Scientists have found that aromas can
profoundly affect people's cognitive abilities. In a 2003 study,
psychologists asked 144 volunteers to perform a series of long-term
memory, working memory, and attention and reaction tests. Some
subjects worked in a scent-free cubicle, some in a cubicle infused
with essential oil from rosemary, and the rest worked in cubicles
scented with lavender oil.
Those in the rosemary-infused cubicles demonstrated significantly
better long-term and working memory than those in the unscented
cubicles. Also, those exposed to the smell of rosemary reported
feeling more alert than the control (scent-free) group.
Participants working in the lavender cubicles reported feeling less
alert and those in the lavender-scented cubicles performed worse
than the others in tests of working memory.
If you need your brain to perform at its best, you can try placing a
rosemary plant on your windowsill. Research also shows that
eating chocolate may improve memory and cognition, because it is
rich in antioxidants called flavanols.
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