A recent study on the use of essential oils entitled: "The effect of aroma inhalation method on stress responses of nursing students." done by Park MK, Lee ES in the Department of Nursing, Nambu University, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju city, Korea reported in April 2004 has provided more valuable evidence into the efficacy of essential oils in helping to manage stress. The study was a "quasi-experimental research using a non-equivalent pre-post design with 77 nursing students who were divided into two groups, experimental and comparison control group. The level of anxiety in each participant was measured before and after the test by assessing "body symptoms" and "perceived level of stress". Members of the experimental group were allowed to inhale lavender, peppermint, rosemary and Clary-Sage Essential Oils from an aroma lamp (form of essential oil diffuser) while the control group received no intervention of any kind. They reported the following results: "As a result of administering aroma inhalation to nursing students, their physical symptoms decreased, their anxiety scores were low, and their perceived stress scores were low, showing that aroma inhalation could be a very effective stress management method." Their conclusions were: "Nursing educators should play an important role in contributing to college students' physical and psychological health by helping enhance their recognition of stress management and effectively relieving their stress using essential oils." As I have personally used many Therapeutic Grade essential oils for the last 10 years, I can attest to the wonderful improvements that I have seen in my ability to manage and stress levels with them. In particular I have found peppermint and lavender essential oils extremely refreshing, invigorating and calming at the same time. What is important to recognize however is that not all essential oils are "cut from the same cloth". A category called "Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils" attempts to maintain the integrity of the original composition of the plant oil by avoiding degradation of its many constituents, through the avoidance of the addition of synthetic oils (like those produced in the laboratory) or other agents that may in fact may be toxic. I am glad to see that the many personal benefits that I have had over the last 10 years with essential oils are now becoming supported scientifically. Reference: Park MK, Lee ES., Taehan Kanho Hakhoe Chi. 2004 Apr;34(2):344-51. |
