Having trouble getting your baby to sleep? Try a lavender-scented bath! In a recent study, young infants were given a bath with or without lavender-scented bath oil. The researchers noted that the mothers in the lavender bath oil group were more relaxed, smiled and touched their infants more during the bath. Their infants looked at them more during bath time, cried less and spent more time in deep sleep after bath. The cortisol levels of this group of mothers and infants significantly decreased. The findings support a body of research showing the relaxing and sleep-inducing properties of lavender aroma.
Source: Early Hum Dev. 2008 Jun;84(6):399-401
