There are so many more uses for lemons than just being a refreshing sweetener for your water (although there are some incredible health benefits of lemon water). The beloved fruit can act as a cleaning solution, beauty fix, and even a teeth whitening solution. But did you know that just sleeping next to a cut lemon on your nightstand can reap some of these benefits, as well?
By merely inhaling the scent of a lemon, your body experiences most (if not all) of its beneficial homeopathic purposes. Some of these include decreased anxiety levels, reduced stress, an overall calming sensation, increased alertness, potential reduction of blood pressure, calmed allergies (by reducing airway inflammation), and increased productivity.
“The ‘health benefits’ that everyone is talking about is actually just the effect of aromatherapy,” Diane Elizabeth, founder of Skin Care Ox, told Reader’s Digest. “The idea is that if you place slices of lemon next to your bed, then you will breathe in the subtle scent of lemon at night. Lemon has been used as a powerful aromatherapy essential oil for ages and it has been credited with such benefits as increased concentration, decreased stress levels (most likely the result of increased serotonin production), and a soothing effect on the respiratory system.”
While most of the benefits of sleeping with a cut lemon next to you are health-related, there’s a couple of other benefits, too. One of them is keeping ants away—if you have an ant infestation, simply rub the cut lemon’s juice near or around any possible entries. The lemon’s citrus aroma will disrupt the ants’ scent trail and they’ll avoid that area altogether.
Lemons also act as natural air fresheners and deodorizer—so while that lemon is on your nightstand, it’s playing double duty, freshening the air around you and providing natural aromatherapy. Here are some other simple deodorizer ideas to make your home smell fresh.
