For some people, just the smell of coffee is enough to get them through the mornings.
A new study, published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology, showed that the aroma of coffee can sharpen the brain in certain circumstances.
Researcher from the Stevens School of Business in New Jersey found that a group of students who were exposed to coffee smell during the Graduate Management Admission Test ended up scoring better than others.
“It’s not just that the coffee-like scent helped people perform better on analytical tasks, which was already interesting,” lead researcher Adriana Madzharov, from the Stevens School of Business in New Jersey was quoted as saying by Science Alert. “But they also thought they would do better, and we demonstrated that this expectation was at least partly responsible for their improved performance.”
The coffee scent used for the first experiment was free from caffeine and any other stimulants, and was reported as noticeable by 70.4 percent of the group exposed to it.
Another survey saw researchers exposing individuals to coffee scent and they were found to be more energetic and alert.
“Olfaction is one of our most powerful senses,” says Madzharov. “Employers, architects, building developers, retail space managers and others, can use subtle scents to help shape employees’ or occupants’ experience with their environment.”
“It’s an area of great interest and potential.”
Coffee has been linked to increased cancer risks, but there are plenty of health benefits to consuming coffee.
For instance, one study states that coffee lowers your risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s and it is also said to be extremely good for your liver.
