Sweet Scents to Sweet Dreams (SSS)

April 14, 2026 updated by: Paula Witt-Enderby, Duquesne University

Sweet Scents to Sweet Dreams: Use of Herbal Pillows to Facilitate Sleep and Improve Quality of Life

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of herbal pillows on sleep and quality of life in a healthy population using actigraphy, validated questionnaires and daily diary logs. The goal of this study is to improve sleep and quality of life using herbal and Ayurveda/holistic-based botanical pillows.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
30

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.
  • Name: Paula A. Witt-Enderby, Ph.D.
  • Phone Number: 412-396-4346
  • Email: wittp@duq.edu

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Pennsylvania
      • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 15282
        • Duquesne University

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • You must be at least 18 years of age.
  • You must be willing to adhere to a sleep hygiene protocol (e.g., 10pm-midnight-6-8am) for 2 weeks without interruption in the comfort of your home.
  • You must be willing to wear a watch that monitors your sleep and light as well as a sleep mask for two consecutive weeks.
  • During the testing period, you must be willing to refrain from alcohol and anything that can affect mood and sleep.
  • You must allow for the placement of an herbal pillow next to your head while sleeping for one week during testing.
  • You must be willing to fill out short sleep logs during the 2 weeks of testing.
  • You must also be willing to come to the study location on 3 occasions over a 2 week period.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Males or females with any condition that prevents adequate inhalation of botanical pillows [e.g., Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), use of a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), deviated septum, etc].
  • Males or females on mood altering substances prescription (e.g., anti-depressants, anxiolytics, Ritalin, Adderall, anti-convulsants; opioids, etc), non-prescription/over-the-counter (OTC) drugs/herbal/natural products [(e.g., tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-containing compounds, melatonin, St. John's Wort, lavender capsules, essential oils, perfume-containing products, etc].
  • Any environmental, physical condition or pathology that can significantly impact on sleep and prevent an approximate 10pm-midnight-6-8am sleep rhythm (e.g., shift work, studying/exams, rotations, insomnia, new parents, nocturia, restless leg syndrome, chronic pain, etc).
  • Any medications that can influence sleep [(e.g., use of beta blockers; anti-histamines; dexamethasone; angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI); nicotine products, alpha blockers]
  • Chemical sensitivities
  • Allergies
  • Pregnancy.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Placebo Comparator: Placebo Pillow
Other: Herbal Pillows
Pillows containing herbs
Active Comparator: Control Pillow
Other: Herbal Pillows
Pillows containing herbs
Experimental: Vata Pillow
Other: Herbal Pillows
Pillows containing herbs
Experimental: Pitta Pillow
Other: Herbal Pillows
Pillows containing herbs
Experimental: Kapha Pillow
Other: Herbal Pillows
Pillows containing herbs

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Sleep Function
Time Frame: 2 weeks
Assessments of rest/activity rhythms by wrist actigraphy
2 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Subject-reported effects on sleep
Time Frame: 2 weeks
Assessments will be made using the validated sleep questionnaire, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, PSQI
2 weeks
Subject-reported effects on depression
Time Frame: 2 weeks
Assessments will be made using the validated depression questionnaire, Center for Epidemiology Studies-Depression, CES-D
2 weeks
Subject-reported effects on anxiety
Time Frame: 2 weeks
Assessments will be made using the validated anxiety questionnaire, Spielberg State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, STAI
2 weeks
Subject-reported effects on stress
Time Frame: 2 weeks
Assessments will be made using the validated stress questionnaire, Perceived Stress Scale, PSS
2 weeks
Subject-reported effects on quality of life
Time Frame: 2 weeks
Assessments will be made using the validated health-related quality of life questionnaire, quality of life (Health-related Quality of Life, HR-QOL
2 weeks
Ayurvedic assessments of doshas
Time Frame: 2 weeks
Assessment of dosha-specific herbal pillows on dosha balancing
2 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Duquesne University

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Cura Rest/Healing and Yoga Arts

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Paula A. Witt-Enderby, Duquesne University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
February 1, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
July 31, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
July 31, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
January 23, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 30, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
February 8, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
April 17, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 14, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 2023/11/25

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

IPD Plan Description

Available upon reasonable request

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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