Patchouli Essential Oil: A Natural Solution for Stress

Feeling stressed? Try patchouli. Simply inhaling this essential oil has been shown to reduce stress – even among nurses working in emergency departments.

In a randomised, controlled trial published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (Vol. 26, Issue 11, Nov 16, 2020), patchouli essential oil was found to “significantly reduce” stress in nurses working in the emergency department at University hospital in Incheon, South Korea. 

To determine the effects of the oil, nurses were divided into two control groups. Nurses in the first group inhaled patchouli essential oil at the end of their shift at 10pm, while those in the second group inhaled sweet almond oil. 

At the end of the four-month trial, researchers measured the nurses’ sympathetic nervous system reactions, blood pressure and heart rate. They determined that levels of stress were “significantly reduced” in the patchouli group. 

“Inhalation of patchouli oil may be a simple and effective strategy for improving the professional quality of life and stress levels in emergency nurses,” the researchers concluded. 

For those in high-stress professions, integrating patchouli essential oil into daily routines—perhaps through a diffuser or even incense —may offer a natural pathway to stress reduction.

Source: The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine