Natural Remedies for High Blood Pressure Using Essential Oils: 3 Case Studies
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a common condition that can lead to serious health issues if not managed effectively. While conventional medications play a vital role in controlling hypertension, many people are exploring natural alternatives to support their health. Among these, essential oils have shown promise as complementary treatments for high blood pressure. This article explores three case studies highlighting how essential oils can help reduce hypertension, the best oils for this purpose, and how to use them safely.
Understanding High Blood Pressure and Essential Oils
High blood pressure occurs when the force of blood against artery walls is consistently too high, leading to increased risks of heart disease and stroke. Essential oils, derived from plants, contain compounds that can have calming, anti-inflammatory, and vasodilative effects, which may contribute to lower blood pressure levels. Popular oils for this purpose include lavender, ylang-ylang, and lemon.
Case Studies on Essential Oils for High Blood Pressure
STUDY 1: 🌿 How Lavender Oil Helped Heart Surgery Patients
Doctors wanted to see if smelling (inhaling) lavender essential oil could help calm patients and lower their blood pressure after open-heart surgery. After surgery, many people have problems like fast heart rate, high blood pressure, and stress. Normally, medicines help with this, but those drugs can have bad side effects. So, researchers tested if lavender could help in a natural, safe way.
🧪 Who was in the study:
40 adults (ages 18–65) who just had open-heart surgery
All were awake, breathing on their own, and not using strong pain drugs at the time
🌸 How they used the lavender oil:
They used 2 drops of lavender essential oil (2% strength) on a cotton swab.
The swab was placed inside the patients’ oxygen masks.
Patients breathed it in for 10 minutes.
Their heart rate and blood pressure were checked before and 30 minutes after they inhaled the lavender.
❤️ What happened after using lavender oil:
After smelling the lavender for 10 minutes:
Systolic blood pressure (the top number) dropped from about 124 to 107 mmHg.
Diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) dropped from about 73 to 66 mmHg.
Heart rate went down from about 93 to 85 beats per minute.
Their breathing rate and oxygen levels stayed the same.
🧘 What it means:
That means lavender oil helped lower blood pressure and heart rate, making patients calmer and possibly helping their hearts work less hard after surgery.
STUDY 2: 🌸 How Ylang-Ylang Oil Helps the Heart and Lowers Blood Pressure
Scientists wanted to find out if breathing in Ylang-Ylang essential oil (a sweet-smelling flower oil) could help calm people’s bodies, lower their blood pressure, and slow their heart rate.
Even though Ylang-Ylang oil is often used to help people relax, not many studies had tested how it really affects the heart and blood pressure using special heart tests like an EKG (which measures heartbeats).
🧍♂️ Who was in the study:
29 healthy young men participated.
They were divided into two groups:
Ylang-Ylang group (15 men) – smelled Ylang-Ylang oil.
Control group (14 men) – did not smell anything.
🪔 How they used the Ylang-Ylang oil:
Researchers put 3 drops (0.15 mL) of Ylang-Ylang essential oil into a lamp with warm water (90°C) to make a gentle fragrance in the air.
The men in the Ylang-Ylang group sat in a room filled with the scent for 20 minutes.
The control group sat in a similar room with no smell.
Everyone relaxed quietly while their heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) were measured before and after.
❤️ What happened after smelling Ylang-Ylang oil:
After 20 minutes of inhaling the Ylang-Ylang aroma, the men in that group showed:
A drop in systolic blood pressure (top number) — from about 115 to 98 mmHg.
A drop in diastolic blood pressure (bottom number) — from about 66 to 59 mmHg.
A slower heart rate — their hearts beat fewer times per minute on almost all EKG readings.
In the group that didn’t smell anything, blood pressure and heart rate didn’t really change.
🧘 What it means:
Smelling Ylang-Ylang oil made people calmer and more relaxed, both mentally and physically. Their hearts slowed down and their blood pressure went down — signs that their bodies were less stressed.
Scientists say this is because Ylang-Ylang likely helps the parasympathetic nervous system (the “rest and relax” part of your body) become more active, and calms down the sympathetic nervous system (the “fight or flight” part).
STUDY 3: 🍋 How Lemon Essential Oil Helped Heart Patients
🧍♀️ What the Study Was About:
Doctors wanted to see if breathing in lemon essential oil could help people who had just suffered a heart attack (also called an acute myocardial infarction). After a heart attack, people often have high blood pressure, irregular heartbeats, and anxiety (feeling nervous or scared). These problems can make recovery harder and even more dangerous.
So, the researchers tested if lemon oil aromatherapy could help calm patients and make their hearts work better — naturally.
🧍♀️ Who was in the study:
100 heart attack patients in the hospital
They were split into two groups:
50 people breathed lemon oil (the aromatherapy group)
The other 50 people did not (they breathed plain paraffin oil instead)
🪔 How they used the lemon oil:
The lemon oil was used for inhalation aromatherapy (meaning the patients breathed in the scent).
They used a few drops of lemon essential oil on a cotton pad or diffuser.
Patients inhaled the aroma once a day for 3 days in a row while in the hospital’s heart unit (called the Coronary Care Unit, or CCU).
Doctors measured their blood pressure, heart rate, ECG (heart rhythm), and anxiety before and after the treatment each day.
❤️ What happened after using lemon oil:
By the 3rd and 4th days of breathing lemon oil:
Patients’ systolic blood pressure (the top number) went down.
Their heart rate became more regular (not too fast or uneven).
Their ECG heart readings improved — meaning their hearts were working more normally.
They felt less anxious and calmer.
In the group that didn’t breathe lemon oil, these changes didn’t happen.
🌿 What this means:
Breathing in lemon essential oil helped heart patients:
Lower their blood pressure
Calm their heart rhythm
Feel less stressed and anxious
Doctors think this happened because lemon oil helps the body’s nervous system relax, which slows the heart and lowers blood pressure.
⚠️ A few things to know:
The study lasted only a few days.
It helped hospital patients, but more research is needed to see how it works long-term.
Lemon oil was inhaled safely, not taken by mouth.
💛 In simple terms:
Smelling lemon essential oil for a few minutes each day helped heart attack patients feel calmer, have lower blood pressure, and steadier heartbeats — showing that a simple, natural scent can help the heart heal!
Safety Considerations
While essential oils can be beneficial, they should be used with caution, especially in cases of high blood pressure. Some oils, such as rosemary and peppermint, may stimulate the nervous system, potentially increasing blood pressure in sensitive individuals. Always consult with a healthcare provider before beginning any alternative therapy, particularly if you are on medication for hypertension.
Additional Lifestyle Tips for Managing High Blood Pressure
In addition to using essential oils, a balanced lifestyle can have a significant impact on blood pressure:
Eat a heart-healthy diet: Incorporate more fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains.
Exercise regularly: Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week.
Practice mindfulness and meditation: Reducing stress is key to managing blood pressure naturally.
Limit salt intake: Reducing sodium can help prevent spikes in blood pressure.
Conclusion
Essential oils like lavender, ylang-ylang, and frankincense offer a natural, gentle way to support blood pressure management. While they are not substitutes for medication or lifestyle changes, they can provide an additional layer of relaxation and stress relief. By choosing the right oils and using them safely, you may find a helpful ally in the journey to lower blood pressure.
References
Lavender essential oil, open-heart surgery ICU
Salamati A, Mashoufi S, Mojabb F. Effect of Inhalation of Lavender Essential Oil on Vital Signs in Open Heart Surgery ICU. Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research. 2017;16(1):404-409. EMRO Dashboards+2PubMed Central+2
Also available via PubMed: “Effect of Inhalation of Lavender Essential Oil on Vital Signs in Open Heart Surgery ICU”.Ylang-Ylang aroma, healthy men
Jung DJ, Cha JY, Kim SE, Ko IG, Jee YS. Effects of Ylang-Ylang aroma on blood pressure and heart rate in healthy men. Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation. 2013;9(2):212-217. doi:10.12965/jer.130007. PubMed+2Hero+2
Full text version: “Effects of Ylang-Ylang aroma on blood pressure and heart rate in healthy men.” PMC.Lemon inhalation aromatherapy, acute myocardial infarction patients
Rambod M, Rakhshan M, Tohidinik S, Nikoo MH. The effect of lemon inhalation aromatherapy on blood pressure, electrocardiogram changes, and anxiety in acute myocardial infarction patients: A clinical, multi-centered, assessor-blinded trial design. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. 2020;39:101155. doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2020.101155.