The immediate effects of lavender-based essential oil inhalation on subsequent polysomnography in people with poor sleep quality.

Chun-Pai Yang, Cheng-Chia Yang, I-Ju Tsai, Tsung-Hsing Lin, Ya-Ling Chiou, Hsiao-Fen Wang, Ching-Mao Chang, Kuang-Hway Yih

Journal: Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA 2023;86(7):665-671

PMID: 37098173

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Abstract

BACKGROUND

Although aromatherapy is considered an adjuvant therapy to promote sleep quality, few objective sleep testing instruments can confirm the effects of aromatherapy on sleep physiology. The purpose of this study was to confirm and compare the immediate effects of a single lavender essential oil (SLEO) group to a complex lavender essential oil (CLEO) group by objective polysomnography (PSG) recordings.

METHODS

Participants were randomly divided into the SLEO group and CLEO group in this single-blind trial to explore the sleep effect of essential oil aroma. All the participants completed the sleep-related questionnaires and underwent two consecutive nights of PSG recordings, who had one night without aromatherapy and one night with one of the two aromas randomly assigned to them.

RESULTS

Total of 53 participants were recruited for this study, 25 participants were in the SLEO group, and 28 were in the CLEO group. Baseline characteristics and sleep-related questionnaires were similar in both groups. Both SLEO and CLEO extended the total sleep time (TST) (Δ = 43.42 and 23.75 minutes, respectively) and sleep period time (SPT) (Δ = 38.86 and 24.07 minutes, respectively). The SLEO group further improved sleep efficiency and increased the amounts of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and decreased spontaneous arousals. However, there was no significant difference in PSG parameters between the SLEO and CLEO groups.

CONCLUSION

Both SLEO and CLEO extended TST and SPT, with no significant differences between these two groups. These results warrant practical applications and merit future studies (Clinical trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov : NCT03933553).

Address: Department of Neurology, Kuang Tien General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.; Department of Nutrition, HungKuang University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.; Ph.D. Program in Translational Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.; Department of Medical Research, Kuang Tien General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.; Department of Healthcare Administration, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.; Department of Emergency Medicine, Kuang Tien General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.; Department of Nutrition (Master Program), Hungkuang University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.; General Education Center & Department of Applied Cosmetology, Hungkuang University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.; Department of Applied Cosmetology, Hungkuang University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.; Center for Traditional Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.; Institute of Traditional Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.; Faculty of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.

DOI: 10.1097/JCMA.0000000000000932

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MeSH Terms: Humans, Polysomnography, Lavandula, Sleep Quality, Single-Blind Method, Oils, Volatile, Aromatherapy