The journal of alternative and complementary medicine : research on paradigm, practice, and policy
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J Altern Complement Med · Jan 2009
Randomized Controlled TrialEffects of music and essential oil inhalation on cardiac autonomic balance in healthy individuals.
The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of listening to soft music or inhaling Citrus bergamia aroma on autonomic nervous system activity in young healthy individuals. STUDY DESIGN, LOCATION, AND SUBJECTS: This single-institution study was an open-label randomized controlled trial carried out on 114 healthy undergraduate students at a university located in south Taiwan. ⋯ Listening to soft music and inhaling Citrus bergamia essential oil was found to be an effective method of relaxation, as indicated by a shift of the autonomic balance toward parasympathetic activity in young healthy individuals.