Enhancing Stress Response While Calming the Mind

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects that lavender and jasmine have during stress-induced situations. Prior studies concluded that lavender has calming effects while jasmine heightens alertness. The researchers studied 17 men aged 20-24 years who were exposed to aromas, then subjected to a 30-minute calculation task. They hypothesized that lavender would reduce subjective stress, affecting the autonomic nervous system’s response, heart rate, and skin temperature, and enhancing physiological stress responses while reducing subjective stress levels compared to jasmine and a control stimulus. Controlling the aroma exposure allows researchers to learn more about stress management in subjective stressful situations and observing how these can be used towards improving focus and persistence in stressful situations.

Figure 2 examines the differences between the nose tip temperatures in relation to the forehead (dependent variables) as the participants inhaled the aromas (independent variables). Assessing calculation tasks (T) and recovery period (R1) and (R2) (control variables), researchers observed a decrease in nose tip temperature due to lavender inhalation. The mean nose tip temperature at T was lower with lavender inhalation than with control (p < 0.01) or jasmine (p < 0.01) inhalation. The greater decrease in nose temperature under lavender suggests that it heightened physiological stress, affirming lavender's role in enhancing stress responses.

Figure 5 shows the changes in heart rate (HR) and high frequency (HF) aspect of heart rate variability (HRV) (dependent variables) across various aromas (independent variables) under the same testing conditions mentioned (control variables). Heart rate significantly increased during the task under all conditions (p < 0.0001), with the highest elevation observed in the jasmine condition (~65 bpm to ~80 bpm, p < 0.01), indicating heightened sympathetic activation and elevated stress responses. These findings indicate that while both aromas influence cardiovascular responses, lavender had a greater reduction in HRV rather than relaxation.

Figure 7 examines changes in the high-frequency (HF) component of heart rate variability (HRV) during the first half of the calculation task. The dependent variable was the HF component of HRV, while the independent variable was the inhaled aroma. Control factors included experimental conditions, subject positioning, and the aroma delivery method. Lavender inhalation caused the decline in HF HRV early in the task (p < 0.01), with levels dropping to approximately 15 ms², significantly lower than jasmine (18 ms²) and the control (22 ms²). These findings support the hypothesis that lavender does not cause relaxation but enhances cognitive function during demanding tasks without increasing subjective stress.

This study revealed that lavender enhances autonomic stress markers while reducing subjective stress and improving concentration. Figure 2 showed greater sympathetic activity; Figure 5 had higher parasympathetic suppression compared to the control; and Figure 7 had a decline in HRV, reflecting a rapid physiological response. These findings suggest that lavender can improve stress management and may cognitive performance under pressure. Future research should explore its long-term effects, optimal concentrations, and impact across diverse populations, paving the way for applications in work, academic, and therapeutic settings.

Ethan Fayzulayev FLHS Research - Mrs. Macleod

Article #16 Summary March 17, 2025

Nomura, S., Maeyama, K., & Ito, K. (2016). Enhancement of autonomous stress response and

reduction of subjective stress by lavender inhalation during a short term calculation task. Advanced Biomedical Engineering. 5: 7-12. 10.14326/abe.5.7