Lavender

Lavender tea is made by brewing the purple buds of the Lavandula angustifolia plant with hot water. This tea is thought to calm nerves, lead to better sleep, improve skin health, and provide many other benefits, though research is scarce and mostly focuses on lavender extracts. Here are 4 possible benefits of lavender tea and extract, and the science behind them.

 

May Improve Mood Disorders

Lavender is widely used as an aromatherapy agent and supplement to help with anxiety, depression, and fatigue. 

Studies suggest that compounds in lavender may stimulate activity in certain areas of the brain and influence the transmission of impulses between brain cells in ways that boost mood and produce a calming effect (1).

While both the scent of lavender extract and oral lavender oil preparations have been shown to improve mood and calm the mind, it’s less clear if lavender tea can offer similar benefits (1).

One study in 80 new mothers in Taiwan found that those who drank 1 cup (250 mL) of lavender tea per day for 2 weeks while taking time to appreciate the tea’s aroma reported less fatigue and depression, compared with those who didn’t smell and drink the tea (2).

However, there were similar reports of fatigue and depression between the two groups after 4 weeks, suggesting that benefits are most helpful early on. (2).

 

May Boost Sleep 

The calming effect of lavender in the body is also thought to boost sleep.

There are no specific studies on lavender tea’s effect on sleep quality, but studies on other types of lavender are promising.

One study in 158 new mothers in the postpartum period found that women who took 10 deep breaths of lavender fragrance 4 days a week for 8 weeks had significantly better sleep quality than those in the placebo group (3).

Another study on 79 college students who reported sleep issues showed that proper sleep hygiene and breathing in lavender improved sleep quality. Lavender patches were applied to the chest at night (4).

Based on these results, it’s possible that enjoying a cup of lavender tea to unwind before bed could help you have better sleep. 

This may be especially true if you take time to appreciate and breathe in the scent, as research on lavender fragrance suggests.

 

May Soothe Menstrual Cramping

Cramping in the lower abdomen before or during a menstrual period is a common issue among women. 

Lavender may help with feelings of discomfort.

Specifically, one study in 200 young adult women in Iran found that smelling lavender for 30 minutes per day in the first 3 days of a menstrual cycle led to significantly less painful cramping after 2 months, compared with the control group (5). 

Other research suggests that massage with lavender essential oil also helps with menstrual cramping, but there have been no studies on the ingestion of lavender in tea or supplements (6). 

Still, drinking lavender tea and appreciating its scent may help, though more extensive research is needed.

 

May Improve Skin Health

Lavender oil has been shown to exhibit anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects (7,8,9).

As a result, it’s used in topical applications to help fight acne, improve inflammatory skin conditions like psoriasis, and heal wounds or abrasions. 

One study in rats found that topical application of lavender oil every other day for 14 days significantly decreased the area of wounds, compared with the control group. This is mainly because lavender oil promoted the synthesis of the structural protein collagen (10).

These results suggest that certain forms of lavender may promote skin healing and collagen formation.