DOES AROMATHERAPY REALLY GOOD TO SLEEP?
You keep turning left and right in your bed. What night was that when you had trouble falling asleep? Or what morning did the sun rise without blinking? The stress of daily life or the series of thoughts that bothered you in particular not only made you sleepless, but also added a little more fatigue to you when you got out of bed. The next night, while your eyes are open again, the reflection of the small glass bottle with the purple label on the nightstand catches your eye in the dimness of the night. Wasn't it the right time to give lavender oil a chance, which you never had the chance to use? You reach out and pick up the bottle, put a few drops on your wrists and bring your hands together on your stomach.
The melody you are familiar with is playing in your ears. You reach for your phone and turn off the alarm. It was morning! After a comfortable sleep, you yawn with pleasure and wake up fresh from your bed. The purple labeled bottle next to your phone is the first thing that makes you smile in the morning.
There are numerous studies examining the effects of aromatherapy with lavender, rose and jasmine oil on sleep quality in our country and in the world. The basic fact that these essential oils make it easier for us to fall asleep and increase our sleep quality is that essential oils reach the limbic system and produce gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) effect, especially in the amygdala. Known colloquially as the calming neurotransmitter, GABA's main function is to slow down brain function. The fact that GABA reduces factors such as stress, anxiety and depression has even been the subject of the journal Nature. In neurology, GABA deficiency has been associated with insomnia, panic attacks, headaches, depression, and various cognitive disturbances. In addition to consuming a variety of legumes and sprouts, doing physical activity, another remarkable method of increasing GABA level is to benefit from essential oils through inhalation (inhalation).
Another effect of aromatherapy on sleep is that it triggers the production of the hormone melatonin. The function of melatonin, known as the sleep hormone, is related to the circadian rhythm, that is, to the person's biological clock. The production and level of melatonin in the body varies depending on age. It is at its peak in the period from newborn to adolescence and gradually decreases in adulthood and old age. An important cause of sleep disorders experienced by older adults is this change in their biological clocks. Various psychological and physiological disorders that accompany it and reduce the quality of life occur in older adults. However, in these people who take different drug supplements for different symptoms, sleep disorder continues to be triggered with polypharmacy (simultaneous use of more than one drug). One of the alternative methods to deal with this problem is aromatherapy treatment. In 2019, a study was conducted in Mexico with participants who had exactly this problem. In this study, in which aromatherapy sessions with lavender oil were applied to the participants, no side effects were observed and promising results were encountered.
All these effects of aromatherapy are also used to help people with various diseases sleep in a hospital environment. There is research on this topic on hemodialysis, heart conditions, age-related mental illnesses, postpartum depression, and many more.
Maybe you do not have such a serious disease, but the tempo and stress of your own life may be causing you to have sleep disorders. Let a flower you love, a scent that you close your eyes while inhaling, heal you. If you're undecided, get a purple-labeled bottle and drop it on your wrists or diffuser to sleep tonight. Sleep well!
SOURCE
Effects of aromatherapy on sleep quality and anxiety of patients- Nursing in Critical Care
Effect of Rosa damascene aromatherapy on sleep quality in cardiac patients: A randomized controlled trial- Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice
Effect of aromatherapy with Lavender on sleep quality among patients undergoing hemodialysis- Feyz, Journal of Kashan University of Medical Sciences June
Effects of Inhalation Aromatherapy on Symptoms of Sleep Disturbance in the Elderly with Dementia- Hindawi
The effect of aromatherapy with lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) on serum melatonin levels- Complementary Therapies in Medicine
