The Effect of an Aromatherapy Intervention on Sleep in the ICU

A search of the literature shows that patients in the ICU specifically do not get enough sleep. The causes for this are multifactorial and include nursing and medical procedures, pain, discomfort, anxiety, stress, mechanical ventilation, the ICU environment including noise and light, pharmacological agents and severity of underlying disease (Tembo \& Parker, 2009; Bihari et al, 2012; Kamdar et al, 2012). Sleep disruption, along with inability to communicate and limitations on visiting, were rated as stressors by ICU patients (Nelson et al, 2001). The effects of poor sleep are deleterious, impacting on patients' recovery both within the ICU (Tembo \& Parker, 2009; Bihari et al, 2012) and subsequently after discharge (Kamdar et al 2012). Measurements on mechanically ventilated patients receiving continuous intravenous sedation showed disturbed Circadian timing, lack of REM sleep and absent EEG features of the alternation of wake and sleep states, suggesting that these patients may be continuously sleep deprived which could exacerbate their condition and compromise their recovery (Gehlbach et al, 2012). There is a preponderance of evidence suggesting that sedation practices may impact a range of adverse outcomes; novel strategies to combat patient symptomatology through non-pharmacologic means are to be encouraged (Millelsen \& Schweickert, 2013).Furthermore, the positive effect on anxiety of therapeutic touch using massage on ICU patients has been demonstrated previously in two RCTs (Henricson et al, 2008; Lindgren et al, 2013).The use of non-pharmacological strategies to encourage sleep is suggested by a number of authors (Gosselink et al, 008; Matthews, 2011; Kamdar et al, 2012). Richards (1998) found back massage useful for promoting sleep in critically ill older men; Nerbass et al (2010) found massage improved sleep post coronary artery bypass graft surgery;Soden et al (2004) found sleep scores of palliative care patients with cancer significantly improved with aromatherapy massage and massage alone, despite the fact that the massage interventions were given in the morning. Sleepdisruption can be exacerbated by factors such as pain, anxiety and stress (Kamdar et al, 2012). Massage may influence sleep partly because of its effects on these symptoms; a review by Ernst (2009) concluded that massage may help with symptom control including the reduction of anxiety and pain in cancer palliation and supportive care.Stringer et al (2008) found a single session of massage for isolated hematology patients undergoing intensive chemotherapy brought a significant reduction in cortisol with an accompanying improvement in psychological well-being.