Abstract
Background: Essential oils are among the preferred alternative remedies for treating sleep disturbance, but empirical evidence for their effectiveness is varied. According to a new line of research, an inhaler designed to deliver high concentrations of essential oil molecules directly into the nose effectively influences the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the autonomous nervous system.
Objective: This study was run to investigate whether insomnia complaints were reduced upon the use of the inhaler AromaStick® ‘Relax’.
Methods: A documentation field study involving thirty individuals with a recorded history of nonspecific insomnia complaints was conducted to determine the inhaler’s specific effects.
Results: Upon nightly use for one week, the odor inhaler strongly improved sleep quality and reduced symptoms associated with poor sleep. Depending on the dimensions tested, effect sizes ranged between 0.8 < d < 2.6. The strongest effects were found for ‘difficulty maintaining sleep’, ‘difficulty initiating sleep’ and ‘feeling recovered after sleeping’.
Conclusion: The inhaler proved to be useful in mitigating sleep impairment. The effects were strongest in individuals reporting low sleep quality.
Keywords: Aromatherapy, AromaStick®, essential oil inhaler, effectiveness, sleep disturbance, sleep quality.
Graphical Abstract
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14656566.2018.1511705] [PMID: 30175928]
[http://dx.doi.org/10.5402/2012/914168]
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2008.04.006] [PMID: 18952469]
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2017.12.003] [PMID: 29397329]
[http://dx.doi.org/10.17485/ijst/2016/v9i40/103247]
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/acm.2014.0113] [PMID: 25584799]
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/681304] [PMID: 23573142]
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eujim.2012.08.001]
[http://dx.doi.org/10.5812/ircmj.17(4)2015.25880] [PMID: 26023343]
[PMID: 22049287]
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/1902807] [PMID: 28400839]
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eujim.2017.04.009]
[PMID: 30525233]
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/1.2794204] [PMID: 8748525]
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nn1892] [PMID: 17450136]
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/smi.2636] [PMID: 25787105]
[http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1573398X14666180221112846]
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jtherbio.2019.102478] [PMID: 31999606]
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/9780470743386]
[http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781412985031]
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10654-016-0149-3] [PMID: 27209009]
[http://dx.doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.2040] [PMID: 22893774]
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mehy.2006.02.042] [PMID: 16624497]
[http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3149007]