The Effect of Lavender Aromatherapy on the Sleep Quality of Elderly Patients

Abstract

Elderly individuals often experience sleep disturbances due to physiological and psychological changes associated with aging. These disturbances can negatively affect their quality of life, cognitive function, and cardiovascular health. Sleep medications often have side effects, making the search for safe and effective non-pharmacological alternatives essential. Lavender aromatherapy is known for its calming properties that can help improve sleep quality. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of lavender aromatherapy on the sleep quality of elderly patients with mild to moderate sleep disturbances. Methods: The study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest approach and a control group. Sixty elderly participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group (lavender aromatherapy) and a control group. The intervention was administered over 14 days, with sleep quality measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Results: The intervention group showed a significant decrease in PSQI scores after the lavender aromatherapy intervention (p < 0.05), whereas the control group showed no significant change. Conclusion: Lavender aromatherapy has been shown to effectively improve sleep quality in elderly patients, making it a safe non-pharmacological alternative for implementation.