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Abstract: To explore the effects of lavender oil on the central nervous system, autonomic nervous system and emotional response of human body after inhalation. The results showed that lavender oil caused a significant decrease in blood pressure, heart rate and skin temperature, which indicated a decrease in autonomic arousal ability. In terms of emotional response, subjects in the lavender oil group classified themselves as more active, more refreshing and more relaxed than those who only inhaled carrier oil. Compared with carrier oil, lavender oil increased the ability of brain activity.
Experimental methods: 20 healthy volunteers participated in the experiment. The study evaluated autonomic parameters such as blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate and skin temperature to determine the arousal level of the autonomic nervous system. In addition, the subjects were asked to estimate their emotional responses, such as feeling pleasant or unpleasant, uncomfortable, sensual, relaxing or refreshing, to evaluate subjective behavioral arousal. Finally, electroencephalogram (EEG) of 31 electrodes on the scalp was recorded according to the international 10 to 20 system, and the EEG power spectrum was calculated by fast Fourier transform (FFT). The data were analyzed by comparing the effects of lavender oil and sweet almond oil on physiological and emotional states.
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