For thousands of years, people around the world have steeped petals and leaves into oils, extracting the beneficial constituents from plants to apply to their bodies.

These herb-infused fats are massaged into the skin, which drinks in the lipids and the plant compounds within them. This is herbal body oiling.

Referenced in many of the earliest medical texts, it’s one of the oldest known practices for supporting full-body wellness.

In India, herbal oils are used for relaxation, rejuvenation, and as medicine. Texts describe the benefits of daily oil massage, as increasing resilience to stress, improving the function of vital organs, slowing the effects of age, and supporting sleep.

Today, there’s a renewed interest in herbal body oiling as a practice that centers and relaxes the body, supports the nervous and lymphatic systems, nourishes the skin, and promotes restful sleep. You can use them as much and as often as you like without having to worry about which chemicals, dyes, or synthetic fragrances you’re putting on your skin.

5 Benefits of Body Oiling

1. Calms Anxiety and Tension

Our skin, is packed with nerve endings. And the nervous system has a deep influence over how we perceive and respond to the world around us. If we nourish this system by oiling our lipid-loving skin, we increase resiliency in periods of anxiety and tension. In addition, the act of massaging oil into the skin promotes relaxation and reduces stress. And depending on the oil, the scent and compounds in it may also increase the calming effect on the mind and body.

2. Support Immunity

Massaging the oil onto the skin can help to stimulate circulation and move lymphatic fluid, supporting the body’s innate healing mechanisms. Because the lymphatic system is part of the immune system – filtering viruses, bacteria, and fungi from the body – when we support our lymph, we also support overall immunity. Moreover, oiling puts the body in a relaxed, parasympathetic state, fostering the processes of rest, digestion, and repair.

3. Improve Sleep Quality

By now, you’re probably beginning to see how all of these body oiling benefits are intertwined. The same relaxing effects of herbal body oiling that bring the nervous system into balance and support immunity can also ready our bodies for nighttime rest, allowing us to transition more quickly into deep and restorative sleep.

4. Nourish and Moisturize Skin

Herbal oils are rich in fats and plant compounds that nourish and hydrate the skin from lips to toes. These lipids in the oil carry the chemical constituents of the herbs into the deeper layers of the skin, helping to improve skin texture, tone, and elasticity.

5. Heightened Awareness to Your Body

Body oiling brings us into connection with our bodies any time we do it, and it’s available to us any time of the day. For some, that might mean full-body oiling after a bath or shower. For others, it might be a foot massage before bed. I find that taking short breaks throughout the day to massage a bit of oil or salve onto my hands and wrists keeps me grounded, centered, and in touch with my body as well as bring a moment of awarness to my wonderfully and fearfully God created body.

You Can Bring These Benefits Home

Body oiling may feel like luxurious self-care, but in these overstimulating times, it’s one of the wisest investments we can make in our health. Whether processing the stress of an intense day or creating a nighttime ritual to invite deeper sleep, body oiling is a simple yet effective way to lay the groundwork for restoration and well-being.

I oil my feet pretty much every night, before I proceed with the rest of my night routine.

This is one herbal home remedy that can easily be used every day. If you aren’t taking advantage of the profound benefits of herbal oiling – I encourage you to do so.

Body oiling offers layers of healing that will enhance your ability to care for yourself at home, create the conditions for good health, and help minimize the need for medical interventions.