Indices of the response of the cardiovascular system in students to the lavender (lavandula angustifola) odor during the warming-up in the educational process

Here was investigated the dynamics of indices of the functional state of the cardiovascular system in students during the educational load, followed by cold inhalation of lavender oil. The study was executed twice: before and after aromatherapy. For the evaluation of the functional capabilities of the cardiovascular system the registration and analysis of ECG were performed by means of the method of variation pulsometry with the use of the hardware-software complex, including portable electrocardiograph brand “Bio-Arm 001”, a personal computer with the software for automatic recording and analysis of ECG. In the experimental situation for each subject there were analyzed five-minutes ECG records. There were investigated statistical, histographical, integral and spectral parameters of the cardiac rhythm. Psychosomatic status of students was assessed by individual survey. The analysis of dynamic characteristics of heart rate variability showed that after the half-hour education load (the warming-up period) in the majority of the students there was observed the exertion of regulatory mechanisms of the heart rhythm. The preventive use of lavender ethereal oil contributes to the enhancement of adaptive capabilities of the body of students, optimization of regulatory mechanisms, and increased tolerance of the body to psycho-emotional loads. Against the background of the impact of lavender ethereal oil the adaptation to the training loads is running via the parasympathetic (more economical) type of regulation of the cardiovascular system of the body. Correcting influence of the odor of aromatic oils on the functional condition of the body may be caused to the fact that the perception of odors and treatment of olfactory information involves the most important parts of the brain: frontal cortex, hypothalamus, amygdala, a brain structure, limbic reticular structures et al., referred to morphological and functional substrates of emotional reactions.