Scent has a certain power over the human brain and body, scents grab our attention, and it’s clear from the offset whether you like a smell or not. When you whiff the scent of your favourite food, it intrigues you, it makes you want to eat. When your partner is wearing a perfume or aftershave that you really like, it draws you in closer to them. But what smells lull you into a deep slumber?
We sat down with Happy Beds‘ specialist Joy Richards to discuss the smells which help you sleep.
Does the Smell of Lavender Help You Sleep?
Lavender has long been considered a scent which has calming and relaxing properties. It is often used to treat symptoms of irritation or anxiety, as it slows down the nervous system. It has resulted in a 20% better then average increase in quality of sleep during some studies.
Koulivand, P. et al. have done research into lavender and the nervous system, and with the increasing evidence to suggest that lavender oil could be used in the treatment of several neurological disorders, as a sedative and a mood stabiliser, they confirmed ‘lavender may have significant clinical potential’.
Their research into Sleep and Lavender also concluded: ‘Single-blind randomized studies investigate the effectiveness of lavender odour on quality of sleep showed that lavender improved the mean scores of sleep quality in fifteen healthy students, in sixy-four ischemic heart disease patients and in thirty-four midlife women with insomnia.’
Whereas, the University of Southampton’s Lewith, GT. et al. conducted a study with 10 volunteers (5 female and 5 male) over the course of 4 weeks which showed that lavender created an improvement of -2.5 points in PSQI (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) when treating insomnia.
So How Does This Purple Plant Do It?
Sprinkling a few drops of lavender oil underneath your pillow or on piece of tissue has shown to increase slow-wave sleep. Slow-wave sleep is your ‘deep sleep’ when your heart rate slows down and your muscles relax, resulting in you feeling far more refreshed and energetic the following morning.
Can you recall a time where you’ve smelled something that bring back a good memory, like a homemade pie? Or memories of anticipation, such as sunscreen on a holiday?
Well, there is such thing a the olfactory system, which is part of our sensory system which is used for smelling and is closely linked to the emotional centre of our brains. When your olfactory system detects these memorable and recognisable scents, your body releases chemicals called endorphins which reduce your perception of pain and increase positive triggers and feelings.
Hence why natural oils such as lavender can help to promote happy, relaxing and peaceful sleep.
Does the Smell of Peppermint Help You Sleep?
As we’ve discovered, research shows that certain plants and herbs do indicate to have calming and relaxing properties. Realistically, any scent that promotes positive and calming feelings around you before you sleep may naturally aid in a peaceful night’s sleep due to the receptors in your brain.
For example, research has shown that peppermint (in its essential oil form) increases altertness and cognitive performance.
140 people participated in a study where they were randomly assigned the aroma of ylang-ylang, peppermit aroma, and no aroma as a control group Mark, M. et al. concluded.
“Peppermint was found to enhance memory whereas ylang-ylang impaired it and lenghtened processing speed. In terms of subjective mood peppermint increased alertness and ylang-ylang decreased it, but significantly increased calmness.”
However, peppermint tea has shown to promote weight loss, reduce heartburn and induce sleep. How? Well, caffeine-free peppermint te acts as a muscle relaxant, which can aid in a more peaceful night’s sleep. The menthol component of peppermint causes your muscles to relax, relieving stress and anxiety, which both add up to allowing you to gain more restful sleep.
Plus, if you’ve found yourself bloated before going to bed, or have divgestive issues, peppermint tea has shown to be an ideal natural remedy for those stomach ailments. The carminative elements in peppermint tea allow the gases in your body to move more freely rather than collating in one place, relieving discomfort.
Other Smells That Aid Sleep
– Frankincense – Chamomile – Cedarwood – Jasmine – Vanilla – Valerian
