Boost your mood with the right scent
Illustrations by hello vonnie
Scent can transport us to different settings, whether to a state of relaxation, a past beachside vacation, or even a painting. But there’s far more to aromatherapy than meets the nose.
Did you know your nose is one million times more sensitive than your eyes and two million times more sensitive than your ears? Or that producing just one pound of rose essential oil requires about 8,000 to 10,000 pounds of handpicked rose petals?
There is power in our ability to smell and in scents themselves. And thanks to technological advancements, it’s now easier to find personalized scents to meet your needs or indulge in next-level olfactory experiences. Plus, finding the right scent could be your secret weapon to boost focus during late-night study sessions or unwind after a long day.
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Know the full extent of scent
Just as we love to take in pleasant smells, scientists love to study them. Studies show scents have the power to:
Reduce anxiety (lavender)
Alleviate depression (lavender)
Improve sleep quality (chamomile)
Lower stress hormones (chamomile)
Heighten self-esteem (ylang-ylang)
Lower blood pressure (bergamot)
Increase alertness (peppermint)
Boost calmness (ylang-ylang)
Improve brain health (a variety)
The power of these scents comes from essential oils, which are derived naturally from plants and offer numerous benefits when inhaled or applied because of their unique chemical constituents, explains Melike Aktas Atilgan, an NAHA-level-2 professional certified aromatherapist, aromatic scent designer, and co-founder of Yoursy.
When you harness the power of scent, you can also use it to alter your mood. Think of it like curating your playlist – but for your nose. “Inhaling certain scents can trigger emotional and physiological responses,” explains Dr. Jenelle Kim, a 9th-generation master herbalist, doctor of Chinese medicine, and founder and formulator of JBK Wellness Labs. “This occurs because your olfactory system is directly linked to the neural structures of the limbic system, which governs emotions.”
How to choose your mood
Find the right scent by considering your current emotional and physical states and stress levels. From there, “follow your nose and gut,” suggests Atilgan. “Our bodies communicate our needs, much like our appetite, and our sense of smell plays a role.
“If you're seeking stimulation, citrus essential oils might be just what you need. For grounding, let your gut guide you toward woody and spicy scents,” adds Atilgan.
Perhaps you want to be transported to a time and place where you felt your best. You can then seek out custom scents that remind you of past adventures as aromatic experiences gain more traction in the travel and hospitality industry. Picture this: a scent that reminds you of summer road trips or the best concert you ever attended.
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If you don’t know what scent to look for, that's OK too. It’s also why Yoursy, Atilgan’s company, developed an algorithm to simplify discovering custom scents using an interactive quiz that gathers information about one’s scent preferences and lifestyle choices.
“Although scent preferences are inherently personal, there is often a correlation between what our bodies need and the appeal of essential oils,” says Atilgan. “For benefit-focused blends, a thorough examination of root causes is undertaken,” she explains. “For instance, in addressing sleep quality concerns, factors like overthinking or restlessness are explored.”
I took the quiz (which only took me about three minutes!) and received a custom blend for productivity (my biggest struggle lately).
How to enhance your aromatic experience
Once you’ve picked your scent, there are several ways to enjoy it, based on your preference.
Atilgan notes diffusers' ability to disperse essential oils without direct heating, preserving their therapeutic properties, and roll-on bottles with pulse-point application for targeted use. And, of course, candles and incense are always solid options for enjoying aromatic scents. For a quick mood boost, try rolling on a focus-enhancing scent before tackling your to-do list. I have a candle at home I refer to as my “emotional support candle.”
Where aromatherapy goes next
By 2023, 6 in 10 consumers expect to be able to digitally visit forests or the countryside, including experiencing all the natural smells of those places.
“Integrating scent into virtual experiences can enhance the depth and realism of these interactions, offering new dimensions in wellness and therapy,” says Kim. “However, it's important to approach this tech mindfully, ensuring it enhances rather than distracts from our natural ability to engage with and benefit from the real-world sensory experience.
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Multiple brands are experimenting with what’s possible. The Deloitte Greenhouse® Experience hosts a multi-sensory environment that draws upon the science of scent to enable lab participants to shift mindsets, accelerate breakthroughs, and confound expectations.
Elsewhere, an AI technique known as graph neural networks has been employed to analyze a database containing 5,000 molecules with known scents. “The objective is to identify complex patterns that establish links between molecular structure and odor,” says Atilgan. “These findings have implications for the potential development of new and more appealing consumer products and represent a noteworthy step in advancing our understanding of the biology of smell.
Where to take your nose next
Savor this advice if it smells nice. And if you’re looking for more, you could tune into aroma-centric podcasts like The Essential Oil Revolution and The Perfume Making Podcast or tune into a TED talk to keep learning. Want to go deeper? You could host your own scent-blending party with friends. Or, if you really caught a whiff of excitement, you could even work toward getting certified as a professional aromatherapist. Either way, in the days ahead, consider following your nose just to see where it goes. Who knows, you might find yourself actually stopping to smell the roses.
Sonya Matejko adores writing words and helping people find them(selves). As a writer, poet, author, and founder, she uses words to make people feel seen and heard (and does so using the Oxford comma). Her writing has appeared in The Atlantic, Forbes, Business Insider, HuffPost, Yoga Journal, and more, and will soon appear on bookshelves with Everlasting Spring, her debut poetry collection (Yorkshire Publishing, January 21, 2025). Sonya is also the founder of Nurtured Narratives, a writing services company rooted in wellness, where she helps brands and female founders tell their stories (well).
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