The Surprising Reason You Should Keep A Lemon On Your Nightstand

Lemons are a refreshing and nutritious food that have been shown to provide many health benefits. The healthy citrus fruit is loaded with vitamin C that boosts the immune system, as well as the essential nutrients potassium and vitamin B6, according to Healthline. Eating lemons can also help reduce the risk of heart disease, kidney stones, and even breast cancer. Drinking lemon water has also been shown to improve digestion, aid in weight loss, and help keep the body healthy and hydrated, per the Cleveland Clinic. There's no doubt that consuming lemons is good for you, but did you know that you don't even have to eat the fruit to reap its health benefits?

It turns out, just inhaling the scent of lemons can also help improve your health. Lemon has many positive aromatherapeutic properties that can be very beneficial to the body. Breathing a lemon scent has been shown to improve mood, reduce stress, lower anxiety, and even reduce inflammation and lower blood pressure, according to Reader's Digest.

There has also been evidence that shows keeping a lemon on your nightstand may help you sleep better. "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," Skin Care Ox founder, Diane Elizabeth, explained to Reader's Digest. "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."

Not only that, but the pleasing scent of lemon will also help deodorize the area, making the entire room smell clean and refreshing. And if all of that isn't enough to convince you to keep a lemon handy at night, it turns out ants hate the smell of citrus. So, keeping a sliced lemon in your room will not only make it more pleasant for you, it will also help keep unwanted insects far away from your bedroom. And while sliced fresh lemon is a simple and natural way to reap these benefits, you can also achieve many of these same effects by using lemon-scented essential oils or candles.