The Sleep-Enhancing Effect of Lavender Essential Oil in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Hong Shen, Li-Juan Zhang, Wei-Yi Zhu
PMID 40600743WHAT IT FOUND
Adults given lavender oil had better sleep scores overall, but the result was inconsistent.
Scores improved after at least 2 weeks and with placebo controls, not with usual care or no intervention.
Key findings
01Across 11 randomized trials, lavender essential oil improved adult sleep quality overall.
02Sleep scores improved when interventions lasted 2 weeks or more, but not when shorter than 2 weeks.
03Sleep scores improved versus placebo, but not versus usual care or no intervention.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The overall result came from 11 trials that varied widely, with high statistical heterogeneity (I 2 = 82%). Blinding and allocation details were often missing or uncertain, and the review rated overall bias as moderate. Lavender products, concentrations, application distances, durations, and control conditions varied widely, so no single protocol is supported. Different sleep scales gave different subgroup results; the effect was significant on PSQI but not RCSQ. Only English-language randomized trials of adults were included, so findings may not apply to other languages, ages, or clinical groups.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that lavender essential oil reliably improves sleep in all adults. The pooled effect was inconsistent, and scores did not improve for use shorter than 2 weeks, undiluted inhalation, or usual care or no-intervention controls.