Aromatherapy's Impact on Sleep and Anxiety in Burn Patients

Patients recovering from burns often face challenges related to sleep and anxiety. Aromatherapy, a commonly used complementary treatment, was examined in a clinical trial aiming to understand how inhaling rose essential oil might affect sleep quality and anxiety levels in these patients.

Clinical trial

The trial aimed to investigate the effects of aromatherapy using rose essential oil on anxiety levels and sleep quality among individuals recovering from burns.

Conducted at Valiasr Hospital B in Arak, this controlled trial involved 60 burn patients admitted between March and July 2021. Patients were chosen for the trial and then randomly divided into two groups: the intervention group and the control group. The intervention group received aromatherapy along with their regular care for three consecutive nights, inhaling five drops of 40% rose essential oil. Meanwhile, the control group inhaled five drops of distilled water as a placebo. Anxiety levels and sleep quality were measured using the St. Mary’s Hospital Sleep Quality Questionnaire (SMHSQ) and the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) before and after the aromatherapy sessions.

Results

After the intervention, the group that received aromatherapy showed significantly better sleep quality scores compared to the control group. This indicated a substantial improvement in sleep quality among those who underwent aromatherapy. Additionally, the aromatherapy group exhibited a notable decrease in anxiety levels compared to the control group.

The findings indicate that using aromatherapy with rose essential oil notably reduced anxiety levels and improved sleep quality among burn patients. This suggests that incorporating aromatherapy alongside standard treatments might be beneficial for managing anxiety and improving sleep for individuals in the recovery phase after sustaining burns.

Conclusion

The outcomes of the clinical trial examining aromatherapy's influence on sleep and anxiety in burn patients present compelling evidence. By administering rose essential oil through aromatherapy sessions, a remarkable enhancement in sleep quality was observed among the patients who received this treatment. This improvement was notably significant compared to those who received the placebo. Moreover, the group undergoing aromatherapy experienced a substantial reduction in anxiety levels compared to the control group.

These findings underline the promising potential of utilizing aromatherapy with rose essential oil as an adjunctive therapy in the recovery journey of burn patients. By complementing conventional treatments with aromatherapy, marked improvements in managing anxiety and enhancing sleep quality were evident, offering a holistic approach to support patients during their recuperation.

__________