Coffee smell may ease stress

You may or may not enjoy drinking coffee but simply smelling its aroma could have surprising effects on your mood. A new study suggests that the smell of coffee may help reduce stress and make people feel more positive.

Coffee smell and mood

The study, published in the journal Nutrients looked at how coffee aroma affects the mind and body. While earlier research has explored the possible benefits of drinking coffee this study focused only on its smell.

Researchers included 20 healthy people between the ages of 20 and 29. Their physical and mental responses were checked before and after they were exposed to the smell of freshly prepared coffee. The coffee was made about 50 centimetres away from the participants who stayed in the area for five minutes.

Less stress and fatigue

Researchers examined changes in mood and also monitored the participants’ heart activity and brain activity using EEG.

The results showed that exposure to coffee aroma was linked to a more pleasant mood. Participants also showed lower levels of stress anxiety confusion and tiredness along with fewer symptoms of depression.

Researchers said the findings suggest that coffee aroma may have a direct effect on mood and could help reduce feelings of stress and fatigue.

However they noted that the exact reason behind these effects is still unclear and more research is needed to understand how coffee aroma affects the brain and emotions.