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Journals / Mersin Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Lokman Hekim Tıp Tarihi ve Folklorik Tıp Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 16 Sayı: 1

The Effectiveness of Juniper and Thyme Essential Oils in Reducing the Physiological Symptoms of Test Anxiety in Medical Students

Tıp Fakültesi Öğrencilerinde Sınav Kaygısının Fizyolojik Belirtilerini Azaltmada Ardıç ve Kekik Uçucu Yağlarının Etkinliği

Gülbahar Böyük Özcan(Ankara Medipol University Faculty of Medicine)0000-0002-3453-2967
Bülent Bayraktar(Bayburt University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation)0000-0002-2335-9089
Ümmü Gülşen Bozok(ANKARA MEDİPOL ÜNİVERSİTESİ, TIP FAKÜLTESİ)0000-0002-2016-7305
Tuğçe Orkun Erkiliç(BAYBURT UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES)0000-0003-2395-7561
Pages
256–267
Publication Date
2026-01-23
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Our study has provided original evidence that inhaling scents affects Asprosin, CREB, cortisol, and other physiological indicators in university students during exams, and offers supportive findings for alleviating exam anxiety.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:Objective: Medical students struggle with exam anxiety, which negatively affects cognitive and academic performance.
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Key Findings & Data:Method: A random sample of 80 healthy students aged 18-25 from the Faculty of Medicine was collected during final exams.
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Conclusion & Impact:Our study has provided original evidence that inhaling scents affects Asprosin, CREB, cortisol, and other physiological indicators in university students during exams, and offers supportive findings for alleviating exam anxiety.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Stres · Aromaterapi · Asprosin

Abstract

Objective: Medical students struggle with exam anxiety, which negatively affects cognitive and academic performance. Aromatherapy has become popular as an alternative to pharmacological treatments. This study examines how juniper and thyme essential oils psychophysiologically affect undergraduate students' exam anxiety. Juniper and thyme aroma inhalation was tested on asprosin, cyclic guanosine monophosphate response element binding protein (CREB), cortisol, and exam anxiety in students taking exams. Method: A random sample of 80 healthy students aged 18-25 from the Faculty of Medicine was collected during final exams. Participants were their own controls, and saliva was collected before and after aromatherapy. Saliva samples were tested for asprosin, CREB, and cortisol using ELISA. Heart rate, oxygen saturation, systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, and body temperature were monitored before and after aroma inhalation. Findings: According to the findings of this study, juniper and thyme aromatherapy were effective in increasing the average saliva levels of Asprosin, CREB, and cortisol hormones, with the most significant decrease observed in the groups receiving juniper aromatherapy (p 0.05). Thyme aromatherapy did not affect SBP, DBP, HR, SPO2, or temperature. Conclusion: The limbic system, which controls memory and emotions, is linked to smell. Our study has provided original evidence that inhaling scents affects Asprosin, CREB, cortisol, and other physiological indicators in university students during exams, and offers supportive findings for alleviating exam anxiety.

Özet

Amaç: Tıp öğrencileri, bilişsel ve akademik performansı olumsuz etkileyen sınav kaygısıyla mücadele etmektedir. Aromaterapi, farmakolojik tedavilere alternatif olarak popüler hale gelmektedir. Bu çalışma, ardıç ve kekik esansiyel yağlarının lisans öğrencilerinin sınav kaygısını psikofizyolojik olarak nasıl etkilediğini incelemektedir. Sınavlara giren öğrencilerde ardıç ve kekik aroması inhalasyonu asprosin, siklik guanozin monofosfat yanıt elementi bağlayıcı protein (CREB), kortizol ve sınav kaygısı üzerinde test edilmiştir. Yöntem: Tıp Fakültesi'nden 18-25 yaş arası 80 sağlıklı öğrencinin rastgele bir örneği, final sınavları sırasında toplanmıştır. Katılımcılar kendi kontrolleriydi ve aromaterapiden önce ve sonra tükürük alındı. Tükürük örnekleri ELISA kullanılarak Asprosin, CREB ve kortizol için test edildi. Kalp hızı, oksijen satürasyonu, sistolik basınç, diyastolik basınç ve vücut sıcaklığı aroma inhalasyonundan önce ve sonra izlenmiştir. Bulgular: Bu çalışmanın bulgularına göre, ardıç ve kekik aromaterapisinin tükürük ortalama Asprosin, CREB ve kortizol hormon düzeylerini artırmada etkili olduğu, en anlamlı düşüşün ise ardıç aromaterapisi alan gruplarda olduğu tespit edildi (p 0.05). Kekik aromaterapisi SBP, DBP, HR, SPO2 veya sıcaklığı etkilememiştir (p>0.05). Sonuç: Hafıza ve duyguları kontrol eden limbik sistem koku ile bağlantılıdır. Çalışmamız, koku inhalasyonunun sınav sırasında üniversite öğrencilerinde Asprosin, CREB, kortizol ve diğer fizyolojik göstergeleri etkilediğine dair özgün kanıtlar ortaya koymuştur ve sınav kaygısının giderilmesinde destekleyici bulgular sunmaktadır.

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Cite This Article

Özcan, G. B., Bayraktar, B., Bozok, Ü. G., Erkiliç, T. O., *, G. B. Ö. (2026). The Effectiveness of Juniper and Thyme Essential Oils in Reducing the Physiological Symptoms of Test Anxiety in Medical Students. Mersin Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Lokman Hekim Tıp Tarihi ve Folklorik Tıp Dergisi, Cilt: 16 Sayı: 1, 256–267. https://doi.org/10.31020/mutftd.1797534

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