Lavender
Lavender is among the loveliest fragrances known for helping lessen emotional stress and calming your nerves. This scent has a soothing effect that can relieve nervous tension, minimise depression, and ease headaches and migraines.
The group of brain areas that are best known for processing emotions, learning, and memory also process odors. When you smell something, to process the smell, your brain uses the same areas that it would use to process emotions and memories. This makes smells great at helping us remember emotional memories!
A recent study of olfactory (or smell) training in older adults has found it not only improved performance in identifying smells, but it was also associated with improvement in other cognitive abilities outside of the olfactory realm.
Smells have a stronger link to memory and emotion than any of the other senses. You might have noticed that the smell of grass and rubber cleats can bring back the memory of childhood soccer games in starker detail than watching a home movie of one of those games.
Floral scents can stimulate memory recall, helping memory care patients remember events associated with the scent of a certain flower at their grandmother's house, a bouquet of anniversary roses, or memories of their home garden.
Oils derived from plants, specifically extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil, have massive brain-boosting potential. Olive oil is rich in polyphenols, potent antioxidants that have been shown to reverse cognitive deficits brought on by both the natural process of aging and disease.
Promotes mental clarity and clears brain fog
By invigorating the senses, eucalyptus oil helps improve focus and concentration, effectively clearing the mind. Its also been found to improve brain function.
Sensory neurons in the nose detect odor molecules and relay signals to the olfactory bulb, a structure in the forebrain where initial odor processing occurs. The olfactory bulb primarily transmits information to the piriform cortex, the main structure of the olfactory cortex, for more comprehensive processing.
Anecdotally, many of us have had experiences where a certain smell—perhaps chlorine, fresh baked cookies, or the salty beach air—floods our brain with memories of a distinct event or location that we associate clearly with certain emotions.
The sense of smell is closely linked with memory, probably more so than any of our other senses. Those with full olfactory function may be able to think of smells that evoke particular memories; the scent of an orchard in blossom conjuring up recollections of a childhood picnic, for example.
One study found that bergamot, lavender, and lemon essential oils are particularly therapeutic. Using your sense of smell, they prompt your brain to release serotonin and dopamine.
Lavender. Smelling lavender may have a relaxing effect without making your mind feel cloudy or foggy. Lavender aromatherapy may be recommended to someone experiencing stress, anxiety, or depression. Smelling lavender is also linked with improving pain and inflammation.
Peppermint. Peppermint is a popular oil that is said to stimulate the mind to help support memory, focus, concentration, and mental performance. In one study on 24 participants2 , those who ingested a higher concentration of peppermint essential oil reported less mental fatigue after cognitively demanding tasks.
This is because Frankincense has powerful anti-inflammatory compounds for the brain. Diffuse Frankincense with a drop or two of one or more essential oils of Peppermint Lemon, Ginger or Spearmint to boost your memory.
Chamomile Essential Oil
Chamomile essential oils have been used by many to treat anxiety symptoms, such as overly worrying, overthinking, and being easily irritated. The peaceful scent is said to incite calmness and create inner harmony and balance.
Studies have shown that exercise can improve the brain's executive skills, which include planning, organizing and multitasking. What you eat can also influence how effectively your brain operates. Activities such as listening to music, playing video games and meditating may boost cognitive performance as well.
“Parfum”, “Parfum Extrait”, “Extrait de Parfum”, “Perfume Extract”, “ pure perfume” or “Elixir” is the strongest concentration of fragrance and can have between 15% and 40% of aromatic compounds.
This new research suggests a neurobiological basis for privileged access by olfaction to memory areas in the brain. The study compares connections between primary sensory areas — including visual, auditory, touch and smell — and the hippocampus. It found olfaction has the strongest connectivity.
Peppermint
When given a whiff of peppermint essential oil, subjects of one study showed improved sustained attention, allowing them to concentrate on demanding tasks for longer. It also enhances the accuracy of memory and increases alertness.