If anxiety keeps you from falling asleep, you have may have tried lavender tea, lotion and or bubble bath. A new study says you may be onto something, as lavender appears to calm you down by stimulating the nose to pass signals to the brain.
How lavender’s oil helps
Researchers in Japan studied the effects of a sweet-smelling alcohol called linalool on stressed mice. Linalool is present in the oils found in lavender and other scented mice.
Unlike other drugs used to treat the health issue, linalool helped the mice relax without impairing their movement. It’s interesting to note that mice with no sense of smell who were exposed to the linalool didn’t get the anti-anxiety benefits, confirming that it was taken to the brain via olfactory input, not through the lungs and into bloodstream. Likewise, mice who were injected with linalool didn’t get the anti-anxiety benefits.
The scientists also gave the mice flumazenil, which blocks the GABAA receptors that respond to benzodiazepines (anti-anxiety drugs), before they had them sniff the linaloop. These mice had no benefits from the linaloop.
The study, which was published in the journal Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, may lead to new treatments to help people relax before surgery, or those who have trouble with oral or suppository administration of standard anti-anxiety treatments, such as infants or confused elderly patients.
Understanding the disorder
The disorder varies in depths and symptoms from person to person. For some, it’s a short-lived concern about a stressful situation, a tough decision or a general problem related to work, relationships or school, for example.
“Anxiety disorders” is a broad term that covers phobia-related conditions, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. According to the World Health Organization about 6.3 percent of the U.S. population has some form of these disorders.
As long as you’re not allergic to lavender, you probably have nothing to lose by trying a few gentle whiffs when you’re feeling stressed!
