Essential Oils for Dementia and Agitation: What the Research Shows
What Cochrane and other reviews found about lavender and other scents for agitation and memory in people with dementia, and why the care team should be asked first.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Safety first. Natural products can cause side effects and interact with medicines. Read essential oil safety before you use anything on this page.
Talk to the care team first. Agitation in dementia often has a cause that can be found and treated, such as pain, constipation, poor sleep or a medicine problem. The National Institute on Aging advises finding the cause and talking with a health care provider about solutions. [1] Essential oils should never be swallowed or put in the mouth, nose, ears or eyes. If one is swallowed, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222; call 911 for collapse, a seizure or trouble breathing. [2]
What the research shows
Everything below is about smell-based aromatherapy (scents in the air or on cloths), mostly lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) fragrance. [4] Lemon balm as a plant is covered by Herbs & Botanicals.| Question | What the source found | Strength of evidence | Who and what was studied |
|---|---|---|---|
| Does aromatherapy reduce agitation? | Of five trials in which the reviewers had moderate or low confidence, four found no significant effect on agitation and one found a benefit. [3] | Insufficient evidence; no convincing benefit | Cochrane review, 13 trials, 708 people with dementia; all 12 trials that described the setting were in care facilities |
| Does it ease overall behavior symptoms? | Of five trials with moderate or low confidence, four reported a benefit and one did not. [3] | Mixed | Same review; fragrances were mostly lavender (eight studies) and lemon balm (four studies) [3] |
| Does it help thinking or memory? | Two trials found no significant effect; confidence was low. [3] | No good evidence of benefit | Same review |
| Does it improve sleep, mood, quality of life or caregiver burden? | No evidence of benefit on these outcomes was found. [3] | Insufficient evidence | Same review |
| What do newer pooled analyses say? | A 2025 meta-analysis of 14 studies (888 people with cognitive impairment) reported higher MMSE and MoCA scores with inhaled aromatherapy. [5] | Promising but limited, and it conflicts with the Cochrane view | People with cognitive impairment; the abstract does not explain why it differs from Cochrane |
| What about scents more broadly? | A rapid review of 20 studies, most using lavender in a diffuser, reported mixed results on behavior and thinking and could not draw an overall conclusion. [6] | Mixed | Mostly quasi-experimental studies |
The Cochrane authors said that conduct or reporting problems in half of the included studies meant they could not contribute, results from the rest were inconsistent, and the included trials were small (18 to 186 people). [3]
Other things the National Institute on Aging lists
Its guidance on agitation lists causes such as pain, depression or stress, too little sleep, constipation, too much noise or confusion, and certain medications or interactions between two medications. [1] Whether to try any scent is a decision for the person, family and care team together; see aromatherapy in hospitals and palliative care.Wider context
Worries about memory in the family are covered in forgetfulness and memory loss: normal or not?. For memory in healthy adults, see essential oils for focus, memory and energy.Frequently asked questions
Does lavender oil help with dementia agitation?
Cochrane found no convincing evidence of benefit, with small trials and poor reporting. [3] Some individual trials reported benefit.
Can essential oils prevent or treat Alzheimer's disease?
The reviews we read did not show that. Cochrane found no significant effect on cognition in two trials. [3] A newer meta-analysis reported higher test scores in people with cognitive impairment but called for more study. [5]
What should I do first if a person with dementia becomes agitated?
Look for causes such as pain, constipation, sleep loss or a medicine problem, and talk with a health care provider about solutions. [1]
Is diffusing oil in a care home or at home safe?
Harms were very poorly reported in the trials, so safety is not well described. [3] Ask the care team, and check for asthma, allergy and pets.
What if someone swallows an essential oil?
Call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 right away, or 911 if there is collapse, a seizure or trouble breathing. [2]
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
What is not known about safety
- Skin and allergy. Many essential oils can cause rashes on skin, and allergy to an oil is a real possibility. [2]
- Breathing. A reaction with trouble breathing is a medical emergency. [2] See oils, diffusers and breathing problems.
- Swallowing. Misuse of essential oils can cause serious poisoning. [2] Ask the care team whether bottles should be kept out of reach in your home or care setting.
- Medicines. Essential oils may interact with medications. [2] See how interactions work and older adults and medicines.
- Pets and shared air. Diffusers affect everyone in the room, see essential oil diffusers.
References
- National Institute on Aging, Coping With Agitation, Aggression, and Sundowning in Alzheimer's Disease Read 2026-10-22.
- Poison Control (National Capital Poison Center), Essential oils: Poisonous when misused Read 2026-10-22.
- Aromatherapy for dementia, Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2020 Read 2026-10-22.
- GBIF Backbone Taxonomy, Melissa officinalis match Read 2026-10-22.
- The effect of inhaled aromatherapy on cognitive function in patients with cognitive impairment: a systematic review and meta-analysis, Gen Hosp Psychiatry 2025 Read 2026-10-22.
- Olfactory stimulation for people with dementia: a rapid review, Dementia (London) 2022 Read 2026-10-22.