November 29, 2012
Aromatherapy and your heart
Essential oils, often used in aromatherapy for
stress relief, may also have a beneficial effect on heart rate and
blood pressure, according to researchers in Taiwan.
The study measured the heart rate and blood
pressure of 100 spa workers after exposure to essential oil
vapours. They found that between 15 and 60 minutes contact
with the vapours was associated with reduced blood pressure and heart rate.
However, those beneficial effects were
reversed when exposure to essential oils lasted more than
an hour.
There are other lifestyle decisions which we know for sure can help protect your heart
Our
Senior Cardiac Nurse, Ellen Mason, said: “Essential oils and
aromatherapy can help many people to
relax and
unwind. This study seems to show that up to an hour’s
exposure to these oils could help lower heart rate and blood
pressure.
“However, this was a very small study on young
spa workers in Taiwan. We do not know enough about
the long term effects of aromatherapy to draw any conclusions about
the possible positive or negative effects on your heart health.
“There are other lifestyle
decisions which we know for sure can help protect your
heart. Giving up smoking, being physically active, and eating a balanced diet are all positive steps towards
keeping your heart healthy.”
This research was published in The European
Journal of Preventative Cardiology.