EVER wondered why some smells make you feel a certain way?
And did you know you can use them to improve your life?
Scent can be very powerful in triggering emotions and memories.
And this knowledge is seeing more and more people putting scents to a variety of new uses.
Called “scaping,” the trending skill can help you sell your house faster, for example.
According to research, 70% of us are attracted to scents that take us back to childhood, with all the associations that accompany them.
Here, fragrance expert Suzy Nightingale reveals which scents can keep you busy at work – and even busier in the bedroom. . .
SMELL CITRUS
to increase energy for tasks
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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 be productive is to inhale citrus scents.
According to Suzy, the spicy, spicy aroma 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 itself is energizing – citrus fruits have a ‘fast’ smell, compared to a banana, for example, which has a ‘slow’ and ‘lazy’ smell.
“So, things that smell like orange 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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GOING outdoors is great if you want to sleep well at night – and Suzy thinks a lot of that is down to nature’s natural scents.
So one way to ensure a decent sleep is to get outside and be in harmony with your plants.
Suzy says: “Deep, woodsy scents are fantastic for helping you relax.
“If you learn to inhale and breathe smells differently, it can really help you let go of stress.
“A great way to do this is to go outside and water the plants and then breathe in the moist soil.
“These earthy smells can lower blood pressure and increase healing rates.”
SNIFF WASHING LIQUID
to help you feel slimmer
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It seems absurd to think that a scent can help you feel better about your body, but Suzy says the citrus scent of lemons has been proven to make you feel slimmer and sexier.
She says: “Believe it or not, in one study, people said they felt thinner when they smelled lemons.
“We don’t know why this happens, but it does. Any lemon-scented item, such as dish soap, will have this effect.
“That’s partly why these products are scented the way they are.
“Fragrance stimulates you, makes you more productive, makes you feel good about yourself – and therefore the idea is that you buy more.”
SMELL LAVENDER
to improve brain function
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PUT those pens. Apparently, smelling lavender is better for your brain than doing sudoku a day.
The intoxicating aroma, which appears in virtually everything from candles and perfumes to household cleaning products, is ideal for boosting brain power.
Suzy says: “Scientific studies have shown that essential oils like lavender are actually better for long-term memory recall than doing a daily sudoku puzzle.
“In one study, researchers compared older participants who did daily puzzles with others who smelled essential oils.
“At the end of the study, the memory of people who smelled the oils was significantly better.”
SMELL BLUE CHEESE
to attract a dream lover
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FORGET the roses – the scent of fragrant blue cheeses, like Stilton, may 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 indole.
“That means if you smelled Stilton without knowing it was cheese, and someone told you it was actually the sexy scent of jasmine, you would believe it.
“The scent of jasmine has been used for centuries to attract lovers – Mark Antony used it to seduce Cleopatra.
“While I don’t recommend getting dirty with Stilton to get a date, it does show that the brain works in mysterious ways.”
MAKE OLD BOOKS
to calm your mood
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We all know that getting stuck into a good book can do wonders for your mental health, but smelling the paper from an old classic can be just as beneficial to your mood as reading the words.
Suzy says: “There’s a reason people stay in bookstores for a long time – it’s calming. Breaking the paper releases the smell of vanilla and lignin, the smell of wood pulp.
“It is a pleasant aroma and has been proven to calm the mind and calm us.
“In fact, their power is such that these scents are now being tested for use in stressful hospital situations – such as during chemotherapy or CT scans – in the hope that they will provide patients with a calmer experience.”
SNIFF DONUTS
to boost your sex life
WHEN you want to get in the mood, try putting a donut under your nose.
Studies have shown that the smell of sweets can increase blood flow to our private parts by 40%, increasing feelings of arousal.
Suzy says: “Scientists propose that the sweet smells found in donuts and other baked goods, such as vanilla and cinnamon, make people feel happy and calm, which in turn leads to feelings of relaxation, which leaves you with desire for intimacy.
“In fact, any scent that makes you feel relaxed, nourished and safe helps put your brain in a happy, relaxed state – which is perfect for sex.”
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
