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New Findings Suggest Aromatherapy May Benefit Cognitive Function
Aromatherapy is more often seen as a way to improve ambience, not necessarily well-being. However, a new research study provides evidence that working out your sense of smell may result in better brain health. Here's what to know.
How your diffuser may boost your cognitive function
A group of researchers at the University of California–Irvine found that diffusing essential oils for a few hours each night was associated with enhanced cognitive performance.
The study, published in Frontiers of Neuroscience1, featured 43 participants (both male and female) aged 60 to 85. Everyone in the group received a diffuser to use at home for six months. Twenty participants were instructed to diffuse an essential oil for two hours every night before bed, while the rest of them (the control group) ran their diffusers with distilled water that didn't carry a noticeable scent.
Over the course of the study, people in the essential oil group alternated between these seven scents:
Before and after the six-month trial, researchers conducted neuropsychological assessments like word recall tests and short-term memory quizzes, along with fMRI scans to assess cognitive function and physical changes in the brain. In the end, they found that those who used the essential oils showed a 226% improvement in cognitive performance measures like verbal learning and memory2 compared to the control group.
"We have shown that even minimal olfactory enrichment, delivered at night, is sufficient to induce an improvement in cognition and neural function. This type of sensory enrichment may be particularly useful, as it is low cost, as well as low effort," the researchers conclude.
What this means for you
The great part about these findings is that practicing aromatherapy before bed is a fairly low-cost, low-effort intervention that's enjoyable for most folks.
Plus, there are many different ways to do it—even if you don't own a diffuser. "Exposing ourselves to a greater variety of scents...by various methods (for example, flowers, candles, diffusers, bath and body products) can improve cognition (thinking, verbal, or memory) and create physical changes in the brain," neuroscientist Tara Swart, M.D., Ph.D., tells mindbodygreen.
The goal is to flex your sense of smell in some fashion. "Stimulating our sense of smell can improve function in the olfactory system," Swart explains, which is great for the longevity of your sense as well (read: maintaining a strong sense of smell as you age).
Scent stimulation might be especially effective in the evening, Swart suggests. "Nighttime is a good window as it's approximately eight hours where the olfactory nerve can be gently stimulated without interruption," she explains.
You'll want to be cautious about leaving any device on overnight or overexposing yourself to essential oils. So consider looking for a diffuser with a "timed-release" feature or capping your next essential oil session to two hours or less, as they did in the study.
RELATED READ: The 7 Best Essential Oil Diffusers Of 2023
3 tips to work aromatherapy into your routine
If you have a diffuser you can run in the evening, fill it with sleep-supporting essential oils like those found in the study, and feel free to add relaxing clary sage, chamomile, and bergamot to the list as well (all of which have solid research behind them for sleep). If not, know there are plenty of other ways to engage the nose at night. Below, some inspiration:
- Relaxing candles: If you love a cracking flame in the evening, find a clean-burning candle specifically formulated for sleep like the Caftari Dolce Far Niente or the P.F. Candle Co. Ojai Lavender. Here are a few more of our favorite nontoxic candles of the year. Just be sure to blow out the flame before you officially tuck in for some shut-eye.
- Room sprays: You can also use a room or linen spray with a relaxing scent profile. To ensure you're consistently stimulating your olfactory system, spray it close to a surface so the fragrance holds (think pillow, blanket, etc.) Check out our favorites here.
- In the shower: Finally, you can add a few drops of relaxing essential oils to the corners of a warm shower so the fragrance gets carried by the steam into your nose. This won't be enough to last two hours but can be a great additional step to your sensory routine.
The takeaway
A new study found that two hours of evening aromatherapy via essential oil diffusion can have benefits on cognitive performance and function. Rather than running an oil diffuser all night, consider just utilizing it (or a candle, room spray, etc.) during your wind-down routine. Looking for more brain-healthy nighttime tips? Here's Swart’s complete turn-down routine.
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