With mental conditions like depression and anxiety seemingly on the rise lately, it’s a wonder that anyone is ever able to feel calm or at peace.
Having either of these conditions can make it difficult for you to relax or even sleep. And if you have both, it’s like living with a double-edged sword in your brain, as depression and anxiety tend to feed off of each other. (1) Lack of sleep caused by this is detrimental to your overall health.
While there are several behavioral treatments and medications to help battle both the underlying causes and the symptoms of depression and anxiety, there have been studies done to show that simply having a live jasmine plant in your home can help as well.
Jasmine Plant Uses
The jasmine plant has been used to make various medicines that help a variety of ailments. It’s been used to treat liver disease caused by hepatitis and abdominal pain from dysentery. It can prevent stroke, be used as a sedative, or as an aphrodisiac. It’s also been used in the treatment of cancer, skin diseases, and to heal wounds.
Non-medical uses of jasmine include adding it to creams, lotions, and perfumes. The plant itself also carries pleasant fragrance that has been known to improve moods, reduce stress, and curb food cravings. (2)
How Can Jasmine Help My Anxiety & Depression?
The true cause of anxiety and depression have been difficult to pin down by professionals, even though they’ve been studying both mental diseases for many years.
Anxiety alone affects about 1 in 5 adults in the U.S., which is roughly 40 million people. Depression affects over 350 million people worldwide. (3, 4)
Every person is different, so the causes and experiences of these mental disorders are also different.
However, there has been a significant link to various environmental toxins and pollutants adding to the negative effects of anxiety and depression. (5) Therefore, improving the quality of the air around you by having a jasmine plant can help boost your overall mood and, hopefully, ease the negative effects of these mental diseases.
According to researchers in Germany, two fragrances Vertacetal-coeur (VC) and the chemical variation (PI24513) both emitted by the jasmine plant have a similar molecular mechanism of action and are as strong as the commonly prescribed drugs barbiturates or propofol. (5)
Inhaling these fragrances can help boost the levels of something called GABA in our nerve cells, a chemical known for its stress reducing properties, which can lessen the symptoms of anxiety and depression and help you sleep. (6)
Jasmine Essential Oil & Teas
Don’t have a way to keep a plant in your home? Jasmine essential oil or teas can have the same positive effects, and can also be used for just about anything else you need it for.
Other benefits of having a jasmine plant, jasmine essential oil, or jasmine teas:
- Prevents infections
- Enhance sex drive
- Can be used to fade scars
- Can ease a chronic cough or cough due to a cold
- Promotes sleep and restfulness
- Works as an emmenagogue to relieve symptoms associated with menopause
- Treats dry or brittle skin (but not to be used on open wounds)
- Can promote the production of breastmilk
- Reduces labor pains during childbirth