Alzheimer’s

• In 2009 Psychogeriatrics published a study in which 17 elderly patients with Alzheimer’s disease received aromatherapy treatment in the morning and evening for 28 days. All patients showed significant improvement in personal orientation related to cognitive function.

Dementia

• In 2002 The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry published a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 71 patients which found that 4 weeks of aromatherapy with essential oil balm was able to reduced agitation and improve quality of life scores in patients with severe dementia.

Pain, depression, anxiety, and stress reduction

• In 2014 Biomed Research International published a study involving 82 participants which found that a 4-week aromatherapy program was able to reduced pain, depression, anxiety and stress levels among older adults with chronic pain.

Pain, anxiety, nausea

• In 2016 Complementary Therapies in Medicine published a retrospective study which analyzed essential oil use among 10,262 hospital patients. The researchers found that sweet marjoram had the greatest effect on pain, lavender and sweet marjoram reduced anxiety the most and ginger helped the most with nausea.

Sleep quality

• In 2017 Nursing in Critical Care published a study in which patients in a coronary intensive care unit were given 2 percent lavender oil via inhalation for 15 days. Compared to a control group the essential oil group experienced improved sleep quality and reduced in anxiety.
• In 2015 the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine published a meta-analysis of 12 studies and found that aromatherapy was effective in improving sleep quality in healthy and unhealthy individuals.

Sleep quality in heart disease patients

• In 2010 the Iranian Journal of Midwifery Research published a study which found that aromatherapy with lavender oil significantly improved sleep quality in patients with heart disease.

Stress in adolescents

• In 2009 the Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing published a placebo-controlled cross-over trial involving 36 female high school students which found that essential oil inhalation (using a necklace) was more effective than a placebo (carrier oil) in reducing salivary IgA (stress response marker).

Postpartum depression

• In 2012 Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice published a pilot study in which 28 women (who were at high risk for postpartum depression) 0-18 months postpartum received aromatherapy treatment with lavender and rose otto essential oils for 15 minutes, twice a week for 4 weeks. Compared to a control group, women treated with essential oils had significant improvements in depression and anxiety scores.

Anxiety, vital signs, sleep quality on ICU patients

• In 2013 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine published a 56-patient study in which lavender, roman chamomile, and neroli essential oils reduced anxiety and improved sleep quality in coronary ICU patients.

Depression

• In 2009 the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine published a review of 6 studies, for which some of the studies found that aromatherapy had a positive effect on depressive symptoms in patients with depression and cancer.

Pain, depression & quality of life for arthritis patients

• In 2005 Taehan Kanho Hakhoe Chi published a 40-patient study in which aromatherapy using lavender, marjoram, eucalyptus, rosemary, and peppermint essential oils mixed with carrier oils significantly reduced pain and depression scores in arthritis patients when compared to a control group.

Anxiety during child labor

• In 2015 the Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research published a study of 100 women in labor which found that orange essential oil reduced anxiety to a greater extent than a placebo.

Preoperative anxiety

• In 2011 the Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery published a study involving 72 patients scheduled for surgery, in which lavender oil was more effective than a placebo in reducing preoperative anxiety levels.
• In 2013 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine published a 109-patient study which found that bergamot essential oil was more effective in reducing preoperative anxiety than a placebo. [Source]

Anxiety and depression in college students

• In 2006 Taehan Kanho Hakhoe Chi published a 4-week study in which 100 percent lavender essential oil improved sleep quality and reduced severity of depression in 42 female college students with insomnia and depression.

Anxiety in children

• In 2013 Advanced Biomedical Research published a cross-over study in which 30 children ages 6-9 underwent a dental procedure, once with aromatherapy using orange essential oil, and again without any aroma. Researchers found that salivary cortisol levels and pulse rate – two indicators of stress and anxiety – were lower when aromatherapy was used.

Job-related stress

• In 2015 the International Journal of Nursing Practice published a study in which 53 nurses wore a small bottle of 3 percent lavender oil and 57 nurses in assigned to a placebo group wore bottles with no oil. The number of stress symptoms in the lavender group decreased from 6.1 to 2.8 (for 3 or 4 days) while no decrease in stress was seen in the placebo group.

Postoperative nausea

• In 2014 the Journal of Perianesthesia Nursing published a study in which 120 patients with postoperative nausea were assigned to either an aromatherapy group or a placebo group. The perceived effectiveness was significantly higher in the aromatherapy group.
• In 2013 Anesthesia and Analgesia published a study in which 301 patients with postoperative nausea received either aromatherapy or a placebo. The results showed that both ginger essential oil and a blend of ginger, spearmint, peppermint, and cardamom oils were significantly more effective in reducing postoperative nausea than a placebo.

Cesarean postoperative nausea

• In 2012 the Journal of Holistic Nursing published a 35-patient study in which peppermint spirits reduced cesarean postoperative nausea significantly more than anti-nausea drugs.

Cesarean postoperative pain

• In 2013 Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine published a placebo-controlled study in which 60 women who were cesarean postoperative inhaled either a placebo or lavender for at the start of pain and 4, 8 and 12 hours later. Patients in the lavender group had less pain, lower heart rates and used less anti-inflammatory pain medication.

Postoperative pain

• In 2006 Pain Practice published a study in which 50 patients undergoing breast biopsy surgery received either oxygen through a mask with 2 drops of 2 percent lavender oil or oxygen though a mask without oil. Patients in the lavender group reported higher satisfaction with regards to pain control.
• In 2007 Obesity Surgery published a placebo-controlled trial in which 54 patients received either a placebo or aromatherapy with lavender oil after lap-band surgery. Eighty-two percent of patients in the placebo group required analgesics for postoperative pain while only 46 percent in the aromatherapy group required pain medication.

Stress reduction for hypertensive individuals

• In 2006 Taehan Kanho Hakhoe Chi published a study of 52 subjects which showed that essential oils once used daily for 4 weeks were more effective than a placebo in reducing psychological stress, stress hormone levels (cortisol) and blood pressure in individuals with hypertension.

Constipation in elderly

• In 2005 Taehan Kanho Hakhoe Chi published a 10-day study which found that abdominal massage with essential oils rosemary, lemon, and peppermint improved constipation in elderly individuals more than massage alone.