J Korean Acad Nurs.  2019 Dec;49(6):655-676. 10.4040/jkan.2019.49.6.655.

Effects of Aromatherapy on Sleep Quality: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

• Kim ME
• Jun JH
• Hur MH

• KMID: 2505785
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2019.49.6.655

Abstract

Purpose
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of aromatherapy on sleep quality.
Methods
This is a systematic review of randomized controlled trial studies (PROSPERO registration number CRD42017064519). In this study, the PICO were adults and the elderly, aromatherapy intervention, a comparative intervention with the control and placebo oil groups, and sleep. The selected articles were in English, Korean, and Chinese.
Results
The results of the meta-analysis showed that the effect sizes of the experimental group were 1.03 (n=763, SMD=1.03, 95% CI 0.66 to 1.39) (Z=5.47, p<.001). In the aromatherapy intervention group, the effect size of sleep was statistically significant (Q_B =9.39, df=2, p=.009), with a difference of 0.77 for inhalation, 1.12 for oral intake and 2.05 for massage. A post-analysis showed that the effect of massage on sleep was significantly greater than the inhalation method. The regression coefficient of the intervention period, B=0.01 (Z=1.43, p=.154), also showed that the longer the intervention period, the larger the effect size; however, it was not statistically significant.
Conclusion
A total of 23 literature analyses showed that aromatherapy is effective in improving quality of sleep, and the massage method is more effective in improving quality of sleep than the inhalation method. A meta-ANOVA showed that the aromatherapy intervention affected the high heterogeneity of the effect size. Thus, future research with stricter control in methods and experimental procedures is necessary.

Keyword

Aromatherapy; Sleep; Systematic Review; Randomized Controlled Trial

Figure

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  Figure 1 Flow chart of study selection process.

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  Figure 2A Risk of bias graph: review authors' judgements about each risk of bias item presented as percentages across all included studies.

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  Figure 2B Risk of bias summary: review authors' judgements about each risk of bias item for each included study.

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  Figure 2C Funnel plot of comparison.

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  Figure 3A Forest plot of the effects of aromatherapy on sleep quality.

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  Figure 3B Forest plot of aromatherapy on sleep quality according to health status.

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  Figure 3C Forest plot of aromatherapy on sleep quality according to type of aromatherapy (Aromatherapy vs. no-treatment).

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  Figure 3D Forest plot of aromatherapy on sleep quality according to type of aromatherapy (Aromatherapy vs. placebo).

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  Figure 3E Forest plot of the effects of aroma essential oil on sleep quality (Aromatherapy vs. no-treatment).

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  Figure 3F Forest plot of the effects of aroma essential oil on sleep quality (Aromatherapy vs. placebo).

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