The Ultimate Healthy Guide to Lavender Oil Uses, Benefits & Side Effects
Article Contents:
If you will be given the option to choose only one essential oil, which one you will love to have? The same was the question from hundreds of essential oil users in a conference. It was not a matter of surprise that most of the essential oil users had chosen lavender oil as their favorite. Truly, lavender oil is nature’s blessing to the mankind. Praised for booming and therapeutic qualities, lavender oil is one of the oldest and most reckoned essential oils of the world. Its origin and uses for medicinal, spiritual and religious purposes have been found to be as old as over 2,500 years. Maybe this is enough for its initial introduction.
Origin of Lavender Oil
Lavender essential oil comes from an easy-to-grow and an evergreen plant named lavender. This plant is native to the Mediterranean region and has been since antiquity for a wide range of medicinal and religious purposes. Lavender plants are short plants and found abundantly in sunny and stony habitats. These are grown all around the world and pollinate very easily in most of the environmental conditions. This is why there are a wide variety of lavender species found today. However, among all lavender species, only four kinds of lavender plants are popularly used for the extraction of the lavender oil, namely Spike lavender (Lavandula spica), Lavandin (Lavandula hybrida), True lavender (Lavandula angustifolia ) and French lavender (Lavandula stoecas). The most effective lavender oil is extracted from the dried flower of Lavandula angustifolia through steam distillation process. Traditionally, lavender essential oil has been used in perfumeries, but because of its amazing therapeutic qualities it is widely used for cosmetic and medical purposes these days.
What Makes This Oil so Special?
This magical oil is enriched with numerous effective components like alpha-terminal, camphene, linalyl acetate, cineole, lavendulyl acetate, pinene, linalool, limonene, beta-caryophyllene, camphor, borneol, and alpha-terminal. The natural combination of these effective components in lavender oil enables it to serve the mankind in an amazing way.
The presence of these therapeutic elements in lavender essential oil makes it a much praised anti-inflammatory agent, anti-depressant, antispasmodic, antiseptic, cicatrizant, sudorific, carminative, antibacterial, antiviral, analgesic, diuretic, adaptogen, and sedative. A balanced combination of these therapeutic properties is the sole reason for higher usability of this oil in assisting different ailments and skin conditions.
Benefits of Lavender Oil for A Healthy Body and Mind:
Lavender oil is widely praised throughout the world for its soothing aroma and versatility. Because of its pleasant and relaxing aroma, it is widely demanded as a basic ingredient of high-end perfumes, soaps, and other allied products. The healing and moisturizing qualities of this oil also make it an important ingredient in manufacturing many cosmetic products.
Aside from its cosmetic properties, several clinical studies show that lavender essential oil contains numerous therapeutic properties which help in healing different skin and health conditions. Read on to know the top 10 benefits of lavender oil and how you can use this oil to get the best result.
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Induces Sleep & Prevent Insomnia
Lavender has long been used as an effective remedy to help restless people for getting a quality-based sleep. Now, many scientific researches show that aromatherapy with lavender can improve good sleep. According to a study published in the American Journal of Critical Care in 2014, aromatherapy session with lavender oil is an effective way to attain a good sleep. The soothing and relaxing aroma of lavender oil slows down the activity of the nervous system, promote relaxation and uplift the mood of the people suffering from insomnia to improve the quality of sleep.
How to Use It?
Spray a few drops of lavender oil over your pillow or massage your head with the same amount of oil by diluting with almond oil. Besides, using a few drops of lavender oil in your aroma diffuser is also a perfect option to get rid of sleep issues.
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Relieves Headache
A study conducted by the Department of Neurology in the School of Medicine, Mashad University of Medical Science in 2012 has confirmed that aromatherapy session with lavender oil is an effective way to get relief from migraine & headache due to its anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving qualities. Moreover, the soothing and relaxing aroma of lavender oil relax the tense nerves which often cause a headache.
How to Apply It?
Add 2 to 3 drops of lavender oil in a tablespoon of olive oil and apply this blend on your forehead or neck to get instant relief from a headache. You can also put few drops of lavender oil on your handkerchief and press around the forehead to attain relief from pain.
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Relives Respiratory Disorders
Lavender oil can also be used to alleviate respiratory problems like cold, cough, flu, sinus congestion, throat infections, laryngitis, tonsillitis, bronchitis, and asthma. The anti-inflammatory property of lavender oil makes it an effective natural remedy for relieving asthma and other respiratory disorders. Even in a study published in Life Science Journal in 2014, researchers claimed that the inhalation of the lavender oil helps in suppressing the allergic airway inflammation and bronchial asthma.
