The aroma of coffee can change your mood

You may not need to drink coffee to improve your mood. Japanese researchers have found that the smell of coffee alone may be associated with the reduction of some negative emotions; A result that raises new questions about the relationship between the sense of smell and brain activity.

For many people, the smell of coffee is a reminder of the start of a new day; But can this perfume alone and without drinking coffee change our mood? The results of a new study show that inhaling the aroma of freshly brewed coffee may be associated with a reduction of some negative emotions and changes in brain activity within five minutes.

In this study, researchers from Showa University of Pharmacy in Japan examined 20 students aged 20 to 29. Participants were exposed to the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and smelled the coffee for five minutes without drinking it. The researchers then evaluated their mood changes and some physiological indicators.

Five minutes of smelling coffee and reducing negative emotions

The results of the evaluations showed that after five minutes of inhaling the aroma of coffee, the participants reported a reduction in fatigue, tension and anxiety, confusion and feelings of depression and discouragement. However, their sense of vitality did not increase significantly.

This finding shows that the possible effect of coffee aroma is more related to the reduction of some unpleasant feelings than the noticeable increase of energy. This difference is important; Because the usual effect of coffee on alertness and energy is often attributed to its consumption and caffeine intake, while the participants in this study did not drink any coffee.

Researchers measured the brain's electrical activity using electroencephalography or EEG. The results showed that the index used to evaluate the state of relaxation also increased after inhaling the aroma of coffee.

However, the interpretation of this result requires caution. The observed change was relatively limited and does not alone prove that the aroma of coffee physiologically calms the brain. More research is needed to clarify the meaning of this change and its relationship with the mental experience of people.

Does the aroma of coffee affect heart rate?

In another part of the study, the heart rate and heart rate variability of the participants were also examined; But no significant change was observed in these indicators. Therefore, the research findings are mostly limited to reported changes in mood and some patterns of brain activity and do not provide clear evidence of changes in cardiovascular reactions.

How seriously should the results be taken?

Although the results of this study are interesting, the small number of participants and the limited conditions of the experiment make it difficult to generalize it to all people. Also, the reduction of negative emotions after inhaling the aroma of coffee does not necessarily prove a therapeutic effect.

Overall, this research suggests that experiencing the smell of coffee, even without drinking it, is associated with short-term changes in mood. However, more extensive studies are necessary to determine the effectiveness of this fragrance, the durability of the changes, and its possible mechanism.