iStockphoto Did you know? Peppermint could make you a better driver.

Your nose may not know basil from sage, but there's no mistaking peppermint. Its cool, refreshing scent is synonymous with the holidays, and that's good news for your physical and emotional health.

Teamed up with heat in a cup of hot tea or as part of a soul-soothing massage, peppermint is the perfect winter treat.

"Peppermint is cooling, so we'll be sure to use it with a warming service," says Abby Webster-Moran, licensed massage therapist and owner of Indigo Wellness in Moline, Ill. This time of year, her clients can experience aromatherapy massage that includes steaming towels touched with pure peppermint and lavender essential oils, which refresh and relax the senses while opening the sinuses. She says it's important to use 100-percent pure-grade essential oils because, unlike fragrance oils, they have a therapeutic effect in addition to smelling great.

Winter's shorter days and overcast skies getting you down? "In winter, we're stuck indoors, and there's the immense stress of the holidays. A lot of people feel sad or down because of the lack of light, and peppermint can help with that," she says. "Peppermint gives a boost and helps your mood feel elevated."

For the holidays, Studio One in Galena features peppermint as part of many services, from body treatments to pedicures. "We definitely customize our treatments during the seasons," says spa coordinator Sue Berning.

Even if a spa visit isn't in the cards -- or the budget -- you can make peppermint work for your body at home this season. Place a drop or two of the essential oil on your tongue instead of chewing sugary gum for lasting, minty breath that caresses your throat every time you inhale. Or add a few drops of pure peppermint oil to your bath to treat muscles that feel sore after holiday errands.

Though you don't want to apply pure peppermint oil to your skin because it can irritate -- massage therapists cut it with a carrier oil first -- you can steal a trick from cosmetics companies, which add tingly peppermint oil to lip treatments to increase blood flow to the lips and make them appear fuller and brighter. Apply a drop of the oil to your lips with a finger, and you'll feel the effects right away.

Mint has been cultivated for thousands of years, but peppermint -- a cross between water mint and spearmint -- is comparatively new, according to food historian Waverley Root. Someone discovered it in 1696 in Hertfordshire, England, and since then it's made its way into everything from spa treatments and holiday candies to fancy lattes and therapeutic tea blends.

Whether you're fighting the blues or the common cold, peppermint tea -- an herbal tea made from dried leaves of the plant Mentha piperita -- can lift your spirits and soothe your sinuses. Peppermint tea is good for upper-respiratory health and for sore throats, which are common in winter when indoor air turns dry, says Webster-Moran. Her husband, Shannon, buys organic herbs in bulk and blends herbal teas for sale at Indigo.

Peppermint has been used to treat a variety of health conditions, including nausea, indigestion and cold symptoms, and several medical studies have shown it to improve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Preliminary research shows that peppermint oil in combination with caraway oil may help relieve indigestion, as well, according to the National Center for Contemporary and Alternative Medicine.

Eat too much at a holiday party? A cup of peppermint tea could help. To soothe upset stomach, Webster-Moran suggests mixing a few drops of peppermint oil into a carrier oil such as grapeseed or sunflower oil, then slowly rubbing the stomach in a clockwise motion.

If you find yourself spending more time in the car this season, remember to pack a little peppermint. Dab a few drops of the essential oil on a cotton ball and tuck it under your sun visor. Peppermint can help you relax when you run into holiday traffic snarls and keep you awake if you're driving for hours to visit relatives.

According to research by associate professor of psychology Bryan Raudenbusch at Wheeling Jesuit University in Wheeling, W.V., drivers exposed to peppermint behind the wheel felt less frustrated, anxious and tired. Raudenbusch says that based on his findings, it's reasonable to expect that the scent of peppermint could help make you a more alert and conscientious driver, and "minimize the fatigue associated with prolonged driving."

In another study, Raudenbush's research showed that basketball players who inhaled the scent of peppermint before a game actually performed better.

Sounds like good reason to add a few drops of peppermint to the oil burner before starting the holiday cookie-baking marathon, doesn't it?