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Aromatherapy and the Brain

  • Writer: Patricia Faust
    Patricia Faust
  • Sep 4, 2024
  • 3 min read


A couple of weeks ago I recorded a podcast with Dr. Krystal Culler of the Virtual Brain Health Center.  She chose the topic of Aromatherapy and the Brain, so I dusted off my aromatherapy research and had a blast talking to her about it.  Because aromatherapy is considered complementary alternative medicine (CAM) I did some searching to find out if there was solid research to support the benefits of essential oils.


I have been a certified clinical aromatherapist since 2001.  Aromatherapy wasn’t viewed as a therapeutic modality then.  Even now, there are still questions about the effectiveness of the oils to heal.  But research has picked up a notch over these past twenty years and there are some reliable outcomes now being published. 


When I was looking for some research support for aromatherapy and the brain for the podcast, I came across this headline: “Aromatherapy May Lead to a 226% Boost in Cognition”.  That caught my attention.  Science says that certain aromas can help build better brains – and memories – during sleep.  The study utilized olfactory enrichment – inhaling several different pleasant fragrances during sleep in ways that improve cognition and boost memory.


Being exposed to multiple scents, or olfactory enrichment, has shown promise in enhancing cognitive abilities in older adults.   Seven different fragrant oils (rose, orange, eucalyptus, lemon, peppermint, rosemary, lavender) were dispersed through a room diffuser on a rotating basis for six months. 


For the study, there were 43 participants between the ages of 60 – 85 years, who were in good general health with healthy cognition.  The participants were randomly assigned to two groups.  The experimental group, made up of 20 participants, was exposed to essential oils nightly.  The control group, made up of 23 participants, was exposed to trace amounts.  They underwent assessments at the entry to the study and again after the six-month intervention.


Compared to the control group, participants in the olfactory-enrichment group displayed a 226% improvement in their performance on the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test – a word list recall test used to assess verbal learning and memory.

 

 

Smell Directly Linked to Memory

Unlike the other senses, such as eyesight and hearing, the olfactory nerves are linked directly to a white matter pathway in the brain – the uncinate fasciculus, which plays a significant role in learning and memory encoding.  It is part of the brain’s limbic system, which governs emotions and behavior.  (Aromatherapy May Lead to a 226% Boost in Cognition/Psychology Today)


In a 2018 study, adults who experienced olfactory enrichment with four essential oil scents twice a day for five months had significantly improved olfactory function and verbal function, and decreased depression symptoms compared to controls who solved daily Sudoku puzzles instead.

 

Aromatherapy and Sleep Quality

Interestingly, olfactory stimulation doesn’t directly affect areas of the brain responsible for controlling sleep. Researchers, however, say the use of natural fragrances can deepen slow-wave sleep.  Slow wave sleep is considered “the most restful portion of the sleep cycles,” study authors write.  “Odorants enhance normal sleep, and also improve abnormal sleep at a magnitude similar to that of sleep medications.” (Aromatherapy May Lead to a 226% Boost in Cognition/Psychology Today)


The National Sleep Foundation says that smell can affect “how long it takes to fall asleep, overall sleep quality and quantity.  Distinct scents may promote better sleep, help people wake up in the morning, or even influence dreams and memory formation during sleep.” 


In a 2021 article published in Complimentary Therapies in Medicine, authors reviewed 30 aromatherapy studies and concluded the use of fragrant oils has a “statistically significant” effect on improving sleep quality and reducing “stress, pain, anxiety, depression, and fatigue.”  Aromatherapy appears effective for controlling cases of acute insomnia, they state.  This latest study indicates the smell of these oils makes the user smarter in terms of cognition, recall, and judgment.


Dr. Mark Moss, head of the Department of Psychology at Northumbria University in the UK, although not involved in this study, believes that the “use of aromatherapy for a couple of hours a night is something worth trying” as it “can help with sleep quality as well as potentially on memory.”

Everyone reacts to essential oils differently.  However, the upside of using fragrant oils to assist with sleep quality is worth the effort.

 

References:

Brincat, C. (August 12, 2023). Can aromatherapy oils every night help improve memory? Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/can-using-aromatherapy-oils-every-night-help-improve-memory#How-aromatherapy-may-influence-the-brain

Dimitriu, A. (August 22, 2023). Aromatherapy may lead to a 226% boost in cognition. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psychiatry-and-sleep/202308/cognition-boost-of-226-from-aromatherapy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 

Yorumlar

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March was an unusual month for me.  Normally I work on articles, give presentations and generally just stay tuned to what is going on in the field of aging.  This month I “learned” a lot.  Last year I learned how to write a book.  At the time I took the course I thought it would just be a natural extension of all the writing I had done over the years.  WRONG!!  The actual writing of the book was the easy part.  Putting it together into a book was difficult for me.  The course gave me step by step lessons on constructing a book.  Then editing and formatting were just as challenging.  On June 7 last year the book was published!  It was one of the most satisfying days of my writing career. 

Naturally, when you self-publish, you do not have a publisher promoting the book and getting it in the right categories for best sales on Amazon.  That was crushing because I really didn’t know to appropriately market it.  I am a brain health person!  In December of last year, I purchased a marketing program that is based on statistics.  I am technical minded and so this approach made sense to me.  The course is almost completed.  Can’t wait to see if it improves sales!

The next step I am looking at is recording an audiobook.  This is another venture I knew nothing about.  But I am already tagged on Facebook for marketing of audio book programs.  Facebook picks up everything.  Now my husband was creative director for an advertising agency and when I told him I purchased another class – he couldn’t believe it.  “This was my business.  I know how to do recordings, why didn’t you ask me?” Well, I knew he was an expert in that business, but this audiobook needs to meet all the criteria that Amazon requires for publication.  So, he can take care of the recording part of this audiobook, and I will navigate the process of meeting Amazon’s requirements.  We worked on the book together like this. 

Then I talked with some coaching experts on the viability of starting group teaching programs.  Reading The Boomer Brain book and implementing the Brain Healthy Lifestyle have two entirely different outcomes.  This lifestyle is important to maintaining high cognitive function throughout the later years of our lives.  Look for updates as to when I will roll this program out.

My last learning endeavor was attending a two-day bootcamp for Speakers.  I am really excited about what I learned there.  That is a late this year or next year project, but it is one I am really looking forward to.

 

What Is Happening in April?

The American Society on Aging is having their annual conference in Orlando Florida April 21-24.  This is the largest multidisciplinary conference on aging and the annual conference for Members of ASA.  I have attended a number of these conferences throughout the years, and it is consequential.  Keynote speakers and special events are focused on combating ageism in our society.  Although this is a professional meeting, the attendees come from all aspects of aging services.  They have their work cut out for them this year!

April is Stress Awareness Month.  We should be aware of stress every month and understand how we can break the stress cycle.  These are stressful times, and we need to protect ourselves

Here is a positive one “April is National Volunteer Month”.  When I am working with new retirees who don’t know what to do, I talk to them about volunteering. It is important to have a purpose after you leave the workforce.  There are so many nonprofits who need help in all aspects of their organizations.  It is a perfect way to give back.

Finally – It was Opening Day for the Cincinnati Reds – the oldest major league team in the nation.  Cincinnati takes that responsibility seriously.  There is always an Opening Day Parade through downtown to the Ball Park.  Huge crowds line the streets and every year there is talk of making it an official holiday.  Schools and employers look the other way when there is an empty desk.  No matter what the outcome of the game is, there is so much joy, and you can feel that energy.  I am fortunate that I get to experience that.  We all need some joy right now. 

Enjoy your April.

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