Short- and long-term effects of inhaled lavender essential oil on anxiety, fatigue, blood pressure, and sleep quality in middle-aged adults with hypertension: A randomized placebo-controlled pilot study.

2025-12
Complementary therapies in medicine 95
- Yi-Ren Wang
- Ying-Chih Ho
- Yueh-Chiao Yeh

PubMed: 41177368
DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2025.103296

Study Design

Type: Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)
Sample size: n = 30
Population: 58 hypertensive adults aged 40-60 years
Methods: Randomized to intervention group (lavender essential oil, n=30) or placebo group (sweet almond oil, n=28); assessments at baseline, immediately after a single 15-minute inhalation session, and following daily 15-minute sessions over seven consecutive days
Blinding: Double-blind
Duration: seven consecutive days
Funding: Unclear

Background

Hypertension commonly manifests with anxiety, fatigue, and sleep disturbances that negatively impact quality of life. Lavender essential oil is widely used in complementary therapies for its anxiolytic, hypotensive, and sedative properties. This study aimed to investigate the short- and long-term effects of inhaled lavender essential oil, delivered via a magnetic face mask clip, on psychological and physiological outcomes in middle-aged adults with hypertension.

Methods

Fifty-eight hypertensive adults aged 40-60 years were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (lavender essential oil, n = 30) or a placebo group (sweet almond oil, n = 28). Assessments were conducted at baseline, immediately after a single 15-minute inhalation session, and following daily 15-minute sessions over seven consecutive days. Outcome measures included the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Chalder Fatigue Questionnaire (CFQ), systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and the Verran and Snyder-Halpern Sleep Scale (VHS).

Results

At baseline, both groups were demographically comparable. Immediately post-intervention, the aroma group showed significantly greater reductions in anxiety (STAI: -15.7 vs. -0.9, p < .001) and SBP (p = .025). After seven days, the intervention group demonstrated significant improvements across all measures: STAI (-15.6 vs. -0.6, p < .001), fatigue (CFQ: -4.8 vs. -0.9, p = .011), SBP (p = .002) and DBP (p = .033), and sleep quality (VHS: +165.0 vs. +4.7, p < .001).

Conclusion

Inhalation of lavender essential oil via a mask clip may serve as an effective complementary approach for improving emotional and physiological outcomes in hypertensive adults.

Research Insights

Lavender→Improved Sleep Quality
After seven days, the intervention group demonstrated significant improvements ... sleep quality (VHS: +165.0 vs. +4.7, p < .001)
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Large
Dose
15-minute inhalation session (daily for 7 days)
Lavender→Reduced Anxiety
immediately post-intervention, the aroma group showed significantly greater reductions in anxiety (STAI: -15.7 vs. -0.9, p < .001) ... After seven days, the intervention group demonstrated significant improvements across all measures: STAI (-15.6 vs. -0.6, p < .001)
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Large
Dose
15-minute inhalation session (daily for 7 days)
Lavender→Reduced Diastolic Blood Pressure
After seven days, the intervention group demonstrated significant improvements ... DBP (p = .033)
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Moderate
Dose
15-minute inhalation session (daily for 7 days)
Lavender→Reduced Fatigue
After seven days, the intervention group demonstrated significant improvements ... fatigue (CFQ: -4.8 vs. -0.9, p = .011)
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Moderate
Dose
15-minute inhalation session (daily for 7 days)
Lavender→Reduced Systolic Blood Pressure
immediately post-intervention, the aroma group showed significantly greater reductions ... SBP (p = .025) ... After seven days, the intervention group demonstrated significant improvements ... SBP (p = .002)
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Large
Dose
15-minute inhalation session (daily for 7 days)