A circadian-aligned, multicomponent inhalation aromatherapy protocol may represent a feasible and clinically relevant complementary intervention to improve sleep architecture and cognitive outcomes in older adults residing in residential care settings.
Inhaled aromatherapy significantly improved total sleep time compared to control in older adults over 30 days.
REM sleep duration was significantly increased in the aromatherapy intervention group compared to controls.
Deep sleep (N3) duration showed the largest improvement among sleep architecture parameters in the intervention group.
Sleep latency was significantly reduced in the intervention group compared to controls.
Subjective sleep quality and daytime sleepiness both improved in the intervention group.
Cognitive performance improved significantly in the aromatherapy intervention group across orientation, memory, and concentration domains.
The aromatherapy protocol used a circadian-aligned multicomponent blend design, with different oil blends administered at different times of day.
Objective sleep parameters were collected using consumer-grade wearable smartwatch technology in a residential care setting.
This research suggests that breathing in specific blends of essential oils at different times of day may help older adults living in care homes sleep better and think more clearly. In this study, 60 adults aged 65 and older were randomly assigned to either inhale aromatherapy blends for 10 minutes each day (a morning blend of peppermint and palmarosa, and an evening blend of vetiver, cedarwood, clary sage, petitgrain, and grapefruit) or to receive no intervention, for 30 days. Sleep was tracked using both questionnaires and wrist-worn smartwatches that objectively measured sleep stages. The results showed that the aromatherapy group experienced large and statistically significant improvements in how long they slept, how quickly they fell asleep, and how much time they spent in deep and REM sleep — all important stages for physical and mental restoration. They also reported feeling less sleepy during the day and rated their overall sleep quality as better. Notably, their performance on a cognitive test measuring orientation, memory, and concentration also improved, while none of these changes were seen in the control group. This research suggests that a carefully timed, multi-oil aromatherapy inhalation routine could be a practical, non-drug option to support sleep health and cognitive function in older adults, particularly those in residential care settings who are vulnerable to both sleep problems and cognitive decline. The use of wearable technology to objectively track sleep adds credibility to these findings, though larger and longer studies would be needed to confirm these results more broadly.
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Upload Your LabsEde Sarıkaya B, Ateş S, Kaman T, Şakul A. (2026). Effects of inhaled aromatherapy on sleep quality and cognitive function in older adults: a randomised controlled trial.. The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glag105