Tips

Mother’s Bedside Lemon Mystery Solved: Benefits Revealed

What actually happens when you cut a lemon and place it next to your bed, in your bedroom?

21 April, 2024

In life, there are many small and easy tips to implement that use readily available ingredients in the home, yet they offer many beneficial effects for family members. Here is one such tip.

Specifically, according to a girl living in the Thanh Xuan district of Hanoi, she often saw her mother place a sliced lemon on her nightstand or in the corner of the bedroom, close to her bed, every night. So what exactly is the purpose of doing this?

Illustrative image

In fact, this is a little trick that is effective in bringing about better sleep and improving one’s sleep. By nature, lemon – apart from being a drink, a flavoring, and a seasoning for family meals – also offers many positive effects on human health. According to the India Times, lemons are rich in antioxidants and antibacterial properties. Specifically, these substances can be vitamin C, vitamin A and B, copper, manganese, calcium, potassium, magnesium… Traditional Indian medicine also believes that lemon is an ingredient that can activate the body’s physiological reactions.

That is why lemon water, lemon essential oil, or even just the aroma of lemon, all contribute to health in some way. Placing a sliced lemon in a room, especially in a bedroom or near the bed, is said to have the following four main benefits.

Benefits of placing a sliced lemon in the bedroom

1. Good for the respiratory system

The aroma of lemon or lemon essential oil in the air can help promote human respiration. Especially for those suffering from asthma or sinusitis, lemon will help improve their breathing.

A person’s airways will be cleared, making it easier to breathe. Improved respiration means that sleep will become sounder and deeper. Therefore, a person’s mental state will be more relaxed and comfortable. There is evidence to suggest that lemon can help those who suffer from insomnia at night.

The aroma of lemon and lemon essential oil will support human respiration, and sleep will thereby become sounder and deeper (Illustrative image)

2. Air purification

Apart from being an ingredient frequently used in cleaning many household items, lemon can also purify the air with its aroma and essential oil. The air in rooms, especially small, stuffy and enclosed rooms, often has an unpleasant odor, which can be more or less eliminated by cutting a lemon and placing it in the corner of the room.

To increase the effectiveness of this measure, users can also add a little salt to the lemon. Leave overnight or for a day, then replace with a new plate of lemon and salt.

3. Pain relief

Some studies at the Marland University Medical Center in the United States have shown that the scent of lemon is also effective in relieving headaches and pain from rheumatoid arthritis. At the same time, the aroma of lemon also reduces anxiety and stress, creating a sense of relaxation for those who are studying or working at high intensity.

Therefore, it is not only good to place it in the bedroom, but also to place lemon in the office or on the desk.

Lemon also has good pain-relieving properties (Illustrative image)

4. Insect repellent

The third benefit of placing a sliced lemon in a bedroom or near the bed is to keep away harmful insects that affect people’s sleep. This method is particularly useful in the summer, when mosquitoes thrive and dengue fever outbreaks occur.

In addition to mosquitoes, lemon can also repel flies and ants. Using lemon to repel insects is not only effective but is also considered a safe, chemical-free method, thus saving money and being more environmentally friendly, especially for children.

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According to Doi Song Phap Luat

Frequently asked questions

The scent of lemon or lemon essential oil can promote better breathing, especially for those with asthma or sinusitis. It helps clear a person’s airways, allowing for deeper and more relaxed breathing, which in turn improves sleep quality.

Yes, lemons are known to have air-purifying properties. The aroma of lemon and its essential oil can eliminate unpleasant odors in enclosed spaces. Adding a little salt to the lemon and leaving it overnight further enhances its air-purifying effectiveness.

Studies have shown that the scent of lemon can effectively alleviate headaches and pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis. It also reduces anxiety and stress, creating a calming atmosphere for those studying or working in high-intensity environments.

Lemons are effective insect repellents, particularly during the summer when mosquitoes are prevalent. They can help keep away mosquitoes, flies, and ants, offering a safe and chemical-free method that is also cost-effective and environmentally friendly.