Richard Wiseman, a professor in Hatfield, England (north of London), has created a "relaxing room" that some people say brings their heart rate down and clears their minds.
The room has comfortable mats, soothing music and the scent of lavender. "The lavender has a very direct impact on the brain, affecting beta waves and making people more relaxed," Wiseman says.
We've covered aromatherapy at The Herb Companion before. It's pretty simple: For those of you who need to combat anxiety or just want to work and live in a more soothing atmosphere, introduce lavender in your daily life through small steps.
One way to start is with something you use every day: soap. The Herb Companion tells you exactly how to make your own lavender soap using coconut and lavender oil, along with other ingredients.
You can also replace your regular dryer sheets with lavender dryer bags (these are from Trader Joe's) or sachets. Lavender is a natural moth repellent and the dryer bags and sachets can leave your clothes with a simple scent.
Candles are another easy way to get the scent of lavender in your home or apartment. Here is a lemon lavender candle that sounds divine.
Do you take advantage of aromatherapy, and how? What other tips and products would you suggest to get the full relaxing benefit of lavender?
— Jessica is an editorial intern at The Herb Companion.