Written by Taylor Woosley, Staff Writer. 20-min aromatherapy massage sessions using lavender, chamomile, and rosemary oils three times per week for two three-week periods significantly reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression in elderly subjects. 

essential oilsThe aging population is a global trend with extensive social and economic consequences and the World Health Organization has predicted that the proportion of the world’s elderly people will be doubled by 2050 from 12% to 22%1. Life expectancy has increased significantly but that does not always signify an improvement in the quality of life2. More than 20% of people aged 60 and older suffer from mental and neurological disturbances, the most common mental health problems including depression (7%) and anxiety disorders (3.8%)3. Anxiety can manifest as physical symptoms such as insomnia, behavioral, sensory, urinary, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal disorders in the elderly4.

Aromatherapy, as a non-pharmacologic and complementary and alternative therapy, uses aromatic oils to reduce anxiety by stimulating the olfactory system and releasing nerve mediators5. Lavender and chamomile are commonly used oils for relaxation due to their anxiolytic properties, along with helping reduce anxiety6. Additionally, research on rosemary oil was associated with reduced overall anxiety and enhanced attention and memory7.

Mehrabian et al. conducted a two-armed, multicenter, randomized, controlled trial to evaluate the effect of aromatherapy massage with lavender, chamomile, and rosemary oils on the depression and anxiety of elderly subjects living in nursing homes. Inclusion criteria consisted of being between ages 65 and 85 years and being tolerant of aromatic oils. Study exclusion criteria included a history of skin allergies to aromatic substances, cognitive disorders, diagnosed mental disorders, and using antianxiety or antidepression drugs. Subject’s (n=38) completed demographic questionnaires which included information on age, gender, marital status, education, and satisfaction from the nursing home. Participants also completed The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), a valid self-rating scale that measures anxiety and depression.

Aromatherapy used in the study was in the form of a massage with essential oils of lavender, chamomile, and rosemary in a 4:3:2 ratio and diluted in jojoba oil at 3%. Ten drops of the combined oils were applied to the back of the legs, foot, and knees of subjects in the treatment group (n=19) during a 20-min massage. Participants in the control group (n=19) did not receive any treatment with aromatherapy. The treatment group received 20-min massages three times per week for two three-week periods separated by a one-week break for a total of 18 treatments. Data collection, consisting of the HADS questionnaire, was collected at four time points throughout the study (before intervention, third week, fifth week, and seventh week).

Independent t test, chi-squared test, and Fisher exact test were used to compare demographic variables between two groups. Repeated measures ANOVA were utilized to assess anxiety and depression between the two groups across times. Significant findings of the study are as follows:

  • Repeated measures ANOVA results showed the anxiety mean score at the end of the third week (7.94 ±70), at the beginning of the fifth week (7.94 ± 3.27), and at the end of the seventh week (6.26 ± 3.38) had decreased in the treatment group, while it had increased in the control group (p<.0001).
  • Repeated measures ANOVA showed the depression mean score at the end of the third week (5.94 ±81), at the beginning of the fifth week (6.15 ± 2.69), and the end of the seventh week (4.15 ± 2.14) had significantly decreased in the treatment group, while it increased in the control group (p<.0001).

Results of the study show that 20-min aromatherapy massage sessions three times per week for two three-week periods significantly reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression in elderly subjects in nursing homes. Further research should continue to explore the benefits of aromatherapy with the use of different massage practices and various oils to compare findings. Study limitations include the lack of an equivalent-treatment control group for comparison, the small sample size, and the impossibility of blindness of the researcher and participants.

Source: Mehrabian, Shima, Batool Tirgari, Mansooreh Azizzadeh Forouzi, Haleh Tajadini, and Yunes Jahani. “Effect of Aromatherapy Massage on Depression and Anxiety of Elderly Adults: a Randomized Controlled Trial.” International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork 15, no. 1 (2022): 37.

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Posted January 25, 2023.

Taylor Woosley studied biology at Purdue University before becoming a 2016 graduate of Columbia College Chicago with a major in Writing. She currently resides in Glen Ellyn, IL.

References:

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  2. Turana Y, Tengkawan J, Chia YC, et al. Mental health problems and hypertension in the elderly: Review from the HOPE Asia Network. J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). Mar 2021;23(3):504-512. doi:10.1111/jch.14121
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  5. Tabatabaeichehr M, Mortazavi H. The Effectiveness of Aromatherapy in the Management of Labor Pain and Anxiety: A Systematic Review. Ethiop J Health Sci. May 2020;30(3):449-458. doi:10.4314/ejhs.v30i3.16
  6. Zamanifar S, Bagheri-Saveh MI, Nezakati A, Mohammadi R, Seidi J. The Effect of Music Therapy and Aromatherapy with Chamomile-Lavender Essential Oil on the Anxiety of Clinical Nurses: A Randomized and Double-Blind Clinical Trial. J Med Life. Jan-Mar 2020;13(1):87-93. doi:10.25122/jml-2019-0105
  7. Wells BM, Nightingale LM, Derby DC, Salsbury SA, Lawrence D. Aromatherapy for test anxiety in chiropractic students. J Chiropr Educ. Mar 1 2021;35(1):50-58. doi:10.7899/jce-18-36