Aromatherapy is a popular addition to spa treatments at Kocoon Spa. Lavender is one of the most studied essential oils for relaxation. Here is a summary of what peer-reviewed research has found.

Lavender and anxiety: a 2023 systematic review

A systematic review titled "Anxiety-Reducing Effects of Lavender Essential Oil Inhalation" was published in 2023 (PMC, PMID indexed). The review included randomized controlled trials published between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2022 that tested inhaled lavender essential oil for anxiety reduction in human participants.

The review included 11 randomized controlled trials with a total of 972 participants. Studies tested lavender inhalation in settings ranging from surgical preparation to hemodialysis and postmenopausal care. The reviewers concluded that inhaled lavender essential oil showed anxiety-reducing effects across multiple clinical contexts, though study designs and outcome measures varied.

Supporting clinical trials

Several individual trials support these findings:

• Ebrahimi H, et al. (2021): A randomized controlled trial published in EXPLORE (2021;18(3):272-278) tested lavender and chamomile essential oil inhalation in 84 older community-dwelling adults. After 4 weeks, the aromatherapy group showed significant reductions in depression, anxiety, and stress scores compared to the control group.
• Guo P, et al. (2023): A randomized controlled trial published in EXPLORE (May-June 2023;19(3):356-361; originally accepted November 2022) found that lavender aromatherapy reduced intraoperative anxiety in women undergoing caesarean section under spinal anesthesia.
• Nategh M, et al. (2022): A single-blind randomized clinical trial published in Frontiers in Nursing (2022;2:233-240; published June 20, 2022) found that lavender aromatherapy reduced anxiety and depression in 110 patients with acute coronary syndrome over a 3-day hospitalization period.

Important context

Research on lavender aromatherapy is promising but has limitations. Most studies involve specific clinical populations, short intervention periods, and varied dosing methods. Effects on physiological stress markers such as cortisol have been inconsistent across studies. Aromatherapy should be viewed as a supportive relaxation tool, not a treatment for diagnosed anxiety disorders.

Some people are sensitive to essential oils. If you are pregnant, have asthma, allergies, or take medications, mention this to your therapist before an aromatherapy session.

Sources

• Anxiety-Reducing Effects of Lavender Essential Oil Inhalation: A Systematic Review. PMC. Published 2023. PMC10671255
• Ebrahimi H, Mardani A, Basirinezhad MH, et al. The effects of Lavender and Chamomile essential oil inhalation aromatherapy on depression, anxiety and stress in older community-dwelling people. EXPLORE. 2021;18(3):272-278.
• Guo P, Li P, Zhang X, et al. The effect of lavender aromatherapy on the level of intraoperative anxiety in caesarean case under spinal anesthesia. EXPLORE. 2023;19(3):356-361. Published 2022.
• Nategh M, Heidari MR, Ebadi A, et al. Lavender aromatherapy on anxiety and depression in patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome. Front Nurs. 2022;2:233-240. Published June 20, 2022.

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