Lemon Balm Essential Oil: Your Key to Relaxation

Lemon balm essential oil, also known as Melissa, is a versatile oil that offers many benefits for both the body and the mind. There are few essential oils with as much history and scientific research backing its nootropic uses as lemon balm.

As far back as the 1500s, herbal apothecaries in Europe praised lemon balm for boosting brain health, including helping to improve memory and cognition.¹

Paracelsus, a well-respected Swiss physician and medical pioneer, recommended lemon balm for “all complaints supposed to proceed from a disordered state of the nervous system,” and believed that it could completely give new life to an individual.

Recent research suggests that lemon balm exhibits sedative and stress-relieving properties. Additionally, it may help enhance memory and support a calm mood. It’s these effects on emotions and the mind that has led many to refer to this essential oil as a nootropic.

Nootropic Benefits of Lemon Balm

Neurohackers often turn to lemon balm for stress and anxiety relief. It also may support those struggling with age-related cognitive decline. Highlighted below are a few of the top nootropic benefits of lemon balm essential oil.

Reduces Stress and Boosts Mood

There are few individuals who don’t feel plagued by stress, anxiety, or a bad mood at one time or another. Luckily, studies suggest that lemon balm may help reduce stress and enhance mood.

In a preclinical study, lemon balm was found to increase levels of GABA, a neurotransmitter that can boost mood while causing a feeling of calmness or relaxation.² The study confirmed that this increase in GABA was associated with improvements in mood and reduction in stress.

Improves Memory and Attention

Lemon balm has also shown to positively affect the ability to focus. In a study on healthy adults, ingestion of lemon balm extract demonstrated dose-dependent improvement in memory and attention as well as feelings of calmness.

While 300 milligrams was found to promote calmness, 600 milligrams led to improved attention, and the highest dose (900 milligrams) led to a decrease in alertness.³

Calms the Mind

Research suggests that lemon balm exhibits sedative properties, which includes creating a feeling of calmness. At times when you are trying to fall asleep, or just going about daily life, it can be difficult to stay calm in the face of everyday challenges. Lemon balm may offer the assistance required to relax and get to sleep faster.

In fact, one of the most common herbal combinations of lemon balm is with valerian root, which is reported to help improve sleep quality.⁴

Additionally, multiple human studies have found that oral ingestion of lemon balm leads to a reduction in feelings of “alertness” and increased feelings of “calmness.”⁵

Conclusion

You can use Melissa essential oil topically, orally, or via aromatherapy. Studies have shown lemon balm essential oil benefits for emotional well-being and brain function using both aromatherapy and oral consumption. Try using MONQ’s portable Forest diffuser, which contains lemon balm essential oil to help you breathe natural peace.

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