How scents can affect our mood

What’s your favourite smell? Maybe it’s freshly-cut grass, the saltiness of the sea at the beach, maybe it’s even your favourite Zoflora!

More so than other senses, smelling our favourite scent can trigger positive moods and release endorphins into our system. It’s no coincidence that estate agents suggest brewing coffee and baking bread in order to entice potential buyers when selling your house.

But what impact do different smells have on our mood and can different scents improve our day-to-day life?

Citrus: The citrusy scent of oranges, lemons and bergamot can help you to feel more energised and boost your alertness. As well as this, they are extremely good for cleaning and sanitising as they contain the natural solvent d-limonene so are a popular choice of scent for cleaning products.

Peppermint: Peppermint is a natural stimulant which can increase your ability to concentrate during times of mental fatigue or stress. It also gives a cooling sensation from its high proportion of menthol, which explains why it is often used in shampoos and shower gels, and contains antibacterial properties.

Lavender: For anyone who struggles to sleep, lavender is known to be a calming smell which can relax our body and mind, making it ideal for those with insomnia. Many people choose to put lavender in with their laundry or in their airing cupboard to give a soothing scent to clothes and linen too.

Vanilla: Not just in ice cream, vanilla is frequently used in perfumes and is associated with warmth and softness. The smell of vanilla is also known to be a natural aphrodisiac that induces euphoria and relaxation.

So whether it's the scent you use in your cleaning products or lighting a scented candle before bed, why not see if a different smell makes a difference around your home.

Written by staff writer: Laura Dew // www.linkedin.com/in/laura-dew-0b71b85a  

49 comments

  • I love the smell of flowers but my nose doesn’t as I suffer from terrible hayfever!!

    Emma crawford
  • This is so true and something we tend to forget, I do however absolutely love lavender and vanilla and use it all round my home all the time and the smells are amazing 😍😍

    lovestocleanxx
  • Really interesting, I love different smells in different areas… I love lavender bed linen so I can sleep easier and my living room I like it to smell fresh, so I like flowery smells… it’s weird to think smells make you feel different emotions! Good read :)

    Vicky
  • This is so true and really interesting read. With someone that has sinus problems for the last 2 years and can’t smell anything so really miss all these smells and your right it does lift your mood .

    Karen

Leave a comment

Please note, comments must be approved before they are published