The Effectiveness of Lavender Aromatherapy Combined With Slow Breathing Exercises in Improving Occupational Burnout and Sleep Disorders Among Nursing Staff

NCT06914167 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: TSGH-SS_E_114015
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 70
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study investigates the effects of breathing exercises combined with lavender essential oil inhalation on occupational burnout and sleep disturbances in rotating shift nurses.

Conditions

Sleep Wake Disorders

Keywords

Sleep Wake Disorders

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Nursing Burnout Scale, NBS

  The Nurse Burnout Inventory is specifically developed based on nurses' clinical practice experiences. It includes items that reflect three key dimensions: emotional exhaustion resulting from the high-tension clinical work environment, reduced personal accomplishment associated with feelings of ineffectiveness in medical care, and depersonalization, characterized by indifference toward others due to prolonged burnout.

  At baseline, and at 4 and 8 weeks following the start of intervention

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• The Chinese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, CPSQI

  At baseline, and at 4 and 8 weeks following the start of intervention

Study Arms (5)

Control Group

NO INTERVENTION

Participants will maintain their usual lifestyle without any intervention.

Breathing-Only Group

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Participants will perform slow breathing training (6 breaths per minute) for 3 minutes daily before bedtime, without any essential oil inhalation, for 4 weeks.

Behavioral: Slow Breathing Exercises

Experimental Group 1

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will receive slow breathing training (6 breaths per minute) once daily before bedtime, combined with the inhalation of 3 drops of natural lavender essential oil on a towel, for 3 minutes, over a 4-week period.

Behavioral: Slow Breathing Exercises; Behavioral: Lavender Essential Oil Inhalation

Experimental Group 2

EXPERIMENTAL

Same breathing protocol as above, with 3 drops of linalyl acetate-containing essential oil on a towel, for 3 minutes, over a 4-week period.

Behavioral: Slow Breathing Exercises; Behavioral: linalyl acetate essential oil Inhalation

Experimental Group 3

EXPERIMENTAL

Same breathing protocol, with 3 drops of linalool-containing essential oil on a towel, for 3 minutes, over a 4-week period.

Behavioral: Slow Breathing Exercises; Behavioral: linalool essential oil Inhalation

Interventions

Slow Breathing Exercises BEHAVIORAL

Participants will perform slow breathing (6 breaths/min) for 3 minutes daily before bedtime

Breathing-Only Group; Experimental Group 1; Experimental Group 2; Experimental Group 3

Lavender Essential Oil Inhalation BEHAVIORAL

inhalation of 3 drops of lavender essential oil on a towel,

Experimental Group 1

linalyl acetate essential oil Inhalation BEHAVIORAL

inhalation of 3 drops of linalyl acetate essential oil on a towel.

Experimental Group 2

linalool essential oil Inhalation BEHAVIORAL

inhalation of 3 drops of linalool essential oil on a towel.

Experimental Group 3

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 20 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Aged between 20 and 65 years Registered nurses with at least 6 months of clinical experience and currently working rotating shifts Scores ≥1 in each of the three dimensions (emotional exhaustion, reduced personal accomplishment, depersonalization) on the Nursing Burnout Scale (NBS) Willing to participate in the study and accept random assignment

You may not qualify if:

• Nurses with less than 6 months of clinical experience Individuals with anosmia or reduced sense of smell Diagnosed with psychiatric disorders Allergic to lavender essential oil Not currently working rotating shifts

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Tri-Service General Hospital: lead

Study Sites (1)

Tri-Service General Hospital, Songshan Branch

Taipei City, Taipei, 105, Taiwan

Location

Related Publications (11)

• Bavarsad NH, Bagheri S, Kourosh-Arami M, Komaki A. Aromatherapy for the brain: Lavender's healing effect on epilepsy, depression, anxiety, migraine, and Alzheimer's disease: A review article. Heliyon. 2023 Jul 20;9(8):e18492. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e18492. eCollection 2023 Aug.

