Tried Navel Oiling for a Week — Here’s What Surprised Me

I’ll be honest — I used to roll my eyes at most ancient wellness trends. Oil pulling, dry brushing, even herbal teas — I figured they were all hype. But a friend recently mentioned navel oiling, and curiosity got the better of me.

For those unfamiliar, navel oiling is an Ayurvedic practice where you apply oil directly to your belly button. Sounds weird? I thought so too. But apparently, in Ayurveda, the navel (nabhi) is seen as the center of energy pathways in the body. Some even believe it connects to digestion, skin health, and stress regulation. So, I gave it a shot for a week.

Before diving in, I read this guide: https://ask-ayurveda.com/articles/1195-which-oil-is-best-for-navel-ayurvedic-guide-to-navel-oiling. It breaks down different oils you can use, depending on whether you want glowing skin, better digestion, or relaxation. I went with almond oil, hoping for some hydration and calm.

To my surprise, it became a little ritual I looked forward to each night. It only took a minute, but it felt grounding, especially after long, stressful days. I noticed my skin felt softer, and whether placebo or not, I slept better.

I also came across people sharing their experiences online. There’s a wellness post on Pinterest showing how navel oiling is part of a skin-care routine: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/895934919624963576. That caught my attention because skin health is a big one for me.

Then I saw this person on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/DLkSF3VJmg4/. They swear by navel oiling for digestion, which made me wonder if there’s more to this than ancient beliefs.

The emotional aspect intrigued me too. People on Threads chat about using navel oiling to unwind from stress: https://www.threads.com/@askayurveda_24/post/DLkSF0CxE9s. Honestly, that’s why I stuck with it for the week.

There’s also a more professional angle. On LinkedIn, folks are debating how these old practices can fit into modern routines: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:share:7345806156511985664. I love seeing these crossovers — ancient meets career life.

What struck me most was reading personal stories from people whose families passed this down for generations. A post I found on Facebook shared someone’s experience with navel oiling as part of their upbringing: https://www.facebook.com/885804900366149/posts/1047961994150438. Makes me wish I’d known about it sooner.

And one tweet really summed it up for me — “Sometimes ancient wisdom solves modern stress.” Here’s the link if you’re curious: https://twitter.com/1857364984759541760/status/1940040381841682935.

Look, I’m not saying it’s a magic cure. But I underestimated how small, mindful habits like this can create a ripple effect in how you feel.