This Is The Most Relaxing Way To Relieve Congestion

While I love essential oils and use them often, there’s something special about having live or freshly cut plants and flowers around the house. It’s especially nice during the darker months of the year, so when I came across this idea for utilizing fresh eucalyptus, I knew it would be perfect for this time of year.

The chemical compounds in eucalyptus have anti-inflammatory effects that can help open up your airways and relieve congestion and other respiratory symptoms. An easy way to experience those benefits is to bring fresh eucalyptus into a warm, steamy environment like your shower.

As you shower, the heat and steam will activate and release those beneficial compounds, helping you to breathe easier while you get clean. Give it a try the next time you’re feeling stuffed up — you’ll be singing the praises of eucalyptus to everyone you know!

How To Hang Eucalyptus In Your Shower For Congestion Relief

Taking this type of aromatic shower is quick and easy, but first, you’ll need some fresh eucalyptus. Local flower shops or health food stores may carry it, and I’ve even seen branches of eucalyptus tucked into bouquets in the floral department at the grocery store. (If you find a bouquet like this, pick the eucalyptus out and display the rest of the bouquet in a vase — fresh flowers are never a waste, in my opinion!)

Once you have a few fresh eucalyptus branches, use a length of string or baker’s twine to tie them together in a bundle. Next, use another length of string or twine to tie the bundle to your shower head, positioning it so the leaves are close to the shower head but behind the spray of the water.

When your eucalyptus bundle is hung securely, all that’s left to do is to take a steamy shower! You can leave the eucalyptus in your shower for up to a week to continue to reap the respiratory benefits.

Note: Fresh eucalyptus can be toxic to cats and dogs, so be sure to keep your pets out of the bathroom if you plan on leaving the bundle in your shower.