  PMID: 37554839 BACKGROUND

• Sugawara Y, Shigetho A, Yoneda M, Tuchiya T, Matumura T, Hirano M. Relationship between mood change, odour and its physiological effects in humans while inhaling the fragrances of essential oils as well as linalool and its enantiomers. Molecules. 2013 Mar 13;18(3):3312-38. doi: 10.3390/molecules18033312.

  PMID: 23486108 BACKGROUND

• Zangaro GA, Dulko D, Sullivan D, Weatherspoon D, White KM, Hall VP, Squellati R, Donnelli A, James J, Wilson DR. Systematic Review of Burnout in US Nurses. Nurs Clin North Am. 2022 Mar;57(1):1-20. doi: 10.1016/j.cnur.2021.11.001.

  PMID: 35236600 BACKGROUND

• Zaccaro A, Piarulli A, Melosini L, Menicucci D, Gemignani A. Neural Correlates of Non-ordinary States of Consciousness in Pranayama Practitioners: The Role of Slow Nasal Breathing. Front Syst Neurosci. 2022 Mar 21;16:803904. doi: 10.3389/fnsys.2022.803904. eCollection 2022.

  PMID: 35387390 BACKGROUND

• Yang CP, Yang CC, Tsai IJ, Lin TH, Chiou YL, Wang HF, Chang CM, Yih KH. The immediate effects of lavender-based essential oil inhalation on subsequent polysomnography in people with poor sleep quality. J Chin Med Assoc. 2023 Jul 1;86(7):665-671. doi: 10.1097/JCMA.0000000000000932. Epub 2023 Apr 25.

  PMID: 37098173 BACKGROUND

• Sullivan V, Hughes V, Wilson DR. Nursing Burnout and Its Impact on Health. Nurs Clin North Am. 2022 Mar;57(1):153-169. doi: 10.1016/j.cnur.2021.11.011. Epub 2022 Feb 9.

  PMID: 35236605 BACKGROUND

• Moghadam ZE, Delmoradi F, Aemmi SZ, Vaghee S, Vashani HB. Effectiveness of aromatherapy with inhaled lavender essential oil and breathing exercises on ECT-related anxiety in depressed patients. Explore (NY). 2022 Nov-Dec;18(6):683-687. doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2021.12.006. Epub 2021 Dec 30.

  PMID: 35027302 BACKGROUND

• Laborde S, Allen MS, Borges U, Dosseville F, Hosang TJ, Iskra M, Mosley E, Salvotti C, Spolverato L, Zammit N, Javelle F. Effects of voluntary slow breathing on heart rate and heart rate variability: A systematic review and a meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2022 Jul;138:104711. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104711. Epub 2022 May 24.

  PMID: 35623448 BACKGROUND

• Hedigan F, Sheridan H, Sasse A. Benefit of inhalation aromatherapy as a complementary treatment for stress and anxiety in a clinical setting - A systematic review. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2023 Aug;52:101750. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2023.101750. Epub 2023 Apr 5.

  PMID: 37031643 BACKGROUND

• Balban MY, Neri E, Kogon MM, Weed L, Nouriani B, Jo B, Holl G, Zeitzer JM, Spiegel D, Huberman AD. Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal. Cell Rep Med. 2023 Jan 17;4(1):100895. doi: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100895. Epub 2023 Jan 10.

  PMID: 36630953 BACKGROUND

• Antczak-Komoterska A, Haor B, Malinowska M, Grzelak L, Biercewicz M, Kochman D, Krajewska K, Filipska-Blejder K, Wisniewski A, Slusarz R. Analysis of the Level of Stress and Methods of Coping with Stress among the Nursing Staff. Nurs Rep. 2023 Sep 14;13(3):1318-1330. doi: 10.3390/nursrep13030111.

  PMID: 37755354 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Sleep Wake Disorders

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Nervous System Diseases; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Mental Disorders

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant hand nurse

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 30, 2025
• First Posted: April 6, 2025
• Study Start: April 1, 2025
• Primary Completion: October 28, 2025
• Study Completion: December 31, 2025
• Last Updated: April 28, 2026

Record last verified: 2025-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TW (1)