Lavender essential oil is the most popular essential oil in use today. In the scientific community, it appears to be the second-most researched essential oil, only after Tea Tree. This is probably because the medical effects of Tea Tree, used as an antiseptic, antiviral and anti-fungal agent, are easily measured, and its actions are more familiar to the medical profession. Lavender’s actions are a little more challenging to define, as its primary actions affect us on psychological and emotional levels. Yet recently, even these effects have been proven without a doubt by major studies performed at world-renown university and medical centers. Here we’ll have a look at the effects of Lavender essential oil, and some of the incredible research that backs up these claims.

The overall action of Lavender oil is both calming and regenerating. It’s a profound effect, as our bodies need to be relieved of stress in order to heal, and lead healthy lives in general. The sweet smell alone bestows calm on folks of all ages; from the little ones all wound up when it’s time for bed, to the wizened generation whom may be recovering from illness, loss, or general fatigue. It has done the same for lab rats, hamsters and mice in research laboratories (we do not condone the testing of any essential oil on animals — yet these studies have been performed and the data is worth discussing).

Certainly one of the great features of Lavender essential oil is its ease of use. Need to relieve a little personal stress? Just inhale deeply from the bottle. Need to de-stress the entire room you’re in, or maybe your automobile? Just sprinkle a little on the carpet. Need to calm your child? A warm bath with a few drops of oil goes a long way. How about a great night’s sleep? Just a couple drops on the bedspread will do the trick, or setting a diffuser on low throughout the night can help with staying asleep through those early morning hours.

Now, science is finally affirming the positive results of ingesting Lavender essential oil. This is a wonderful confirmation of the efficacy of the medicine that essential oils really are. Inhalation clearly works by interacting with the olfactory sense, which is tied to the limbic system and hippocampus. The result of stress reduction through inhalation has always been thought to be a response from the “emotional center” of our brains, telling the rest of our body that we can calm down, and “all is well”. Yet the possibility of our physiology responding to the oil actually floating around in our bloodstream has been casually ignored. In this case however, the oil is not being smelled at all, yet is manifesting all of its reputed anti-stress actions.

This latest research (abstracts of all research referenced in this article are available through pubmed.gov) was an evaluation of a new capsule containing 80mg of the essential oil (the equivalent of about 2 drops of oil). Study participants took one capsule daily for ten weeks, and came in every two weeks for an assessment of their mental, emotional and physical well-being. The primary focus was whether the Lavender capsule was effective at treating “non-syndromal” anxiety, which essentially means anxiety that isn’t so serious as to be all-consuming of one’s life. The results were impressive: under every evaluation technique or scale used in the study, the Lavender capsule outperformed the placebo. Participants were less stressed, slept deeper, and had better health and well-being overall.

In a study by the same group of researchers, Lavender oil was compared not to a placebo, but to Lorazepam, a “high potency benzodiazepine drug.” The conclusion noted: “our results demonstrate that (the Lavender capsule) is as effective as lorazepam in adults with GAD (general anxiety disorder).” It was also noted that one of the wonderful features of the natural substance is that it has no potential for abuse, unlike the benzodiazepines (Valium is a well-known variety of this class of drugs). Lavender has actually been favorably compared to these anxiety-relieving drugs in many studies over the last decade, showing again and again the oil’s excellent stress-deducing ability. It has even been noted to reduce aggression and conflict — if only the whole world could be smelling this flower’s oil!

Another interesting study exposed patients waiting to see the dentist to Lavender essential oil aroma. The oil was simply diffused in the waiting room for some, while other patients received no aroma. The result was that all patients still reported being nervous about seeing the dentist, but the group exposed to the Lavender aroma noted statistically significant lower anxiety while in the waiting room. So the essential oil’s scent didn’t change their personal idea of the experience of the dentist, but significantly affected the actual stress they felt just before their appointment. In a study very similar to this, the oil reduced pre-test taking anxiety of nursing students.

In other medical scenarios, 54 patients undergoing surgery receiving gastric bands (a device to assist dangerously obese individuals to reduce their caloric intake by making the entrance to their stomach smaller) were divided into groups to receive post operative exposure to either Lavender or unscented baby oil. During post-operative recovery, fewer patients receiving the flower’s aroma required analgesics, and those that did required significantly less to achieve a comfortable state.

Hopefully this has been a convincing review of the benefits of Lavender essential oil! Particularly in this day and age, with the incredible amount of stress many people are exposed to on a daily basis, this readily available, inexpensive (and great smelling) essential oil may be a worthwhile addition to your lifestyle, and perhaps to your home and work environment as well.

More on the healing effects of essential oils can be found at http://www.anandaapothecary.com.

categories: aromatherapy,stress,anxiety,psychology,disease,illness,alternative health,women,natural,health,wellness