Positive Health Online
Your Country
![[Image: http://www.abundanceandhealth.co.uk]](/img/original/BannerAvatar/2836.df7d2315253110ff5b3a566f94871f99.jpg "http://www.abundanceandhealth.co.uk")
![[Image: https://www.water-for-health.co.uk/]](/img/original/BannerAvatar/4046.12831f50177f8848ee87b8e94411d6b3.jpg "https://www.water-for-health.co.uk/")
![[Image: http://www.balens.co.uk]](/img/original/BannerAvatar/2148.50367fa908013fae0a7f1a171543ef92.jpg "http://www.balens.co.uk")
![[Image: http://www.drsgoodman.com/books-goodman/52-nutrition-and-cancer]](/img/original/BannerAvatar/1859.1296090fd8385e7ceff51c8011559097.jpg "http://www.drsgoodman.com/books-goodman/52-nutrition-and-cancer")
Research: KAO and COLLEAGUES,
Listed in Issue 249
Abstract
KAO and COLLEAGUES, 1. Graduate Institute of Health Allied Education, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences , Taipei City, Taiwan; 2 Department of Health Promotion and Gerontological Care, Taipei College of Maritime Technology , New Taipei City, Taiwan; 3 Graduate Institute of Integration of Traditional Chinese Medicine with Western Nursing, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences , Taipei City, Taiwan; 4 Department of Nursing, Hungkuang University , Taichung City, Taiwan; 5 Department of Exercise and Health Science, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences , Taipei City, Taiwan conducted a randomized controlled trial experimental design to compare the effectiveness of aromatherapy and acupressure massage intervention strategies on the sleep quality and quality of life (QOL) in career women.
Background
Methodology
The randomized controlled trial experimental design was used in the present study. One hundred and thirty-two career women (24-55 years) voluntarily participated in this study and they were randomly assigned to (1) placebo (distilled water), (2) lavender essential oil (Lavandula angustifolia), (3) blended essential oil (1:1:1 ratio of L. angustifolia, Salvia sclarea, and Origanum majorana), and (4) acupressure massage groups for a 4-week treatment. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Short Form 36 Health Survey were used to evaluate the intervention effects at pre- and postintervention.
Results
After a 4-week treatment, all experimental groups (blended essential oil, lavender essential oil, and acupressure massage) showed significant improvements in sleep quality and QOL (p < 0.05). Significantly greater improvement in QOL was observed in the participants with blended essential oil treatment compared with those with lavender essential oil (p < 0.05), and a significantly greater improvement in sleep quality was observed in the acupressure massage and blended essential oil groups compared with the lavender essential oil group (p < 0.05).
Conclusion
The blended essential oil exhibited greater dual benefits on improving both QOL and sleep quality compared with the interventions of lavender essential oil and acupressure massage in career women. These results suggest that aromatherapy and acupressure massage improve the sleep and QOL and may serve as the optimal means for career women to improve their sleep and QOL.
References
Kao YH1, Huang YC2, Chung UL3,4, Hsu WN5, Tang YT5, Liao YH5. Comparisons for Effectiveness of Aromatherapy and Acupressure Massage on Quality of Life in Career Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Altern Complement Med. 23(6):451-460. Jun 2017 doi: 10.1089/acm.2016.0403. Epub May 15 2017.
Comment
The above randomized controlled trial research demonstrated that the blended essential oil group experienced the dual benefits of improved quality of life (QOL) and sleep quality than the other groups in the study.
