fragrant smoke, aromatic oils, and soot, findings that can be traced back to ancient Egyptian and Chinese civilizations [6]. As lavender flowers emit flowery fragrance smoke, they are believed to be suitable for use during festivities or ceremonies, because of their remarkable calming effect.
Lavender is known to reduce anxiety and alleviate symptoms of various ailments. The effectiveness of lavender is widely recognized in aromatherapy, but scientific research examining how lavender operates as a natural remedy remains limited. The idea that lavender reduces anxiety is traced back to ancient Rome and ancient Greece, when salads and dishes with floral scents and flavors were served. Regular dishes were believed to be more suitable for gladiators that fought wild animals in arenas, but the sight may have aroused fear in the spectators watching the battle, which may have led to the innovation of floral-battered meals [1].
7. Methods of Using Lavender for Stress and Anxiety
If you want to use lavender to relieve your stress and anxiety, then you have a few options. There are a number of approaches with research supporting the efficacy of each technique. Aromatherapy is the most common means of utilizing lavender. There are many ways of going about this, but they all involve using lavender in the air immediately surrounding you and inhaling the lavender fragrance. Lavender oil can be dabbed on the wrist, applied to a cloth, or placed in an aromatherapy diffuser. 107 studies have investigated the aromatic effects of lavender, most often using the essential oil. A systematic review and meta-analysis of these studies demonstrated lavender essential oil, when administered via inhalation, was effective in reducing anxiety [6]. Additionally, a review of twelve randomized controlled studies found lavender oil, used in various ways, was helpful in treating anxiety and stress [1].
There are also topical approaches to aromatherapy. One of the most popular methods is to use lavender oil in a massage. The lavender fragrance helps to relieve stress and anxiety, but the massage itself also helps when it is performed appropriately. If you mix a few drops of lavender oil into body massage oil, then during the massage you will be inhaling the fragrance as well as receiving the stress relieving effects of massage. 16 studies have investigated the effects of lavender massage. Eight showed a significant reduction in stress or anxiety with the use of lavender massage. Another eight studies showed a significant reduction in stress or anxiety with the use of a massage alone, regardless of the use of lavender. The combination of both approaches should therefore produce an additive effect.
Lavender can also be ingested to relieve anxiety and stress. Lavender teabags can be bought from any supermarket, and these are beneficial. Drinking similar teas made from chamomile, lemon balm, or passionflower may also be a good idea. Several studies have looked into the benefits of ingesting lavender, and evidence has indicated it can reduce stress and anxiety. Capsules can also be bought, containing oral lavender oil. However, ingesting too much of this can cause nausea and vomiting.
8. Research Studies on Lavender’s Efficacy
Numerous studies have explored lavender’s effectiveness in reducing stress and anxiety. Clinical trials have shown that inhaling lavender essential oil significantly reduces anxiety levels in preoperative patients, comparable to the effects of prescription medications like lorazepam. Additionally, a 2020 meta-analysis found that lavender aromatherapy had measurable anxiolytic effects, reducing anxiety symptoms in a wide range of settings, from dental clinics to general healthcare environments. These findings reinforce lavender’s position as a reliable natural alternative for managing anxiety without harmful side effects [1],[2].
9. Safety Considerations and Precautions
It’s important to consider safety aspects when using lavender for stress relief and anxiety reduction, just like with any other naturopathic constituents. Here are a few considerations and precautions:
- Allergies and Sensitivities: Before using lavender, it can be helpful to check for allergies or sensitivities. Conducting a patch test or starting with a diluted application can help prevent adverse reactions.
- Pregnancy and Nursing: Lavender is generally considered safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding, but using it only in moderate amounts is recommended. It’s advisable to consult a healthcare provider before significant lavender use.
- Children’s Use: Lavender is often used for children’s stress relief and anxiety, particularly in aromatherapy. Parenting resources should provide guidance on safe lavender use for children.
- Medical Conditions: For individuals with specific medical conditions, consulting a healthcare provider before using lavender is recommended. Conditions such as hormone-sensitive cancers or a history of seizures may require particular attention.
- Surgery: Lavender’s calming effects may interfere with anesthesia and post-surgical recovery. It’s advisable to inform healthcare providers about lavender use before any upcoming surgeries.
By being aware of these safety considerations and taking appropriate precautions, lavender can be safely enjoyed as a natural remedy for stress and anxiety relief [1] ; [2].
10. Conclusion
Lavender has been appreciated for its fragrance as well as its perceived healing properties for centuries. Today, it is still believed to help a range of ailments, such as anxiety, headaches, nausea, and depression or to be good for attention and concentration. Lavender products abound in health food shops and supermarkets, from massage oils and scented candles to bath crystals and herbal teas. Although much scientific work remains to be done to fully understand how lavender affects individuals, research conducted in the past twenty years has, to some extent, clarified lavender’s effects in relation to certain conditions. Scented lavender oils are still among the favorite remedies to calm anxiety states [1]. However, aromatherapy treatments in general, and those with lavender oils in particular, have proved to exhibit very inconsistent and ineffective outcomes. The unfortunate consequence is a growing skepticism among users and practitioners, as therapeutic aroma effects have often been presented as either crude psychological suggestions or exaggerated pharmacological expectations. This report attempts to explore the benefits of lavender as natural stress relief and anxiety reduction.
References:
[1] M. Zabirunnisa, J. S. Gadagi, P. Gadde, N. Myla et al., “Dental patient anxiety: Possible deal with Lavender fragrance,” 2014. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
[2] A. Maria Schuwald, M. Nöldner, T. Wilmes, N. Klugbauer et al., “Lavender oil-potent anxiolytic properties via modulating voltage dependent calcium channels,” 2013. [PDF]
[3] N. Hatami Bavarsad, S. Bagheri, M. Kourosh-Arami, and A. Komaki, “Aromatherapy for the brain: Lavender’s healing effect on epilepsy, depression, anxiety, migraine, and Alzheimer’s disease: A review article,” 2023. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
[4] K. Pokajewicz, M. Białoń, L. Svydenko, R. Fedin et al., “Chemical Composition of the Essential Oil of the New Cultivars of Lavandula angustifolia Mill. Bred in Ukraine,” 2021. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
[5] S. Kajjari, R. S Joshi, S. M Hugar, N. Gokhale et al., “The Effects of Lavender Essential Oil and its Clinical Implications in Dentistry: A Review,” 2022. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
[6] N. Hartley and C. S. McLachlan, “Aromas Influencing the GABAergic System,” 2022. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov