Burning a scented candle or spraying a room with your favorite air freshener doesn’t only make your home smell wonderful, it stimulates areas of the brain that change your mood. “Scents can generate reactions in the frontal lobe and the hypothalamus that influence behaviors and personalities,” says Alan Hirsch, M.D., Founder of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago. According to his research, if you want to be more…
* Energetic, sniff coffee: This wake-me-up aroma helps you approach life with more gusto and passion.
* Creative, sniff baby powder: After breathing in this scent, you’ll enjoy trying new activities for the first time and take fresh approaches to old ideas.
* Confident, sniff fruit: Folks who breathe in citrus, apple, pear and berry scents tend to be strong-minded, ambitious and natural leaders.
* Organized, sniff rain, grass or ocean: These and other nature scents help you stay on top of important details and schedules.
* Resolute, sniff jasmine or lavender: Trying to stick to a diet? Exercise regime? New Year’s resolution? These gentle aromas amp up your willpower and keep you focused on your goals.
[photo: prakhar]
