Effect of Agarwood (Aquilaria Sinensis) Inhalation Aromatherapy on Workplace Fatigue and Sleep Quality Among Hospital Employees: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Hospital staff often experience workplace fatigue and poor sleep quality, which can harm their health, reduce job performance, and increase risks to patient safety. Aromatherapy is a simple, non-invasive complementary therapy that may help reduce fatigue and improve sleep. Agarwood (Aquilaria spp.) has calming and relaxing properties, but there is little clinical research on its effectiveness for hospital staff.

This randomized, double-blind, controlled trial will evaluate whether agarwood aromatherapy inhalation can improve fatigue and sleep quality among hospital employees in Taiwan. About 78 participants will be recruited and randomly assigned to one of two groups:

1. Experimental group: Agarwood sachet containing agarwood wood chips and essential oil. 2. Control group: Placebo sachet containing almond oil.

Participants will place the sachet about 60 cm from the nose during sleep for 7 nights. Data will be collected using questionnaires on workplace fatigue and sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, PSQI). The main questions this study aims to answer are: 1. Does agarwood aromatherapy reduce workplace fatigue in hospital staff? 2. Does agarwood aromatherapy improve sleep quality compared with placebo?

Findings are expected to provide scientific evidence for using agarwood inhalation as a safe and convenient strategy to improve staff well-being and support a healthier hospital environment.

Not Yet Recruiting

Trial opening soon.

Get Notified

Key information

Conditions

Fatigue Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Dyssomnias Mental Disorders Nervous System Diseases Occupational Diseases Occupational Stress Occupational Stress or Workplace Stress Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms Sleep Disorders, Intrinsic Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders Sleep Quality Sleep Wake Disorders Stress, Psychological

Age range

20 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

≥20 years old, hospital employee working ≥30 hrs/week, employed ≥3 months
Not using sedatives/hypnotics
Normal olfactory function (verified with coffee/vinegar smell test)
Clear consciousness, can read and understand Chinese, no major communication barriers
Not participating in other aromatherapy or relaxation intervention studies

Exclusion criteria

Major psychiatric disorders (e.g., major depression, schizophrenia)
Malignancy under active radio/chemotherapy
CNS diseases (e.g., brain tumor)
History of asthma, fragrance allergy, pregnancy
Chronic rhinitis, nasal surgery, anosmia
Permanent night-shift workers (≥ midnight to 5am, as defined by ILO, 1995)

Treatment and study plan

Agarwood Aromatherapy Inhalation

Other

The experimental group will receive agarwood essential oil sachets as the aromatherapy intervention, and participants will place the sachet 60 cm from the nose during sleep for one week.

Primary outcomes

Workplace Fatigue

Time frame: Baseline and after 1-week intervention

Change in fatigue levels measured by the Chinese version of the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (21 items across four domains: personal, work-related, client-related, and overcommitment). Higher scores indicate greater fatigue.

Secondary outcomes

Sleep Quality

Time frame: Baseline and after 1-week intervention

Change in sleep quality measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI, 19 items, 7 domains). Total scores range from 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating poorer sleep quality.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Yi-chen Wu, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

+886-4-8511888 ext. 7215

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Da-Yeh University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

A Randomized Controlled Trial Examining the Impact of Agarwood Aromatherapy Inhalation on Sleep Quality and Occupational Fatigue in Hospital Staff

Important dates

Study start: 2025
Primary completion: 2026
Study completion: 2026
First posted: Sep 23, 2025
Registry last updated: Sep 23, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

Not Yet Recruiting