Aromatherapy's benefits, from easing depression to reducing anxiety and more, are many—and aromatherapy added to a massage session provides an additional healing tool.

New research indicates lavender-oil aromatherapy significantly improved quality of sleep in ischemic heart disease patients.

"Effect of aromatherapy on the quality of sleep in ischemic heart disease patients hospitalized in intensive care units of heart hospitals of the Isfahan University of Medical Sciences" was a clinical trial on 64 male and female patients

hospitalized in CCU in Al-zahra and Chamran hospitals in Iran, according to an abstract published on www.pubmed.gov.

One group received lavender aromatherapy while the control group did not. Both groups answered 11 questions to assess sleep quality before and after intervention.

The full text of the research is available here.

Editor's note: Beginning in 2012, MASSAGE Magazine features a new column, Aromatherapy for Massage Therapists, in every issue.

Related article:

• Aromatherapy Massage Decreases Anxiety Among Women with Breast Cancer

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