Medicinal Plants for Insomnia Related to Anxiety

Mon, 06/13/2022 - 14:45

June 13, 2022

Sleeping is necessary for life, like eating or breathing, and can be easily affected both by the physical environment and by age. Sleep disorders are common in the population and can generate problems with both sleep quality and overall health. The International Classification of Sleep Disorders-3 classifies these problems into 7 categories: insomnia, sleep-related breathing disorders, central disorders of hypersomnolence, circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders, sleep-related movement, parasomnias, and other sleep disorders. One of the most common disorders is insomnia, which is defined as “difficulty in falling asleep or maintaining the sleep state during the night” and affects a significant percentage of the general population.

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Effect of Aromatherapy Massage on Depression and Anxiety of Elderly Adults

June 2, 2022

Aging is the result of the natural course of time that leads to physiological, possibly psychological, and social changes.  In addition to experiencing physiological changes, elderly adults face significant events such as retirement, the death of friends and family members, separation from social activities, and changes in social and economic relations, which affect their mental health, happiness, and compatibility. Estimates suggest that about 18% of adults over age 65 experience depressive symptoms. Depression in older adults can manifest differently than in younger people. Instead of sadness, older adults may experience a numbness or lack of interest in activities as their main symptoms. Additionally, more elderly adults in care facilities report anxiety than those living in a community (3%-20% compared to 1.4%-17%). Both anxiety and depression can reduce quality of life.

Therapeutic Effect and Mechanisms of Essential Oils in Mood Disorders: Interaction between the Nervous and Respiratory Systems

March 20, 2022

Since therapeutic effects of essential oils has been widely investigated, recent studies show that application of essential oils for anxiety and pain relief is very successful especially when they are used in combination with conventional treatment. Essential Oils can be administered through oral consumption, direct skin contact, or inhalation. Among all different administration routes, inhalation is the most commonly adopted method. Moreover, Essential oils from different plant extracts demonstrate different effects. For instance, lavender and bergamot essential oils are widely used in either  single use or mixed use for relaxation. It has been shown that the different positive effects were linked to specific constituents in essential oils. Therefore, application of essential oils in combined form maximizes their therapeutic effect due their different molecular compounds.