Keeping a Jasmine Plant in Your Home Can Help Reduce Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Depression, Says Study

Editor’s note: This article was originally published on September 2, 2021. It has since been updated.

In today's fast-paced world, we hardly ever get a chance to just stop and take a deep breath. With everything that's going on around us, it's hard to keep calm. That's why people make it a point to go on vacations, explore new places, and heal their minds by being amid nature. But that's a once-in-a-year kind of thing and right now with the pandemic, it seems quite risky too. So, how do we relax and destress while at home? The answer is nature. "Spending time in nature can help relieve stress and anxiety, improve your mood, and boost feelings of happiness and wellbeing," explains Heart.org. 

Sure, it can be challenging to be in such a setting every day when you're living in a city, but there are many home plants that can do the trick. There are many plants that not only help alleviate your mental health concerns like depression, anxiety, and panic attacks but also play a huge role in improving the quality of air. The beautiful, aromatic jasmine plant is just one of them. Per researchers, the flowering plant that comes in many varieties can help calm you if spend time around it and breathe it in. Whether you're an avid gardener or a rookie, getting jasmine is totally worth the time and effort as experts have found a host of benefits that comes with having this regal plant at home.

For starters, researchers have observed a correlation between stress and oxygen levels. The addition of jasmine's soothing aroma in the mix makes it better as it can positively impact mental health and improve your mood in general, according to a study, which was published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. Led by Professor Hanns Hatt from the Ruhr University in Bochum, Germany, the study stated that its research "can be seen as evidence of a scientific basis for aromatherapy," according to The Telegraph. To deduce if the fragrance of jasmine could be a better, natural alternative to popular medication, scientists tested it on mice. When the rodents were exposed to the aroma of a jasmine plant and its essential oil, they ceased all activity and calmed down.

Apparently, the mice remained still in a corner and did not appear agitated. This unusual behavior prompted scientists to dig deeper and gather more evidence into jasmine's calming abilities. After conducting brain scans on their tiny test subjects, researchers discovered that the fragrance undeniably increased the effects of the chemical GABA on nerve cells. This particular chemical reaction is what helps relieve one's anxiety and stirs up the desire to be still and at rest. "We have discovered a new class of GABA receptor modulator which can be administered parentally and through the respiratory air. Applications in sedation, anxiety, excitement, and aggression relieving treatment, and sleep induction therapy are all imaginable," explained Professor Hatt.

The team finally determined that jasmine can help:

- Improve sleep quality
- Boost mood
- Balance hormones
- Improve cognitive performance and alertness
- Reduce anxiety and nervous tension
- Treat hot flashes and mood swings
- Increase libido

Jasmine may prove to be more effective than sleeping pills, sedatives, and anti-anxiety medications considering it increased the effect of GABA by over five times that of its pharmaceutical competition. Per Kaliana.com, "Research at Wheeling Jesuit University by Dr. Bryan Raudenbush, assistant professor of psychology, shows dispensing jasmine odor into a room where participants were sleeping led to greater sleep efficiency and reduced sleep movement." To enjoy its natural benefits, all you have to do is use a few drops of jasmine essential oil to improve your sleep, ease mild depression, and improve concentration. Or you could get yourself a jasmine plant and make your life less stressful. 

Reference:

https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/spend-time-in-nature-to-reduce-stress-and-anxiety

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100708104320.htm

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/7881819/Smell-of-jasmine-as-calming-as-valium.html

https://www.kaliana.com/blogs/eatdrinkthink/jasmine-essential-oil-benefits

Representative cover image source: Getty | Photo by Kathrin Ziegler