According to an article in the December 2012 issue of the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology short term (less than one hour) exposure to bergamot essential oil lowered blood pressure and heart rate by 2 mm of mercury systolic and heart rate by 1.7 beats per minute. This is minimal but significant. Prolonged exposure (more than one hour) led to an increase in BP of a similar amount.
Short term exposure to bergamot in combination with exercise, meditation, diet, adequate sleep, meditation, etc can have an effect on blood pressure that is equivalent to drug therapy and it is far more natural and safe.
