Two-week essential oil inhalation treatment modulates the cortisol awakening response and improves self-reported symptoms in stressed adults.

TL;DR

A two-week inhalation protocol using "Stressless™" essential oil blend normalized suppressed cortisol awakening response (CAR) in stressed adults to control levels during treatment, though the effect did not persist after cessation. Subjective stress and anxiety scores improved and showed sustained improvement post-intervention.

Key findings

• Essential oil inhalation normalized suppressed CAR in stressed individuals to control group levels during the two-week intervention period
• Physiological CAR improvement was not sustained after treatment cessation, indicating limited persistence of the acute modulatory effect
• Self-reported stress and anxiety scores improved during treatment with continued improvement observed after intervention ended
• Effects attributed to olfactory regulation of limbic system and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function

Why this matters at the bedside

Describes a potential non-invasive complementary tool for stress management in otherwise healthy adults, with differential persistence between physiological and psychological outcomes. The dissociation between transient CAR normalization and sustained subjective improvements suggests distinct mechanisms of action.