THIS IS WHY YOU SHOULD BURN A BAY LEAF IN YOUR HOME

Since the time of the ancient Greeks and Romans, bay leaves have been considered a valuable, medicinal herb. Nowadays, we mainly use them to spice up our home cooking, but centuries ago these leaves served a much different purpose.

As we typically burn sticks or cones of incense now, bay leaves were once (and in some places, still are) burned in homes and places of worship. Some reasons were religious, some even fantastical, but others were based on the scientific fact that bay leaves contain a hodgepodge of chemicals beneficial to the body.

1. Relieves Anxiety

Bay leaf burning has been used as a way to relieve stress for centuries. The combination of chemicals (specifically the chemical linalool) in the leaves creates smoke that, when inhaled, calms the body and mind. People who burn bay leaves regularly note that the smoke puts you in a “psychedelic state,” but it doesn’t make you tired; the smoke can calm your body while simultaneously perking you up.

The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists conducted a recent study that found linalool to greatly reduce anxiety and likewise enhance social interactions between those under the influence of it. The study deduced that subjects felt the leaves’ effects in under 10 minutes of inhaling fumes.