Background The Complementary therapy team had observed a pattern of patients commenting on improved sleep after receiving treatments with Fragonia essential oil. A literature search revealed that there is little research in this area to guide use of specific oils. The team decided to carry out an evaluation of use of the oil on a sample of patients to seek confirmation of a pattern which then might justify further investigation.

Method Sample of 20 patients from the day centre at St Margaret’s Hospice, Somerset

Patients were asked on a scale of 1–10 to score their sleep pattern, from poor/no sleep to a restful/full nights sleep. Patients were given 25 ml pots of base cream plus 5 drops fragonia, and asked to apply on the wrists before bed and then to document any changes in sleep patterns and duration of sleep. They were asked to apply the cream for a period of 7 days after which they were asked again to measure their sleep pattern on a scale of 1–10. They were also asked if they thought any other symptom had improved.

Results The results show that sleep was reported as improved among 85% patients. Other improvements were seen in tension/anxiety, pain and breathing. There was an average improvement of 3 points in the sleep scores for the 20 patients.

Comments included:

‘better/longer sleep. Feel quite/more awake in the morning’

‘the smell is very relaxing, slept well’

‘very deep sleep until 9am from about midnight’

Conclusion This evaluation of the use of fragonia essential oil by patients in this way, appears to show a trend in improved sleep pattern. On the basis of this, the aim would be to carry out a piece of research, using validated scales and comparing cream with fragonia oil with a sample of patients with the cream alone.