HomeDiseaseThe Effect of Bergamot Essential Oil Aromatherapy on Improving Depressive Mood and Sleep Quality in Postpartum Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The Effect of Bergamot Essential Oil Aromatherapy on Improving Depressive Mood and Sleep Quality in Postpartum Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial

December 6, 2021

J Nurs Res. 2021 Oct 22. doi: 10.1097/jnr.0000000000000459. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The postpartum period is a physiologically and psychologically crucial transition phase for every woman who gives birth. Aromatherapy may improve mood and alleviate sleep challenges. However, few randomized controlled clinical trials have focused on the effect of aromatherapy in postpartum women.

PURPOSE: This study was designed to explore the effect of a bergamot essential oil aromatherapy intervention on depressive mood and sleep quality in postpartum women.

METHODS: This randomized controlled trial used consecutive sampling. The participants were all women in a postpartum care center in eastern Taiwan and were randomly assigned to either the experimental (n = 29) or control (n = 31) group. Bergamot essential oil aroma was used in the experimental group, and pure water aroma was used in the control group. The experimental and control interventions were both performed while the participants were residents at the postpartum care center in the afternoon for 15 minutes each day. Before the aroma intervention, pretests were conducted using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the Postpartum Sleep Quality Scale. The first and second posttests were conducted using the same two scales at 2 and 4 weeks after the intervention, respectively.

RESULTS: At both the first and second posttests, depressive mood was significantly lower (p < .001) in the experimental group than in the control group, supporting the positive effect of the bergamot essential oil aroma intervention on depressive mood in postpartum women. No significant intergroup difference in sleep quality (p > .05) was observed at either the first or second posttest, indicating an uncertain effect of the bergamot essential oil aroma intervention on sleep quality.

CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The results of this study support the effectiveness of bergamot essential oil aromatherapy in alleviating depressive mood in postpartum women. In addition, the results provide a practical reference for clinical postpartum nursing care.

PMID:34690334 | DOI:10.1097/jnr.0000000000000459

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About The Author

Patrick Blanchard MD

Meet Dr. Blanchard Dr. Blanchard’s medical practice is an embodiment of Integrative health which brings conventional and complementary approaches together in a coordinated way. Conveniently located in sunny Florida and over the internet with ValiseMD’s secure HIPPA compliant telXmed servers. Since 1994, patients with a wide range of challenging medical problems have achieved optimum health using the best of natural medicine, judiciously combined with high-tech innovations. Breakthroughs are often achieved even after patients have consulted mainstream specialists and holistic practitioners. Dr. Blanchard is founder and CEO of ValiseMD, Inc. He is board certified in Family Medicine since 1994 and awarded Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians in 2001. He received the ‘Teacher of the Year’ award from the University of Kansas School of Medicine at completion of his residency in Family Medicine. He completed a fellowship at Wake Forest University in the field of vascular neurosonology. He holds a medical patent in the field of Gastroenterology. He holds an unrestricted license to practice medicine and surgery in Florida. He started his medical career as a Emergency Medical Technician, then as a Paramedic and later a Medical Doctor.