EVER wondered why some smells make you feel a certain way?
And did you know you can use them to improve your life?
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Scent can be very powerful at triggering emotions and memories.
And this knowledge is seeing more and more people putting aromas to a variety of novel uses.
Called “scent-scaping”, the trending skill could help you sell your home more quickly, for example.
According to research, 70 per cent of us are drawn to aromas that take us back to our childhood, with all the associations that come with it.
Here, fragrance expert Suzy Nightingale reveals which scents can get you busy with your chores — and even busier in the bedroom . . .
SNIFF CITRUS
to boost energy for chores
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NEED a pick-me-up before getting the housework out of the way?
Stick your head in the fruit bowl.
Apparently, the best way to get productive is to inhale citrus smells.
According to Suzy, the zesty, tangy scent is the perfect energy booster when you’re feeling lazy.
She says: “Citrus fruits, like oranges and lemons, are fantastic for your productivity because they wake you up.
“The smell in itself is energising – citrus fruits smell ‘fast’, compared to a banana, for example, which smells ‘sluggish’ and ‘slow’.
“So things that smell like oranges are proven to lift our spirits, revive flagging energy levels and provide much-needed focus.”
SNIFF WATERED PLANTS
to get a better night’s sleep
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GETTING outside in the fresh air is great if you want to sleep well at night – and Suzy reckons a lot of this is down to the natural aromas of nature.
So one way to ensure a decent kip is to step outside and be at one with your plants.
Suzy says: “Deep, woody smells are fantastic at helping you relax.
“If you learn how to inhale and breathe in smells differently, it can really help you let go of stress.
“A great way to do this is to go outside and water your plants, then breathe in the wet soil.
“These earthy smells can lower blood pressure and can increase healing rates.”
SNIFF WASHING-UP LIQUID
to help you feel slimmer
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IT sounds far-fetched to think a smell could help you feel better about your body, but Suzy says the citrus aroma of lemons has been proven to make you feel thinner and sexier.
She says: “Believe it or not, in a study, people said they felt slimmer when sniffing lemons.
“We don’t know why this happens, but it does. Any lemon-scented item, like your washing-up liquid, will have this effect.
“It’s partly why these products are scented the way they are.
“The fragrance boosts you, makes you more productive, makes you feel good about yourself – and therefore the idea is that you’ll buy more of it.”
SNIFF LAVENDER
to improve brain function
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PUT those pens down. Apparently, sniffing lavender is better for your brain than doing a sudoku a day.
The heady scent, which pops up in virtually everything from candles and perfumes to household cleaning products, is ideal for boosting brain power.
Suzy says: “It’s been shown in scientific studies that essential oils such as lavender are actually better for long-term memory recall than doing a daily sudoku puzzle.
“In one study, researchers compared older participants doing daily puzzles with ones smelling essential oils.
“At the end of the study the memory of the people smelling the oils was significantly better.”
SNIFF BLUE CHEESE
to attract a dream lover
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FORGET roses – the smell of whiffy blue cheeses, such as Stilton, could be more effective in helping to attract a lover.
Even the Ancient Romans and Egyptians got in on the action.
Suzy says: “Jasmine flowers and Stilton cheese share an aroma – a compound called an indole.
“It means that if you smell Stilton without knowing it is cheese, and someone told you it was actually the sexy scent of jasmine, you’d believe it.
“The smell of jasmine has been used for centuries to attract lovers – Mark Antony used it to entice Cleopatra.
“While I wouldn’t recommend smearing yourself with Stilton to get a date, it goes to show the brain works in mysterious ways.”
SNIFF OLD BOOKS
to calm your mood
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WE all know getting stuck into a good book can work wonders for your mental health, but smelling the paper of an old classic can be as beneficial to your mood as reading the words.
Suzy says: “There’s a reason people stay for ages in bookshops – it’s calming. Paper breaking down releases smells of vanilla and lignin, the smell of wood pulp.
“It’s a pleasant aroma and has been proven to settle the mind and make us calmer.
“In fact, such is their power that these aromas are now being trialled for use in stressful hospital situations – such as when undergoing chemo or having CAT scans – in the hope it will give patients a calmer experience.”
SNIFF DOUGHNUTS
to boost your sex life
WHEN you want to get in the mood, try wafting a doughnut under your nose.
Studies have shown that the smell of the sweet treat can increase blood flow to our private parts by 40 per cent, increasing feelings of arousal.
Suzy says: “Scientists propose that the sweet smells found in doughnuts and other confectionery, like vanilla and cinnamon, make people feel happy and calm, which in turn leads to feelings of relaxation, which gets you in the mood for intimacy.
“In fact, any smell that makes you feel relaxed, nurtured and safe helps to get the brain in a happy, relaxed state – which is perfect for sex.”