In both men and women, inhalation of lavender increased the percentage of slow-wave (deep) sleep. In women, the use of lavender increased stage 2-light sleep and decreased REM sleep.
Lavender oil is a popular aromatherapy choice for sleep and relaxation. Several studies show using lavender oil for aromatherapy can improve sleep quality, including in people with insomnia, depression, and anxiety. Aromatherapy using lavender oil may also increase time spent in deep, slow-wave sleep.
Pouring a few drops of Lavender Oil onto your pillow is how the majority of people use Lavender Oil to help them to sleep, however, to avoid staining your sheets and bedding you can put the drops on a hanky or facecloth placed over the pillow.
In an in-depth sleep cycle study of young men and women, it was found that inhaling lavender before bed increased deep sleep and reduced REM sleep. Most importantly, everyone slept more soundly and woke up feeling more energetic and refreshed, all because they had more deep sleep.
Sleep doctor recommend using lavender oil for 30-minutes in a well-ventilated room. Use a few drops in an aromatherapy diffuser or vaporiser.
It can lower anxiety, boost your mood, and help you relax by lowering your heart rate. Smelling lavender before and while you sleep can even make you feel more rested and alert when you wake up!
Conclusion: Aromatherapy with lavender essential oil similarly favors an increase in blood melatonin levels in both older adult men and women.
Using lavender oil in aromatherapy via inhalation
Evidence has shown that inhaling lavender essential oils can reduce: State anxiety (triggered in response to a stressful situation) Trait anxiety (triggered due to your predisposition to respond to something in an anxious way)
If you would like to reduce anxiety as part of your sleep hygiene routine, chamomile is considered to be one of the best essential oils for sleep and anxiety. In one study, inhaling a mixture of chamomile and lavender essential oils. View Source reduced anxiety in nurses.
Better sleep method #3: Try melatonin. This natural hormone, which helps set the body's sleep-wake cycle, builds up late in the day and promotes shut-eye at night. And melatonin supplements, taken about an hour before bedtime, have been shown to help some adults with ADHD get to sleep.
Symptoms of lavender oil poisoning include: Blurred vision. Difficulty breathing. Burning pain in the throat.
Side effects might include constipation, diarrhea, and headache. When applied to the skin: Lavender is possibly safe. It's usually well-tolerated, but can sometimes cause skin irritation. When inhaled: Lavender essential oil is possibly safe.
Why does lavender help you sleep? Lavender essential oil contains potent chemical components such as linalool, linalyl acetate and camphor4 that act as anxiety relievers and sedatives. These components interact with the brain and nervous system to reduce agitation, restlessness, and aggression.
In addition, lavender and linalool were also able to bind the serotonin transporter (SERT) whereas they did not show affinity for GABAA-benzodiazepine receptor.
Several animal and human investigations suggest anxiolytic, mood stabilizer, sedative, analgesic, and anticonvulsive and neuroprotective properties for lavender.
Lavender Essential Oil - Reputed to possess abundant relaxing properties, Lavender Essential Oil can be applied to sore and tired feet at the end of a long day. Its constituents may relieve any tightness in the muscles, while Lavender Oil's calming aroma can soothe the senses.
Rather than purifying the air in your bedroom, it's the smell of French Lavender that helps you drift off to sleep – reducing your heart rate, blood pressure and stress levels, making it a great bedroom plant. See, lavender wakes up the parts of your brain associated with sleep and memories, relaxation and emotion.
A lavender pillow spray is a great option! Lavender has long been associated with sleep, and for good reason. The lavender plant contains compounds like linalool and linalyl acetate, which have calming effects on the central nervous system. This makes lavender a great natural option for promoting better sleep.
Essential Oils
One study found that bergamot, lavender, and lemon essential oils are particularly therapeutic. Using your sense of smell, they prompt your brain to release serotonin and dopamine.
These findings clarify that lavender and rosemary enhance FRSA and decrease the stress hormone, cortisol, which protects the body from oxidative stress.