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Lavender

Mediterranean region; Lavandula angustifolia, a flowering shrub of sunny hillsides, now grown worldwide for its fragrant oil.

SkinStress & Sleep

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Names in Different Languages

EnglishLavender
Urduاستخودوس
Hindiलैवेंडर
Farsiاسطوخودوس
UnaniUstukhuddus
FrenchLavande
GermanLavendel

Traditional Uses

In Mediterranean and Unani medicine, lavender flowers have long been used as a calming tea and bath herb for restlessness, sleep and headache, and the oil for massage and minor skin complaints; in Unani it is known as Ustukhuddus and used for nervous and brain complaints.

Modern Research

Lavender has one of the stronger evidence profiles among calming herbs, but the evidence is product-specific: standardized oral lavender oil (Silexan, 80 mg/day) showed meaningful anxiety reduction in a 2023 meta-analysis of five placebo-controlled trials (1,213 patients), with side effects similar to placebo, and sleep improved mainly because anxiety fell. Aromatherapy evidence is weaker and based on lower-quality trials. Lavender is not a proven treatment for major psychiatric illness or a substitute for prescribed care.

Uses

  • Anxiety and stress support
  • Sleep quality support
  • Skin care (diluted oil, topical)
  • Aromatherapy and baths

Benefits of Use

  • Anxiety support: standardized oral lavender oil (Silexan) reduced anxiety in multiple placebo-controlled trials, comparable to low-dose lorazepam in one head-to-head trial
  • Sleep support: may improve sleep quality, mainly in people whose poor sleep is linked to anxiety or restlessness
  • Stress support: inhalation trials report reduced anxiety in medical and stressful settings
  • Skin support: diluted oil traditionally used for minor skin irritation, with limited trial evidence

Safe Dose & Overdose (mg/g)

Raw Herb Form

Safe: 1,000-2,000 mg/day dried flowers as tea (1-2 teaspoons steeped in a cup of boiling water); long-term safety beyond 10 weeks is not well studied.

Overdose: Ingesting undiluted essential oil is toxic — as little as 500-1,000 mg (0.5-1 mL) may cause nausea, vomiting and central nervous system depression; never swallow essential oil.

Extract Form

Safe: 80-160 mg/day standardized oral lavender oil (Silexan-type), 80 mg/day most studied, for 6-10 weeks.

Overdose: Not established

Side Effects

  • Nausea, stomach discomfort and burping with lavender taste (oral oil)
  • Headache in some users
  • Constipation and increased appetite (oral oil)
  • Allergic contact dermatitis from undiluted oil on skin
  • Possible hormone-like effects — case reports link repeated topical use to breast development in prepubertal boys

Interactions

  • Sedatives, benzodiazepines and opioids: may add to drowsiness and sedation
  • Alcohol: may add to central nervous system depression
  • Blood-pressure medicines: may add to blood-pressure-lowering effects in theory
  • Liver-processed drugs (CYP3A4/CYP2D6 substrates): theoretical interaction, low to medium risk

Sources

Disclaimer

General information only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before use.

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#herbal medicine#Lavender#Skin#Stress & Sleep

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