Skip to content

Not accepting new patients.

Lavender

What lavender is

Lavender is an aromatic, evergreen plant native to the Mediterranean region, valued for its scent. It is used in several different ways: as oral dietary supplements and tea, as an essential oil that is either taken by mouth or breathed in as aromatherapy, and in products applied to the skin, as well as in bath products and perfumes. Like other supplements, lavender is not reviewed by the FDA the way prescription medicines are, so what is in a product can vary.

This page is general education about lavender as a supplement. It is not a recommendation that you should or should not use it; that is a conversation to have with your clinician about your own situation. Because lavender is used in such different forms, it helps to be clear about which one you mean.

What it is used for

The main reason people turn to lavender in a mental-health context is anxiety, and it is also promoted for low mood and sleep. Here is the honest picture. Lavender taken by mouth might be helpful for anxiety, and that is a more encouraging signal than many supplements have, but the studies are small and have limits, so it is best treated as promising rather than settled. Most of that research used a standardized oral lavender-oil capsule known as Silexan, which is actually approved as a medicine for anxiety in Germany and some other countries. That is worth knowing for two reasons: it is part of why lavender has more of an anxiety signal than most supplements, and it is not the same as what you find on a shelf here, because in the United States Silexan is not an FDA-approved medicine and lavender is sold only as a supplement. For low mood, a few small reports on oral lavender are preliminary and should be read with caution, while lavender applied to the skin does not seem to help. For aromatherapy, it is unclear whether breathing in lavender oil actually helps anxiety, stress, mood, pain, or sleep, although some people report feeling better for it.

In a psychiatric setting, lavender is the kind of small, optional piece we might fold in, not a stand-in for the treatment that actually addresses what you are working on. Whether it makes sense for you depends on your history, what else you take, and what you are hoping it will do. That is decided case by case, and it is reasonable to bring it up alongside guides like anxiety and sleep.

How it might work

Honestly, the way lavender might ease anxiety is not established. Its calming reputation is old and its scent is distinctive, and part of what people feel may come from the experience as much as from any direct effect. As with any supplement, plausible is not the same as proven, and how much it helps a given person, if at all, is individual.

How people take it

There is no single right way to use lavender, and the form matters a lot, so this is worth talking over with your clinician or pharmacist. A few general points apply:

  • Match the product to the use. Aromatherapy means breathing in the scent; oral supplements and tea are taken by mouth; skin products are applied topically. Use a product made for the way you intend to use it rather than improvising with a concentrated essential oil.
  • Amounts in ordinary food are generally fine. The concerns come up more with concentrated products.
  • Tell your surgical team before any procedure. Because lavender may add to sedative effects, it can matter around anesthesia.
  • Products are not all the same. Strength and content vary between brands.

What to expect

This varies from person to person, and the evidence is preliminary, so keep expectations modest. If lavender helps at all, the effect is likely to be gentle. Pay attention to how you actually feel rather than to what it is supposed to do. If you notice nothing, that is useful information, not a failure, and it is fine to stop and look at other options together. As always, this is case by case.

Possible side effects

Most people who use lavender tolerate it, and the side effects depend on how it is used. The lists below are possibilities, not certainties.

Taken by mouth, it may cause:

  • Diarrhea
  • Headache
  • Nausea
  • Burping

As aromatherapy, it may cause:

  • Headache
  • Coughing

On the skin, it may cause:

  • Allergic skin reactions

One specific note: a few cases of breast-tissue swelling have been reported in children who used lavender on the skin, although it is not clear whether the lavender was responsible. If you are considering using it on a child, that is worth raising with the child’s clinician first.

Signs that could need urgent care:

  • Signs of an allergic reaction: rash, hives, or swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat

For any of these, use the help options at the bottom of this page: call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department for a medical emergency or severe reaction, or call or text 988 for a mental health crisis.

Interactions and safety

This is the part most worth reading. Lavender is gentle for most people, but a few things matter:

  • It may add to sedatives. There are theoretical reasons lavender could increase the effect of sedative medicines or herbs, so it is worth flagging if you take anything sedating.
  • Tell your surgical team before any procedure. Because of that same possible effect, lavender can matter around anesthesia, so it should be on the list of things you mention before surgery.
  • Skin reactions can happen with topical use, and the breast-tissue reports in children noted above are a reason to check with a clinician before using it on a child.
  • Little is known about using lavender during pregnancy or while breastfeeding, so that is a conversation to have first.

The simplest safeguard is to tell your clinician and pharmacist everything you take, including supplements and over-the-counter products. Knowing the full picture lets us catch a problem before it happens and decide together whether lavender fits your plan.

When to contact your clinician

For routine questions, mild side effects, or whether lavender fits with the rest of your plan, send a message through the patient portal or bring it to your next visit. These are part of your ongoing care and are answered in the normal course of a few business days, so they are best for things that are not urgent.

If something feels urgent, you do not need to wait for a reply. The fastest way to get care is 911 or the nearest emergency department for a medical emergency or severe reaction, or 988 any time for a mental health crisis or thoughts of self-harm.

Questions to ask your clinician

  • Is lavender a reasonable thing to try for anxiety in my situation?
  • Which form makes sense, and is there any reason oral lavender would not be safe for me?
  • Could it interact with any of my medicines, especially anything sedating?
  • Do I need to mention it before a surgery or procedure?
  • If sleep or mood is the real issue, what else should we be looking at?
FAQ

Common questions about Lavender

For anxiety there is some early evidence that lavender taken by mouth might help, which is more than you can say for a lot of supplements, but the studies are small and have real limits, so I hold it loosely. For sleep, and for lavender used as aromatherapy, it is genuinely unclear whether it does much, though some people say it improves how they feel. I am happy to fold it in as a small piece if you like it, while we keep looking at what is actually driving the problem. As with everything, this is case by case.

It depends on the form. Breathing it in as aromatherapy is considered possibly safe and at most tends to cause a headache or some coughing. Oral lavender products might be safe for short-term use, though they can upset the stomach. The key is to use a product made for the way you intend to use it rather than improvising with an essential oil, and to tell me what you are actually using so we are on the same page.

Two things. There is a theoretical chance lavender adds to the effect of sedative medicines, so it is worth flagging if you take anything sedating. And because of that same effect, you should tell your surgical team you use it before any procedure, since it can matter around anesthesia. Beyond that, tell me everything you take, including supplements, and we can sort out whether it fits safely.

Yes, always, even something that feels as mild as lavender. It is still an active substance, it may add to sedatives, and it matters before surgery. Knowing you use it, or are thinking about it, lets me keep your plan safe and catch a problem early. There is no judgment here; I would just rather know.

Related
References

This page is educational. It is not medical advice, and reading it does not create a clinician-patient relationship with Cognia Health. Dietary supplements are not reviewed or approved by the FDA the way prescription medicines are, and a supplement is not a substitute for treatment your clinician has prescribed. Supplements can interact with medications and with some health conditions, so tell your clinician about everything you take, including supplements. If you think you are having a serious reaction or a mental health emergency, call 911, or call or text 988. More options: emergency resources .