Given its calming properties, lavender is a great ally when it comes to controlling anxiety, stress, and headaches. Discover 5 ways that you can use lavender as a relaxing remedy in this article.
Lavender is a medicinal plant that people have been using since ancient times because of its calming effects. Given its pleasant aroma, it’s often used in aromatherapy to control stress, insomnia, and various other common ailments. Would you like to discover how to use lavender as a relaxing remedy?
Although scientists are still studying many of the benefits of this plant, there are small studies and anecdotal data that suggest that lavender can promote health and wellbeing. Today, we want to share 5 different natural home remedies that utilize lavender.
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How to use lavender: 5 relaxing remedies you can try at home
Given its applications within natural medicine, lavender is considered a “multipurpose” plant. While many find its color and aroma attractive, there’s much more to it. Thanks to the effects of this essential oil, it acts as a natural sedative and can also relieve some types of pain and discomfort.
Here are some of its benefits.
1. Lavender as a headache remedy
When tension headaches appear, lavender flowers can help relieve the discomfort.
Lavender can help reduce the pain of headaches when their origin has to do with excess stress and nervousness. Thanks to its effect as a mild sedative and anti-inflammatory properties, it helps to reduce tension.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon of lavender flowers
1 cup of water (8 ounces)
Preparation:
To begin, add the lavender flowers to one cup of boiling water.
Cover the mixture and allow it to steep for 10 minutes.
Strain.
Mode of use:
Ingest a cup of the lavender infusion by sipping.
Warning: Keep in mind that it may cause drowsiness. Therefore, make sure to take it before going to bed or when you can rest.
Discover more: How to make and use lavender oil
2. A remedy for calming menstrual cramps
A study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine suggests lavender oil helps to relieve discomfort during a woman’s period. According to the article, the topical application of lavender, along with sage and rose, can help reduce the severity of menstrual cramps.
Ingredients:
10 drops of lavender essential oil
6 drops of sage essential oil
10 drops of rose essential oil
Mode of use:
First, combine all of the oils in a shallow bowl.
Once the mixture is ready, rub it on your lower abdomen, massaging gently.
Repeat it if the cramps persist.
3. A relaxing remedy for combating insomnia
Lavender is an excellent natural relaxer and sedative. Therefore, it an help us get the reparative rest we need.
Given its sedative properties, people have been using this plant for hundreds of years as an ally against insomnia. You can apply lavender topically–as aromatherapy–and use it in infusions to encourage sleep. This is especially helpful for those who suffer from anxiety and stress.
Ingredients:
10 drops of lavender essential oil
2 tablespoons of coconut oil
Preparation:
First, combine the lavender oil with the coconut oil.
If you don’t have coconut oil, you can use another carrier oil like olive oil or almond oil.
Mode of use:
Rub the preparation onto your skin using a massage.
Apply approximately 20 minutes before going to bed.
If you prefer, you can prepare a lavender infusion and drink if before you go to bed.
Lavender is an excellent remedy for relaxing tired muscles while you bathe. While you can this plant on its own, we recommend maximizing its properties with chamomile.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of chamomile flower
3 tablespoons of aloe vera gel
2 tablespoons of lavender flowers
3 cups of water (24 ounces)
Preparation:
First, place the lavender and chamomile flowers in a pan with water and bring to a boil.
Once the water begins to boil, reduce to a simmer, add the aloe vera, and leave for three minutes.
Then, remove from heat and strain.
Mode of use:
Add the liquid to your bathwater.
Soak your body in the tub for 20 minutes.
5. Relaxing remedies to combat stress with lavender
Lavender helps to reduce stress and anxiety thanks to its benefits of this natural relaxant.
One of the most common relaxing remedies using lavender is to aromatherapy for stress relief. Thanks to its active compounds, the essential oil in the plant regulates the functioning of the nervous system. What’s more, it produces a calming effect on our bodies.
Ingredients:
10 drops of lavender essential oil
2 cups of water (16 ounces)
Preparation:
Add the 10 drops of lavender oil to 2 cups of boiling water.
Mode of use
Use the steam to enjoy an aromatherapy session.
If you prefer, you can add the essential oil to a spray bottle and enjoy the aroma.
Were you aware of all these medicinal uses of lavender? Now that you know, you can take advantage of them to improve your wellbeing. Keep any of the forms of lavender on hand: Essential oil, flowers, soap, etc. You can also add essential oil to your washing mashing to leave your clothes smelling like lavender!
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
Buckle, J., Hur, M.-H., Choi, J., Lee, M. S., & Han, S.-H. (2006). Effect of Aromatherapy on Symptoms of Dysmenorrhea in College Students: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2006.12.535
Perry, R., Terry, R., Watson, L. K., & Ernst, E. (2012). Is lavender an anxiolytic drug? A systematic review of randomised clinical trials. Phytomedicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2012.02.013
Raisi Dehkordi, Z., Hosseini Baharanchi, F. S., & Bekhradi, R. (2014). Effect of lavender inhalation on the symptoms of primary dysmenorrhea and the amount of menstrual bleeding: A randomized clinical trial. Complementary Therapies in Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2013.12.011
Liu, C. F., Chien, L. W., & Cheng, S. L. (2012). The effect of lavender aromatherapy on autonomic nervous system in midlife women with insomnia. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/740813
Lee, I. S., & Lee, G. J. (2017). Effects of Lavender Aromatherapy on Insomnia and Depression in Women College Students. Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing. https://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2006.36.1.136
Koulivand, P. H., Khaleghi Ghadiri, M., & Gorji, A. (2013). Lavender and the Nervous System. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/681304
