To answer the question, we’ve gathered the help of physicians and research to provide science-backed reasons as to why everyone finds lavender so incredibly soothing. Here’s how lavender affects the brain and body and why we can’t get enough of this beautiful flower (and its wonderful smell). Now, recent studies are pointing to lavender’s ability to actually boost deep sleep when inhaled. That’s because the lavender aroma increases delta waves in slow-wave sleep, which is the stage of sleep where you sleep the most deeply. It also reduces alpha waves in wake-stage sleep, which decreases the amount of restless sleep a person might experience. So what makes it so soothing? Neither fungal or bacterial infections are pleasant to experience, and lavender may have more power than we previously knew to alleviate some symptoms of both. It also has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, according to neurologist and neurosurgeon Hafiz Abdul Majid, MBBS, MCPS, FCPS, who adds that “these properties boost the healing process.” To get more specific, preventative health specialist, Sandra El Hajj, PhD, says, “Lavender is deemed to be one of the best treatments for neurological disorders due to its content of linalool, linalyl acetate, 1,8-cineole B-ocimene, terpinen-4-ol and camphor.” Put more simply, lavender may be able to reverse the progression of some neurological diseases, though further studies are needed to understand the phenomenon better. RELATED: 5 Ways to Train Your Brain for Lifelong Mental Fitness When a person is in pain, both blood pressure and heart rate can go up, showing lavender may work as an all-natural pain reliever. Other studies show that lavender might work as a topical analgesic, or painkiller, when rubbed into an area of the body experiencing pain. One study that used aromatherapy as a treatment for postoperative nausea and vomiting found that nausea scores improved in 82.6 percent of patients who inhaled lavender essential oil. It was found to be superior to ginger essential oil, a common nausea relief aid, which only improved nausea scores in 65.2 percent of patients. RELATED: 7 Natural Remedies for Soothing an Upset Stomach Research shows that lavender can improve symptoms of anxiety like restlessness, disturbed sleep and even physical symptoms that anxiety can sometimes cause. Lavender was also shown to have a positive influence on general well-being and quality of life. This is because lavender has anxiolytic properties, or anxiety-relieving properties, that are comparable to that of common anxiety medications. And the most important thing to note: Lavender shouldn’t be used to treat health conditions without consulting your doctor first.
