It’s a classic home remedy that your grandmother might have told you about but does lavender actually do anything to help improve sleep?
I’ve had good results from lavender oil on my pillow but I wanted to know if this was just a placebo or if there’s any science behind it.
So I did some research and have written this post as a result!
Does Lavender Help You Sleep
The good news is that there have actually been quite a few scientific studies into lavender and sleep. And the results are promising!
They weren’t the biggest studies and some more research is definitely needed but all the studies pointed towards getting a deeper sleep and waking up less through the night.
So Lavender aromatherapy can definitely improve your sleep quality. It might not help you fall asleep any faster but a lot of people report waking up feeling more refreshed the next morning so it’s definitely worth trying.
Are There Any Side Effects From Lavender
First off you should never drink the oil, Lavender isn’t meant to be consumed as it is and if you do it can upset your stomach. Nothing serious but not a good idea. (If it’s made into something like honey then it’s fine, just not the raw oil!)
Some people get slight skin irritation as well if they have direct contact but again it’s not very common.
But the weirdest side effect is that excessive use of lavender (or tea-tree oil) can cause breast growth in younger boys!
I know, I was as surprised as you are. But it was found that a high use of lavender in soap can cause prepubescent boys to develop prepubertal gynecomastia which is where they grow breast tissue….
But stopping use of it normally reverses the effects. It was just so bizarre I had to include it!
8 Ways You Can Enjoy Lavender Before Bed
Now let’s look at the best ways you can enjoy lavender before you go to sleep.
1. Lavender Oil
Probably the easiest way, you can get some lavender essential oils, like this one from Amazon, and put a few drops on your pillow before you go to sleep.
Or you can get a diffuser so that it really gets around the bedroom.
2. Lavender Soap
Lavender soap is a great way to combine lavender with a nice relaxing bath, which also helps you sleep, so you can get the nice double whammy.
3. A Candle
You get some really nice lavender candles, you can burn if for half an hour before you go to bed and enjoy the pleasant scents while you wind down ready for sleep.
Just please make sure you blow it out before you go to sleep!
4. A Spray
A bit similar to the oils but you can buy lavender sprays that you can spritz around the room to enjoy. I’ve got my top recommendations of pillow spray here.
5. Own a lavender plant!
And last but not least why not grow some lavender in your house! You can get little plant pots of indoor lavender that you can grow inside. Then you have the fresh lavender smell in your house all the time.
6. Lavender Washing Up Powder
I was very disappointed by some own brand lavender washing powder I bought a while back because it didn’t smell nearly strong enough. But get yourself some strong smelling lavender washing up powder and washing your bedding and pyjamas in it. Then you get to climb into a lavender heaven when you go to sleep.
Probably not as useful as an essential oil because it’s been treated but it’s definitely still enjoyable.
7. Body Lotion
I know Lush have a really nice Lavender body lotion which you can put on at night. Then you can get the extra relaxation of having a little pampering as well.
8. Lavender Sleep Balm
Sleep balms are nice because you can just rub it on your temples neck and wrists and then the lovely smells waft up around you all night long.
You can make your own thought it’s a bit complicated or you can buy the old faithful that is Badger Balm.
And there you have it! If you enjoyed this article I hope you consider sharing it with your friends!
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