Evaluation of the inhalation of lavender oil on physiological and psychological effects: A pilot study

Stress has a proven negative impact on health. Recently, researchers have been interested in finding natural based solutions that can assist in managing stress levels. Essential oils (EOs) are natural phytochemicals that are powerful in their health care benefits. Lavender EO is popular in its role of relieving stress. Thus, the main purpose of this study is to investigate the relaxation effect of inhaling lavender essential oil on the physiological and psychological parameters using smart technology. The study was conducted on university students, in which a homogenous group of healthy students were selected to participate in this study. The students were exposed to olfactory stimulation, which involves spraying the air “as a control” and the lavender essential oil using an air diffuser. The physiological measurements were taken by smart tools that measure the heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), and oxygen level (OL). Conventional medical instruments were used to measure the heart rate (HR), and blood pressure (BP). The psychological measurements were recorded by surveying the participants using the online web application tool “Google Forms” by answering mood state questionnaires, which took place after the experimental and control conditions. Results showed that aromatherapy inhaling lavender EO has a significant effect on the overall measured physiological parameters (reduction in the HR and BP, and increase in the HRV), and enhancement on the overall psychological parameters; thus minimizing the overall stress levels among the university students.