Good scents make good sense when it comes to nixing stress.
According to a study from the School of Dentistry at Japan’s Meikai University, test subjects who inhaled lavender or rosemary essential oils for five minutes were found to have reduced levels of the stress hormone cortisol in their saliva samples as well as significantly increased levels of free radical scavengers.
Extra cortisol is normally produced by the body in stressful conditions, along with elevated levels of tissue-damaging free radicals (molecules which accelerate the ageing process). By countering both, inhaling these oils heightens energy, reduces stress, mops up dangerous chemicals and prevents tissue degeneration.