When it comes to picking the perfect fragrance, the immediate quality that we attribute to a great scent is its ability to keep us smelling great all day. But there are also numerous health and other benefits that a good fragrance provides. Here are just a few reasons to spray on your favourite fragrances everyday!
“Aristotle and Plato described olfactory perception as strongly related to human emotions.”
Enhance your mood
The idea that fragrances might affect our mood is not a new concept. In the ancient Greco‐Latin civilizations, Aristotle and Plato described olfactory perception as strongly related to human emotions (LeGuérer, 1992) Different perfumes have their own impact on the mood because of the various ingredients that can lift up your spirits. A research, conducted in 2005 (A.N. Rétiveau, E. Chambers & G.A. Milliken) showed that pleasant fragrances can positively influence mood and specific sensory characteristics. So the next time you are putting on your favourite fragrance, just pay attention and see its impact on your mood.
“Something shifts in the brain when we smell different aromas.”
Increase sleep quality
For a restful and uninterrupted sleep, essential oils and scents like lavender, chamomile, and ylang-ylang are the way to go. They are known to have relaxing properties that help you relax and induce sleep throughout the night. Lavender, for example, has shown a significant beneficial influence on quality and duration of sleep and improved general mental and physical health without causing any unwanted sedative or other drug-like effects. Researchers concluded that the lavender oil “is both efficacious and safe” and it could therefore emerge as “a gentle therapeutic alternative in the treatment of anxiety.”
“Lavender has shown a significant beneficial influence on quality and duration of sleep and improved general mental and physical health.”
Boost your energy and improve focus
Essential oils and fragrances rich in essential oils are also regarded as a healthier alternative to help you get through a busy afternoon. Oils like lemon, orange, rosemary, basil and peppermint are known to help improve concentration and boost brain performance so you can stay focused on your tasks and stay energised all the day.
“Lemon, orange, rosemary, basil and peppermint are known to help improve concentration and boost brain performance.”
Get rid of stress
It has been proven countless times that something shifts in the brain when we smell different aromas. Smelling particular essential oils can help drastically in easing your body and releasing certain hormones that reduce anxiety and relieve tension. Research shows that Lavender has a high concentration of volatile oils, which impart its distinctive and pleasing fragrance. The relaxing experience of lavender leads to its deliberate, therapeutic use in aromatherapy to relieve mild anxiety (Appleton, 2012).
“Human beings tend to associate scents with memories.”
Re-live memories
Human beings tend to associate scents with memories. Different scents can help you remember things you want to remember. If you are feeling happy, buy a new perfume and start wearing it. Every time’ll you wear it after, it will trigger happy memories from the first time you wore it. This happens because information of the scent is stored in long-term memory and has strong connections to emotional memory in the brain. Research made on scent-evoked nostalgia (Chelsea A. Reid et al., 2015) showed that in general, scent-evoked memories in their participants caused a relatively high proportion of positive and pleasant emotions.
