Sarah EatonBergamot oil, which boasts numerous health benefits, is made from the rind of a fruit of the bergamot tree. You may have heard of bergamot, perhaps from reading it on the back of a perfume label. If you’ve ever smelled bergamot, its scent may have been familiar to you, too. However, maybe you weren’t quite able to place it. If you thought it smelled citrus-like, there’s a good reason why. The fruit is a result of the cross-breeding of the lemon tree and orange tree. Bergamot oil has a sweet and citrus scent, making it a common component of many perfumes and colognes. But bergamot essential oil has many other uses, as well, many of them medicinal.
Bergamot: Fantastic and Great-Smelling, but Use With Care
However, before you use bergamot oil, know that it comes with a warning. It can increase photosensitivity. The area of skin where you applied the oil could be damaged should you come into contact with sunlight. If you use this product with due diligence, it can prove to be extremely beneficial. (1)
Here are 10 health uses of bergamot oil you should know:
1. Antidepressant
While some antidepressants can be helpful, they also can have at times dangerous side effects. (2) Try using bergamot essential oil as a natural way to treat depression. Its scent is so uplifting and invigorating, its often marketed as a mood-boosting essential oil. Indeed, the oil helps create feelings of freshness and joy. It does this not only by its captivating scent, but by improving the circulation of your blood. (3)
Rub 2–3 drops of the oil into your hands. Then, cup your mouth and nose. Breathe in the oil slowly. If desired, you can rub the oil on your feet and stomach as well. Consider using it in a diffusing necklace, which will allow you to carry the scent with you wherever you go. You can allow yourself a pick-me-up sniff as often as you need it!
2. Relieves Congestion
You can use bergamot essential oil to relieve congestion. It loosens mucus in the respiratory tract, which in turn helps the body eliminate the germs that develop in your body when sick. (4)
You can use a vaporizer or oil burner with this oil. Alternatively, rub five drops into your hands and cup your mouth and nose. You might try rubbing the oil onto your throat and chest. Or, you can add bergamot essential oil to tea. Earl Grey already includes the oil, so, if you want, simply drink that to aid in congestion relief.
3. Relieves Stress
Bergamot essential oil reduces stress because it is a relaxant. It’s powerful enough to stimulate hormones, such as dopamine and serotonin. This in turn creates feelings of sedation and relaxation. (5)
Relieve anxiety by using bergamot essential oil in a diffuser. You will likely find the oil helps bring about a sense of calm.
4. Reduces Pain
As bergamot essential oil increases hormone secretions, it reduces sensitivity in nerves that create pain.
Because bergamot essential oil increases hormone secretions, it lessens the sensitively of nerves that create pain. As such, bergamot oil is a great natural muscle relaxer and headache remedy. Rather than take pain killers that can have undesirable side effects, try bergamot essential oil to relieve pain. Research shows that bergamot essential oil can be used in complementary medicine to minimize tension in the body. (6)
To reduce and manage pain, rub five drops of bergamot essential oil where you feel tension.
5. Heals Skin
You can use bergamot essential oil to minimize the appearance of scars. The toning effect bergamot essential oil offers can help diminish acne, skin infections, and skin irritations. (7)
Put five drops of bergamot oil on a cotton ball or pad and rub it on the infected area. Additionally, you can put 10 drops of bergmot essential oil to your bath.
6. Helps Digestive System
Bergamot essential oil can do wonders for your digestive system. First, it can stimulate the production of digestive juices. This makes it easier for the breakdown of foods. Second, it stimulates muscle contractions in the intestines. This quickens the digestive process by moving your waste through your intestines as your body absorbs nutrients.
In fact, some research even suggests that bergamot oil can be useful when fighting food poisoning because of its anti-bacterial properties. (8)
Rub five drops of bergamot oil onto your stomach in order to ease digestive issues or regulate your appetite.
Bergamot essential oils kills germs, and as such, it can also be used to treat intestinal worms. (9) Rub 2–3 drops of bergamot essential oil into your hands, and rub it on your abdomen to kill infectious worms.
7. Deodorant
Bergamot essential oil works great as a natural deodorant because it prevents the growth of germs that cause body odor. You can also use it as a natural air freshener. (10) Diffuse it in your home to fight bad odors and to give you and your guests a invigorating mental lift.
Either you can add 2 to 3 drops to the deodorant you already use, or apply it directly to the armpits. To make your own cologne, try mixing bergamot essential oil with lemon, cedar wood or sandalwood oils.
8. Reduces Fever
You can also use bergamot essential oil to reduce body temperature. It will make you warm, as it helps secretion of hormones, which will help reduce a fever. (11)
9. Cavity Protection
Bergamot essential oil can help infected teeth and can prevent the development of cavities. Rub 2–3 drops of bergamot essential oil on your teeth, or add it to your toothpaste. (12)
10. Protection from Tetanus
Tetanus is a dangerous bacterial disease. It affects your nervous system, leading to painful muscle contractions. (13) Bergamot essential oil can keep wounds from becoming infected and can thereby help stave off tetanus. (14) However, if you believe you may have been subjected to tetanus, please visit your doctor immediately. Bergamot may help fight off the development of it, but it’s best to seek medical attention just the same.
To help keep tetanus at bay, put five drops of bergamot essential oil to a cotton ball. and gently rub it onto the infected area.