title: Effect of Inhaled Lavender and Sleep Hygiene on Self-Reported Sleep Issues: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effectiveness of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and sleep hygiene versus sleep hygiene alone on sleep quantity and sleep quality and to determine sustained effect at two-week follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized controlled trial with investigator blinding and steps taken to blind the participants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants' usual sleep setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-nine college students with self-reported sleep issues.
  
  
  METHODS
  The intervention took place over five nights with baseline, postintervention, and two-week follow-up assessments. Both groups practiced good sleep hygiene and wore an inhalation patch on their chest at night. One group wore a patch with 55 μl of lavender essential oil and the other group wore a blank patch.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sleep quantity was measured using a Fitbit(®) tracker and a sleep diary, and sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the NIH Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) sleep disturbance short form.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The lavender and sleep hygiene group demonstrated better sleep quality at postintervention and two-week follow-up (PSQI p=0 .01, <0.001 and PROMIS p=0.04, 0.007, respectively). The sleep-hygiene-only group also demonstrated better sleep quality but to a lesser extent (PSQI p=0.02, 0.06 and PROMIS p=0.03, 0.03, respectively). Additionally, a clinical effect was found for the lavender group at postintervention, along with a significant finding for waking feeling refreshed (p=0.01). Sleep quantity did not differ between groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lavender and sleep hygiene together, and sleep hygiene alone to a lesser degree, improved sleep quality for college students with self-reported sleep issues, with an effect remaining at follow-up.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Minnesota , Minneapolis, MN.
authors.forename: Angela Smith
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Lillehei
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Minnesota , Minneapolis, MN.
authors.forename: Linda L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Halcón
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Minnesota , Minneapolis, MN.
authors.forename: Kay
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Savik
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Minnesota , Minneapolis, MN.
authors.forename: Reilly
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reis
mesh_terms: D056044:Actigraphy; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019341:Aromatherapy / Q000379:methods*; D005221:Fatigue; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D027523:Lavandula; D008297:Male; D008910:Minnesota; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010938:Plant Oils; C045718:lavender oil