Cedar is one of the most famous trees in the world. Some people call it the Cedar of Lebanon. In tropical countries, like Indonesia, this tree is known as cedar.
This tree is known to come from the mountainous region of the Mediterranean. A distinctive feature of cedar trees is the presence of a large number of trunks and branches and has a strong wood.
The cedar has the scientific name Cedrus libani, and as the name suggests, it originated in Lebanon in the Mediterranean Mountains. The word “Cedar” comes from the word cedrus which is derived from the Greek kedros.
The term “Kedros” is actually also used in Latin. Historically, the term kedros was not originally used to refer to the name of cedar only, but also to refer to the name of juniper tree.
Juniper trees also have almost the same characteristics as cedar trees, which have large trunks as well as distinctive aromas. The cedar tree is a coniferous plant of the genus Cedrus belonging to the family Pinaceae.
Aside from the woods, Cedarwood is also extracted into an essential oil, like benefits of rosemary essential oil. This essential oil is not as popular or well known as oils such as lavender, eucalyptus or tea tree but is just as strong. The application varies greatly – it could be repellent for insects, sleep aid, and even help with concentration.
With all the benefits that present within the tree of Cedarwood, no wonder that its name is mostly mentioned as a symbol of protection and wisdom.
Just like any other essential oils, the cedarwood essential oil is made out of an extraction process from cedar trees. It contains a line of wonderful substances like thujopsene, alpha-cedrene, and seskuiterpen that work together to contribute greatest health benefits, a similar with benefits of rose geranium essential oil.
However, if you are curious about what can it offer, here’s the health benefits of cedarwood essential oil:
Health Benefits of Cedarwood Essential Oil
1. Hair Loss Remedy
Like the benefits of orange essential oil, cedarwood essential oil can also stimulate hair follicles and improve circulation to the scalp. It contributes to hair growth and slows down hair loss.
Herbalists and aromatherapists have been recommending essential oils for years to treat hair loss, thinning hair and different types of alopecia.
There is evidence that applying cedarwood oil, combined with essential oils from thyme, rosemary and lavender, to the scalp promotes hair growth by up to 44 percent for people with hair loss after treatment for seven months.
You can try adding some of the cedarwood oil to your shampoo or hair conditioner. After that, gently massage your scalp as usual with the combined material, and leave it for about 30 minutes before rinsing.
2. Improving Focus and ADHD
Another interesting fact was found that cedarwood oil has a unique ability to improve focus and learning abilities of children. In a study involving 34 children with ADHD, different oils were tested in order to know which one could provide the maximum potential of improving a kid’s focus. The researchers used some materials including cedarwood, vetiver, lavender, and even the blends.
Children lift a bottle of essential oil and inhale three times in 3x a day for thirty days. At the end of the study, the subjects took back an EEG and T.O.V.A. test and with both fragrant root and cedarwood oil there were significant changes.
Results showed up amazingly with cedarwood oil improving their focus about 65%. You can find similar benefit in the benefits of blue cypress essential oil.
3. Can Help you Sleep
Some people might have difficulties with their sleep. Reasons arise to be the causes of this problem. Unhealthy, stressful mind is one among them. In order to reach the calming situation, people would use medicines or aromatherapy methods.
Many essential oils have sedative and anxiolytic effects. Most people felt familiar with lavender and chamomile for this purpose. However, cedar wood oil has also been shown to have a sedative effect.
A substance was found within the cedarwood oil, called cedrol, and several researches were done to investigate what it was for. It was found to extend sleep time in lab mice when administered along with conventional sedatives. However, more studies are needed to confirm this benefit to understand the effectiveness of it for human’s body.
4. Can Inhibit Bacterial Growth
A study tested the antibacterial strength of various essential oils against a strain of bacteria called “streptococcus mutans”. Streptococcus mutans are widely found in the human mouth and are responsible for tooth decay.
While many oils have no effect on bacteria, cedarwood oil comes out as #3, just behind cinnamon oil and lemongrass oil. It advises that it is also effective against yeast.
5. Repelling Insects
Different from benefits of white angelica essential oil. the essential oil made from cedar trees can actually repel the insects.. You can put a few drops of oil in your skin to keep it away outside the house, or use a steamer to keep it away from the house or apartment. You can also spray diluted cedarwood essential oil on the bed and coach you to repel pests.
One study measured the effectiveness of cedarwood oil against pulse beetles and house flies, and the results showed insecticide activity against both test species. Such studies show that cedar wood oil can be an active natural product, if added to commercial insecticides, beneficial.
Moths can sometimes be annoying since they can actually eat your clothes. Use cedarwood essential oil to keep them away (without the smell of camphor). One way to do this is to add some oil to balls of cotton, then place them in your closet. Your clothes will smell good, while moths will be all gone.