Abstracts
Effects of aromatherapy on negative emotions and work and study performance: heart rate variability analysis to assess the balance of the autonomic nervous system
| Institution: | Universitat Autnoma de Barcelona |
|---|---|
| Department: | |
| Year: | 2017 |
| Keywords: | Aromaterpia; Aromaterapia; Aromatherapy; HRV; Estrs; Stress; Cincies de la Salut; 159.9 |
| Posted: | 02/01/2018 |
| Record ID: | 2160525 |
| Full text PDF: | http://hdl.handle.net/10803/402260 |
Abstract
Thegeneralaimofthisthesisistoanalysethearomatherapy(AR)efficacytoreducenegativeemotionsandincreasetheattentionlevelandperformanceintheworkplaceandinacademicsituations.ItsefficacywillbetestedthroughquestionnairesandbycheckingthebalanceoftheAutonomicNervousSystemthroughHRVanalysis.Tocarryoutthisgeneralobjective,weconductedtwomainstudies.WewillanalysetheAReffectsovertheheartratevariability(HRV)asamarkerofthesympathetic/parasympatheticbalancefromtheANS.TheobjectiveforStudy1wastoanalysetheARefficacyforreducinganxietyandimprovingstudyconcentrationinuniversitystudents.Thesamplewascomposedby12students(agebetween18and33yearsold).Weanalysedtheeffectsofbasilessentialoilinhalationatshort-time(1hour)andatlong-time(1month).WefoundthatInhalationofBasilessentialoilreducesanxietyscoringandimprovescardiacvariability(SDRRandRMSSDparameters).ARinashortsessionorwithanaromaticnecklaceeverydayduringonemonthproducesemotionalandHRVchangesonparticipants.TheobjectiveforStudy2wastoanalysethearomatherapyefficacytoimprovetheworkperformanceandreducetheworkplacestress.Thesamplewascomposedby42administrativeuniversityworkers(age:42.21years,SD=7.12;gender:10menand32women).Allsessionswereperformedinauniversitycomputerclassroom.Theparticipantswererandomlyassignedintoanaromatherapygroup(AG)andacontrolgroup(CG),andtheywereinvitedtoparticipateinaspecificsessiononlyonce.Theywereseatedinfrontofacomputer.Duringtheinterventionperiod,someoildiffuserswerelaunchedandworkedthroughoutthesessionwithpetitgrainessentialoilforAGsessionsandaneutraloil(almond)forCGsessions.Atthesametime,participantscompletedacomputertaskinaspecificwebsitetypingontheirkeyboarduntiltheyfinishedit.ThesingletimesweredifferentforallparticipantsandwererecordedinthewebsiteasPerformanceTime.Thearomatherapygroupperformedthewebsitetaskwiththekeyboard2,28minfasterthanCGtyping(p=0.05)andshowedbettercardiacvariability(HF,SDNNandRMSSDparameters).InhalationofPetitgrainessentialoilreducesstressandimprovesperformanceintheworkplace.ARimprovestheperformancetimewhentypingwiththekeyboardinasimulatedcomputerworksessionandproducessomechangesimprovingHRV.GeneralConclusions:Thisdoctoralthesisconfirmsthataromatherapy(inhalingessentialoils)canimproveperformanceintheworkplace,canhelptomanageAdvisors/Committee Members: [emailprotected] (authoremail), true (authoremailshow), Capdevila Orts, Llus (director), true (authorsendemail).
