the scent of lavender is relaxing

A new study also reveals how lavender works.

Lavender has a relaxing effect. Thus, it is found in soap, fabric softener and odor bags and would help reduce stress and poor sleep. And this is now really proven: scientists confirm that lavender actually has a calming effect. It only works slightly differently than we thought until now.

Smell
The researchers showed in this new study that the evaporated linalool contained in the lavender extract acts through the nose and therefore had to be sensed. Many thought that the smell should be found in the blood through the lungs and thus get to the brain. But this idea can now be removed from the table. Linalool stimulates the olfactory nerves in the nose. And so, the substance helps to calm down.

Drugs
According to the researchers, their study opens the door to safer alternatives to current sedative drugs, such as benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines and linalool injections have troublesome side effects: for example, you can become very wobbly. The smell of linalool would not have this side effect.

Experiment
Japanese researchers launched an experiment on mice to test their hypothesis. "We observed the behavior of mice exposed to linalool vapor to determine the relaxing effect," says researcher Hideki Kashiwadani. The researchers were able to confirm that the smell made the mice calmer. The mouse must be able to feel that. For example, mice whose sense of smell was disabled did not respond to the lavender odor. Even though the mice initially received flumazenil – a substance that blocks the action of benzodiazepines – the odor had no effect. "This proves that linalool does not act directly on brain cells, such as benzodiazepines, but must be snorted through the nose to produce the calming effect," says Kashiwadani.

an important step in the direction of its use, for example in hospitals and clinics. "Our results bring us closer to the clinical use of linalool," said Kashiwadani. "For example, it can be used in advance for operations to improve the patient's anesthesia, such as confused babies or elderly."