How to Use It?
Mix 3 to 4 drops of lavender oil with a tablespoon of olive oil and apply this mixture gently over your chest twice for few days to get relief from respiratory problems. Another method which you can give a try is adding a few drops of lavender oil to your diffuser and inhale the calming aroma to get relief from cold, cough, flu, and other respiratory problems.
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Relieves Pain
Lavender essential oil is reckoned as an excellent natural remedy for healing different types of pain including those caused by muscular aches, sprain, lumbago, backache, tense muscles, and rheumatism owing to its amazing pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties. In a study published in the Pain Practice journal in 2006, researchers found women undergoing breast biopsy surgery experienced immediate relief from pain after getting an aromatherapy with lavender oil.
How to Use It?
Add few drops of lavender oil to frankincense or peppermint essential oil and apply this blend over the painful joint and muscle to get relief from pain or add a few drops of lavender oil in a bucket of warm water and rest the painful joint in it for 10 to 15 minutes to get relief from pain.
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Heals Staph Infections
Lavender oil, because of its strong anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, is proven to be very effective in controlling staph infection. This infection is caused by staphylococcus bacteria, which is responsible for causing different types of skin infections like cellulitis, impetigo, and boils.
A study published in the Alternative and Complementary Medicine journal in 2009 has also confirmed that the antimicrobial properties of lavender oil have an excellent effect on methicillin-sensitive and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA and MRSA).
How to Use It?
Put 2 to 3 drops of lavender oil on a cotton ball and apply it on the affected area and leave it for 30 minutes before rinsing the oil. Use this process twice in a day to get relief from infection in a few days.
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Promotes Hair Regrowth
The use of lavender oil is proven to be very effective in improving the condition of the hair. Regular massage of scalp and hair with lavender oil helps to remove lice and lice eggs. Besides, it is also proven to be very effective in controlling hair fall, particularly for patients suffering from alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease where the body become unable to support its own hair follicles.
In a study, conducted by the Archives of Dermatological Research in 1998 also found that lavender oil, when used along with other essential oils like cedarwood, rosemary, and thyme, can easily control the hair fall.
How to Use It?
Mix lavender oil in jojoba oil or any other carrier oil and massage your scalp using this mixture for several months to promote hair regrowth.
Blending Lavender Essential Oils with Other Oils
The best part of this oil is that it perfectly blends with other essential oils like jasmine, geranium, clary sage, lemon, orange, rosemary, pine, lemongrass, patchouli, thyme, mandarin, and sandalwood oil, which is combination maximize the result.
Side-effects & Cautions Related to Lavender Oil
- It is recommended that using a moderate amount of lavender oil is one of the most holistic tactics which you can incorporate in your life to maintain a good health. However, the overexposure of lavender oil can lead to various problems like chills, vomiting, nausea, and headache.
- People having allergy must avoid using the lavender oil as it can make the condition even worse. Although lavender oil is safe to use for pregnant women, it is advised to consult with a gynecologist to avoid any possible side-effects.
- People with sensitivities to lavender oil must visit a dermatologist or try a small amount of this oil oversensitive skin area to see if you have any reaction. The US National Institute of Health also suggests not to use lavender oil when taking medications like benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and choral hydrate as it stimulates their sedative effects.
- Whenever trying a new essential oil, it is advised to use it just to smell ( in a diffuser or an inhaler) before direct skin contact. You may also consult with an expert health specialist to avoid the risk of any kind of side-effects.
Apart from the above-mentioned health benefits, there are also other health issues in which lavender oil can help effectively. All you need to do is buy only 100% pure essential lavender oil to get immediate relief from the problem you are suffering from. Did we miss some important points or do you have a suggestion for the readers? Post your replies in the comments!
Author Bio
Abhinav Kumar Singh is a renowned aromatherapist and essential oil educator with 8 years of professional expertise. His passion is to help others by sharing crucial information about aromatherapy, information, usage and tips from essential oils and allied natural extracts. He has been advocating about the benefits of Lavender Oil through writing and speeches to reach out thousands of persons through his blogs, articles, and speeches. Find more of his works at Allin Exporters. Apart from this, he loves traveling to new places and spending time in his backyard.
