Diet
& Lifestyle Relaxation
Lavender oil and elderly patients
Researchers at Oldham Cottage hospital recently investigated the potential of essential oil of lavender to aid rest and relaxation and thereby encourage the healing process in elderly
patients. The patients were monitored for seven days during which time their sleep patterns, dozing and alertness during the day were recorded. The following seven days one drop of Lavender augustfolia was put on each patient’s pillow at night. No other changes were made to the patients’ daily routine or medications that they were receiving.
At the end of the seven days, all of the patients’ records were collated and
analysed. Interestingly, all of the patients reacted favourably to the treatment; the researchers observed increased daytime alertness, improved sleep patterns and those patients who had previously experienced confusion were observed to display as much as a 50 per cent decrease in their symptoms.
Whilst this was a small scale study, it does provide an indication of the value of essential oil of lavender in not only aiding rest and promoting sleep at night when administered to elderly patients, but it also has the effect (which very likely occurs as a result of the improved sleep) in improving mental alertness and energy during the day. No doubt this study will inspire other more comprehensive research in this field.
Hudson R. The value of lavender for rest and activity in the elderly patient. Complementary Therapies in Medicine. 1996: 4; 52-57.
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Essential Oils and
sleep
Do the odours of aromatherapy essential oils
have any measurable physiological effects on us while we sleep? That is
the question that researchers at the Psychology Department, Bowling Green
State University, Ohio, USA (1) recently asked.
The researchers monitored ten participants (mean age = 22.8 years)
every three minutes to see whether any physiological changes could occur .
The participants were given three minute periods of either air alone or a
peppermint odour during stage 2 sleep. The odour was delivered through a
system comprising of an aquarium pump, Teflon and TYGON tubing, oxygen
mask, filtering, and air flow valves. The responses which were evaluated
included behavioral changes (i.e.. awakening or other changes), changes
affecting the autonomic nervous system (i.e.. heart rate, EMG, respiration
rate), and changes relating to the central nervous system (EEG)
components.
The results revealed conclusively that humans do react behaviorally,
autonomically and centrally to odour of the essential oil of peppermint administered while sleeping.
Significant differences in responsivity to odour periods versus nonodour periods were found for
EEG, EMG, and heart rate as well as behavioural changes. For these
measures eight or more of the ten participants showed this pattern of
differential responsivity during odour and nonodour periods .
Interestingly, the researchers found that the responsiveness tended to be
greatest early in the night. However, the report stated that more research
is required to investigate the effects of other durations of stimulation,
in other concentrations, and other essential oils.
Subsequently, scientists at Texas University (2) continued the line of
research by reviewing the physiological responses to odours from seven
essential oils (birch tar, galbanum, heliotropine, jasmine, lavender, lemon and peppermint) . In this study, 16 young
adult females participated and their responses to the stimuli were
assessed by EEG recordings from nineteen locations on their
scalps . Topographic maps were constructed from the amplitude spectra
in four frequency bands: delta (1-4 Hz), theta (4-8 Hz), alpha (8-13 Hz)
and beta (13-30 Hz).
Eight seconds of representative and odour-free EEG were selected for
analysis before the odours were administered, and again at three times
afterwards.
The participants differed in their subjective responses to the odours,
with the most consistently arousing and strong odours being galbanum,
lavender, lemon and peppermint. Heliotropine was notably weak. The most
pleasant odours were lemon and peppermint, while birch tar, galbanum and
lavender were consistently unpleasant. EEG map changes occurred in one or
more frequency bands in each subject in response to one or more of the
odours. Remarkably, EEG map changes sometimes occurred even with weak odours and even when the
subject seemed unaware of the odour's presence.
The most consistent responses to odours were in the theta band.
Analysis of variance confirmed that certain odours caused statistically
significant theta increases over the electrodes on the front al left area
of the head, but electrodes attached to both the anterior and posterior
areas of the head also tended to show significant theta increases.
The odours that caused the greatest increase in theta were birch tar,
jasmine, lavender and lemon. During blank control
trials, theta activity diminished. Several of the odours caused increased
theta at one or more periods. Lemon caused an immediate increase in theta
that abated with time. Birch tar induced a delayed
response that persisted after the stimulus was turned off. Whilst, both
Jasmine and lavender tended to induce theta sooner than birch tar, but the
effect did stopped as soon as the odour was withdrawn.
The researchers concluded that all odours used affected the EEG in at
least some subjects, and all subjects responded to at least some odours.
Widespread increase in theta occurred in most subjects during stimulation
with such odours as birch tar, jasmine, lavender and lemon.
Both studies reveal that the odours from at least some essential oils
do affect the autonomic and central nervous systems which can be
demonstrated, not just by subjective assessments, but more importantly by
objective physiological data. No doubt more studies in this area will be
forthcoming.
(1) Badia P; Wesensten N; Lammers W; Culpepper J; Harsh
J. Responsiveness to olfactory stimuli presented in sleep. Psychology
Department, Bowling Green State University, OH 43403.Physiol Behav (UNITED
STATES) Jul 1990, 48 (1) p87-90
(2) Klemm W.R.; Lutes S.D.; Hendrix D.V.; Warrenburg S.
Topographical EEG maps of human responses to odors. Dept. Vet. Anatomy and
Public Health, Texas A& M University, College Station,TX
77843 USA. CHEM. SENSES (United Kingdom) , 1992, 17/3 (347-361)
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This page was last updated on 28 March 2001 11:26:16
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