With most of us working 9-5 jobs and taking care of home and family, we often feel the serious affects of stress on our bodies. Millions of people visit their doctors every day for stress-related ailments. If you want to avoid taking medication for mild anxiety and stress, turn to lavender oil. The benefits of lavender also extend to healing headaches, dandruff, and more!
Lavender Oil to Calm the Worried Mind
One of the primary benefits of lavender is its ability to calm the nervous and anxious mind. This light, floral fragrance has been clinically proven to reduce stress and ease pain. To use lavender oil for stress, blend a few drops of the essential oil with a carrier oil such as vitamin E, olive oil or coconut oil and smooth it on the skin at your neck, temples, and wrists.
Another way to use lavender oil to soothe frayed nerves is to bathe in lavender-scented water. Simply drip 5-10 drops of lavender oil into running water. The water will agitate the lavender and provide a soothing, relaxing oasis. Use a cup or two of Epsom salts for a calming magnesium sulfate boost. If, however, you’re pregnant, diabetic or allergic to sulfur, skip the Epsom salts and just use the lavender.
You can also use lavender oil in a steam. Boil some water in a large pot on the stove. Add 5-10 drops of pure lavender oil and allow the mixture to cool for 1-2 minutes. Place the pot on a heat-resistant surface and drape a towel over your head and the pot. This will create an air pocket of steam to breathe gently into your lungs for soothing relaxation.
Other Health Benefits of Lavender
- Replaces Chemical Perfume
Synthetic perfumes are one of the worst things you can use on your skin. They may smell good but they are loaded with harmful chemicals that can cause anything from allergic reaction to cancer! Lavender oil is the perfect answer for sensitive-skin types. Just dab a little bit of lavender oil on your neck and wrists, and you’re stepping out with a light, clean scent that calms not only you, but the people around you!
- Soothes Cuts and Scrapes
In addition to its lovely smell and relaxing properties, lavender is also a powerful antiseptic. Just a couple of drops on minor cuts and scrapes can take the sting and redness out and prevent infection.
- Gets Rid of Dandruff
Forget those harsh-smelling sulfur shampoos. Lavender also benefits those with dandruff. You can make your own dandruff shampoo at home using just mild shampoo, water, apple cider vinegar and a few essential oils.
To make this shampoo, you’ll need:
- 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
- 10 drops of eucalyptus oil
- 10 drops of tea tree oil
- 15 drops of lavender oil
- 2 ounces of mild shampoo or castile soap
- 2 ounces of water
Combine the vinegar and essential oils together. Then add the shampoo, followed by the water. That’s it! You’ve got your own homemade dandruff shampoo to beat flakes without the chemicals.
- Eases the Sting of Insect Bites
Lavender oil has natural anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties so it’s a good essential oil for bee stings and insect bites. Simply rub one or two drops of this essential oil on the affected area for instant relief.
- Calms Sunburned Skin and Lips
The health benefits of lavender oil also extend to sunburned skin and lips. Unlike rubbing alcohol or apple cider vinegar, lavender oil provides soothing, non-stinging relief. It can also be used on dry, cracked, sun-damaged lips.
- Prevents Scar Tissue
If you’ve recently had minor surgery, you can use lavender oil to prevent the formation of scar tissue. Mix a few drops of lavender oil with healing coconut oil for a more powerful anti-scar effect.
- Heals Cold Sores
Those embarrassing and painful cold sores can become a thing of the past with lavender oil. Just one drop on the affected area and you’ll feel soothing, healing relief.
- Eases Headaches
Using too many NSAID pain relievers for chronic headaches can cause unpleasant gastrointestinal side effects. For quick pain relief, massage your neck and temples with a combination of the pure essential oil and a carrier oil such as sweet almond.
Lavender Oil Contraindications
Lavender oil is one of the few essential oils that is safe to use ‘neat’ or undiluted on the skin. You can even use it internally in small amounts! However, allergic reaction can always occur in sensitive individuals. If you’ve never used lavender oil before, test a tiny drop on your skin first before using more. If you have an allergic reaction, discontinue use immediately. Pregnant and nursing women should not use this or any essential oil without first consulting their physician.
When the stress of everyday life is getting a bit difficult to handle, use some lavender oil in your next bath and slip away to relaxation and soothing pain relief!
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