Smell to boost your brain: ambient fragrances enhance mental performance

We investigated the impact of specifically designed fragrances on mental performance and focus. Three experiments were conducted using both subjective and objective measurements. In Experiment 1 (n = 24), participants completed Stroop and arithmetic tasks under three ambient odor conditions: a focus-enhancing fragrance, a control fragrance, and no-odor. Experiment 2 (n = 60) expanded on these findings by testing four additional focus-enhancing fragrances. In both studies, reaction times were significantly faster with focus-enhancing fragrances than they were in control and no-odor conditions, whereas accuracy remained unaffected. Experiment 3 (n = 60) assessed the effects of two focus-enhancing fragrances during intermittent mental activity over 2 hours. Here, accuracy improved significantly with focus-enhancing fragrances, whereas reaction times showed no effect. Participants also reported feeling more focused under fragrance conditions. These findings demonstrate that specifically designed fragrances can enhance mental performance and concentration for up to 2 hours, both subjectively and objectively.