Want To Relieve Anxiety? Try This Essential Oil!

At the end of a yoga class the other day, the instructor came over to me during Shavasana to help with my relaxation and the smell of lavender on her hands made me think about how much I love this herb.  I also remembered that I bought a lavender plant years back because I loved the beautiful purple flowers and the wonderful scent.  I actually felt a sense of calm and inner peace.  

As the Founder of Charshay Essentials, I have been experimenting with various blends and am always drawn to the scent of lavender.  I began to research this herb and found out that lavender was traditionally used for medicinal purposes.  According to Smiljka Kitanovia, Ph.D., scientists report that inhalation of lavender oil reduces anxiety in patients about to undergo operations.   It seems that lavender decreases levels of cortisol (the stress hormone).  

Scientists in the UK performed a small study of nursing home residents diagnosed with dementia.  They had them inhale lavender one day and water vapor another day and found that 60% of them were calmer on the days they inhaled the lavender.  

Although I have been told you can take essential oils orally, I feel it's best to either diffuse or inhale them.  We at Charshay Essentials created 3 blends that can be applied topically as well as diffused or inhaled.  We are in the midst of creating our 4th blend using lavender essential oil and will have it on our website in the next few weeks.  As we are a mom and daughter team, we take our time coming up with various blends using essential oils that we feel elicit certain emotions.  And, we know that what and how we feel emotionally can translate to how healthy we are.

So, whatever your preference of essential oils, make sure you have lavender on hand for those days when you're wanting to feel calm and relaxed.