Kao Yu-Hsiu, Huang Yi-Ching, Chung Ue-Lin, Hsu Wen-Ni, Tang Yi-Ting, Liao Yi-Hung
1 Graduate Institute of Health Allied Education, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences , Taipei City, Taiwan .
2 Department of Health Promotion and Gerontological Care, Taipei College of Maritime Technology , New Taipei City, Taiwan .
J Altern Complement Med. 2017 Jun;23(6):451-460. doi: 10.1089/acm.2016.0403. Epub 2017 May 15.
This study was aimed to compare the effectiveness of aromatherapy and acupressure massage intervention strategies on the sleep quality and quality of life (QOL) in career women.
The randomized controlled trial experimental design was used in the present study. One hundred and thirty-two career women (24-55 years) voluntarily participated in this study and they were randomly assigned to (1) placebo (distilled water), (2) lavender essential oil (Lavandula angustifolia), (3) blended essential oil (1:1:1 ratio of L. angustifolia, Salvia sclarea, and Origanum majorana), and (4) acupressure massage groups for a 4-week treatment. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Short Form 36 Health Survey were used to evaluate the intervention effects at pre- and postintervention.
After a 4-week treatment, all experimental groups (blended essential oil, lavender essential oil, and acupressure massage) showed significant improvements in sleep quality and QOL (p < 0.05). Significantly greater improvement in QOL was observed in the participants with blended essential oil treatment compared with those with lavender essential oil (p < 0.05), and a significantly greater improvement in sleep quality was observed in the acupressure massage and blended essential oil groups compared with the lavender essential oil group (p < 0.05).
The blended essential oil exhibited greater dual benefits on improving both QOL and sleep quality compared with the interventions of lavender essential oil and acupressure massage in career women. These results suggest that aromatherapy and acupressure massage improve the sleep and QOL and may serve as the optimal means for career women to improve their sleep and QOL.
本研究旨在比较芳香疗法和指压按摩干预策略对职业女性睡眠质量和生活质量（QOL）的效果。
本研究采用随机对照试验的实验设计。132名年龄在24至55岁之间的职业女性自愿参与本研究，她们被随机分为（1）安慰剂组（蒸馏水）、（2）薰衣草精油组（狭叶薰衣草）、（3）混合精油组（狭叶薰衣草、鼠尾草和马郁兰按1:1:1比例混合）和（4）指压按摩组，进行为期4周的治疗。采用匹兹堡睡眠质量指数和简短健康调查问卷36项版本来评估干预前后的效果。
经过4周的治疗，所有实验组（混合精油组、薰衣草精油组和指压按摩组）的睡眠质量和生活质量均有显著改善（p < 0.05）。与薰衣草精油组相比，混合精油治疗组的参与者在生活质量方面有更显著的改善（p < 0.05），与薰衣草精油组相比，指压按摩组和混合精油组在睡眠质量方面有更显著的改善（p < 0.05）。
与薰衣草精油和指压按摩干预相比，混合精油在改善职业女性的生活质量和睡眠质量方面具有更大的双重益处。这些结果表明，芳香疗法和指压按摩可改善睡眠和生活质量，可能是职业女性改善睡眠和生活质量的最佳方法。
