What Does the Smell of Coffee Do to the Brain and Mood?

A small study has found that the aroma of coffee may be linked, within minutes, to reduced anxiety and fatigue and changes in brain activity.

According to Ambassador Arjan, if you have ever felt better before drinking coffee and just by its aroma spreading in the air, maybe this experience is not entirely without reason. A new study has shown that the smell of coffee alone may be associated with a reduction in negative emotions and changes in brain activity within minutes; Even when one does not drink a drop of coffee.

In this study, researchers from Showa University of Pharmacy in Japan examined 20 students aged 20 to 29. Participants sat next to freshly brewed coffee and just smelled its aroma; without drinking it.

What is the effect of smelling coffee for just five minutes?

After five minutes, participants reported reduced fatigue, tension and anxiety, confusion, and feelings of depression and discouragement. In contrast, their sense of vitality did not increase significantly.

Put simply, the smell of coffee seemed to have more to do with reducing negative emotions than creating a sudden surge of energy; The effect we usually expect from drinking coffee and receiving caffeine.

At the same time, the researchers checked the brain activity with the EEG machine. An index that uses brain wave patterns to assess the state of relaxation also increased. However, the magnitude of this change was relatively small, and it is not clear whether it actually translates to "brain relaxation" from a physiological point of view.

Heart rate and heart rate variability did not change significantly.

Why can the smell of coffee affect our mood?

The sense of smell is closely related to the parts of the brain involved in emotions and memory. For this reason, a familiar smell can activate a certain memory or emotion even before we consciously identify it.

For many people, the smell of coffee is also associated with experiences such as morning, rest, the start of the working day or a pleasant period. Therefore, part of the observed reaction may be related to these mental associations and previous experiences.

But still it cannot be said that the smell of coffee directly calms the brain. The most important limitation of the study is that there was no control group; That is, the researchers did not compare the smell of coffee with a room without any other scent. Therefore, it is not clear whether the observed changes were really due to the coffee, or whether the five-minute break, the test environment, or the individual's expectation of the coffee also played a role.

In addition, the study examined only 20 young students, and their coffee consumption habits and their interest in this drink were not systematically evaluated.

So, for now, it cannot be said that the smell of coffee replaces drinking it; But the next time you feel better before the first sip, maybe your brain went into "coffee break" from the moment it recognized the aroma of coffee.