--- title: Does lavender scent help premenstrual mood symptoms? | Niyora description: A 10-minute inhalation of lavender scent reduced symptoms of sadness and confusion during the premenstrual phase compared to water. The effect lasted about 35 url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/does-lavender-aromatherapy-alleviate-premenstrual-emotional-symptoms-a-2013/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does lavender scent help premenstrual mood symptoms? Randomised trial, 2013 # Does lavender scent help premenstrual mood symptoms? A 10-minute inhalation of lavender scent reduced symptoms of sadness and confusion during the premenstrual phase compared to water. The effect lasted about 35 minutes. Early or limited evidence 17 women averaging 20.6 years old with mild to moderate premenstrual symptoms ## What they did Seventeen women with mild to moderate premenstrual symptoms inhaled lavender or water as control for 10 minutes during the late phase of the cycle before their period. Researchers measured mood and nervous system activity before and after. ## What they found Lavender inhalation reduced sadness-dejection and confusion measured by mood tests. It increased activity in the relaxing part of the nervous system compared to water. Mood improvements lasted as long as 35 minutes after inhalation. ## What it means for you Lavender scent may provide short-term relief of premenstrual sadness and confusion by activating the relaxing nervous system. This study was very small with only 17 women. 17 women in the study 10 minutes length of lavender inhalation 35 minutes duration of mood improvement ## About the study Original title Does lavender aromatherapy alleviate premenstrual emotional symptoms?: a randomized crossover trial Authors Matsumoto T, Asakura H, Hayashi T Journal BioPsychoSocial medicine Year 2013 Study design Randomised trial Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1186/1751-0759-7-12](https://doi.org/10.1186/1751-0759-7-12) Original abstract Background: A majority of reproductive-age women experience a constellation of various symptoms in the premenstrual phase, commonly known as premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Despite its prevalence, however, no single treatment is universally recognized as effective, and many women turn to alternative approaches, including aromatherapy, a holistic mind and body treatment. The present study investigated the soothing effects of aromatherapy on premenstrual symptoms using lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), a relaxing essential oil, from the perspective of autonomic nervous system function. Methods: Seventeen women (20.6 ± 0.2 years) with mild to moderate subjective premenstrual symptoms participated in a randomized crossover study. Subjects were examined on two separate occasions (aroma and control trials) in the late-luteal phases. Two kinds of aromatic stimulation (lavender and water as a control) were used. This experiment measured heart rate variability (HRV) reflecting autonomic nerve activity and the Profile of Mood States (POMS) as a psychological index before and after the aromatic stimulation. Results: Only a 10-min inhalation of the lavender scent significantly increased the high frequency (HF) power reflecting parasympathetic nervous system activity in comparison with water (aroma effect: F = 4.50, p = 0.050; time effect: F = 5.59, p = 0.017; aroma x time effect: F = 3.17, p = 0.047). The rate of increase in HF power was greater at 10-15 min (p = 0.051) and 20-25 min (p = 0.023) in the lavender trial than in the control trial with water. In addition, POMS tests revealed that inhalation of the aromatic lavender oil significantly decreased two POMS subscales-depression-dejection (p = 0.045) and confusion (p = 0.049)-common premenstrual symptoms, in the late-luteal phase, as long as 35 min after the aroma stimulation. Conclusions: The present study indicated that lavender aromatherapy as a potential therapeutic modality could alleviate premenstrual emotional symptoms, which, at least in part, is attributable to the improvement of parasympathetic nervous system activity. This study further implies that HRV could evaluate the efficacy of aromatherapy using various fragrances to relieve premenstrual symptoms, and ultimately, support the mind and body health of women. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Other herbal medicine](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-herbal-other/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Systematic review, 2021 Does damask rose help reduce menstrual pain, headache, fatigue, anxiety, and bloating? Randomised trial, 2025 Does Nigella sativa reduce PMS symptoms in women? Review, 2023 Can herbs and supplements help with PMS symptoms? Survey study, 2012 What non-hormonal medications and therapies help severe PMS and PMDD? Survey study, 2025 Can a plant-based supplement reduce PMS symptoms? Randomised trial, 2022 Does a B6 supplement with herbs help sleep and anxiety in PMS and menopause? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