Aromatherapy Is a Proven Effective Method for Lowering Blood Pressure
A number of recent studies have found that the calming and antidepressant effects of certain essential oils can actually help prevent or treat high blood pressure or hypertension. According to experts, aromatherapy using essential oils can reduce stress levels and stimulate relaxation, which then leads to the lowering of blood pressure. This is one of the many reasons a lot of people have a diffuser for essential oils in their homes.
In this post, we are going to talk about the findings of the study conducted at the Department of Nursing in Korea back in 2006. Although the said study was relatively small and the results are modest, it still adds to the number of evidence that proves the effectiveness of aromatherapy with essential oils when it comes to treating hypertension.
Method
The study involved 52 subjects who were randomly divided into three groups – control group, placebo group, and the essential oil group. Aromatherapy was applied using the process of inhalation of blended essential oils – ylang ylang, lavender, and bergamot. The participants in the essential oil group were made to inhale the scent of the essential oils once daily for four weeks.
In order to assess the effects of aromatherapy on the participants, their pulse and blood pressure were measured twice a week. Also, the researchers measured their catecholamine levels, cortisol levels, state anxiety, as well as subjective stress prior to and right after the treatment in the three groups. This data was then analyzed for comparison.
The Results
After the experiment was over, all the data collected was analyzed. It turned out that there was a significant difference among the subjective stress, pulse, blood pressure, state anxiety, as well as serum cortisol levels of the participants in the three groups. In short, those who experienced aromatherapy using the blended essential oils were obviously the ones with more stable blood pressure levels compared to the other participants who were not made to inhale essential oil blends.
Conclusion
The result of this study was consistent with the results of other studies on how aromatherapy affects a person’s blood pressure. It was concluded that the inhalation of essential oils, whether using an ultrasonic oil diffuser or directly from the bottle, can be an effective method and alternative for reducing serum cortisol levels. Furthermore, aromatherapy lowers psychological stress responses and the blood pressure of those with hypertension.
There have been numerous studies and tests that were performed to back the claims that essential oils and aromatherapy can have so many benefits to one’s body, mind, and health. Considering all the findings of various research studies, it makes a lot of sense that you invest in the best aromatherapy diffuser from Smiley Daisy.