Do you often find yourself in a recurring battle to fall asleep? You find yourself tossing and turning, primarily thinking about how much you need to get to sleep and feeling stressed by the fact that you can’t. You are not alone. Millions of people around the world struggle with sleep difficulties.
From sleep tracking apps to fancy mattresses and more, there are tons of ‘solutions’ on the market. But have you tried the simple solution of natural fragrances in your home? Your sense of smell can affect how well you sleep, and we’re breaking down everything you need to know below.
A Sleepy Connection: Olfactory System and Limbic System
Imagine that as you snuggle up in bed, there is a calming scent in the air, and within a few minutes, you feel relaxed and ready to fall asleep. This is possible when the connection between your sense of smell (olfactory system) and the limbic system in your brain is stimulated in the right way.
In simple terms, when you inhale a scent, tiny molecules travel up your nasal cavity and bind with scent receptors. These receptors then send signals to your limbic system, which controls many parts of your daily life, including emotions, memory, and sleep cycles.
It has been shown that sleep-promoting scents, like lavender, can have the following physical effects:
- It decreases the activity of the nervous system, encourages a sense of calm, and lowers stress hormones like cortisol. This encourages your body to relax in preparation for sleep.
- Slows down brain wave activity, which is also associated with deep sleep patterns.
How You Can Sleep Better
Harness the influence of the connection between your limbic and olfactory systems to tap into this sleep-inducing state when you invest in a scent distribution system. These allow you to fill your bedroom with calming fragrances like lavender, cedarwood, chamomile, or sandalwood throughout the night. By creating a scent environment that promotes calm, your body can receive signals that it’s time to unwind for the day, relax, and drift off to dreamland.
To learn more about how to use fragrances in your home to promote a better night’s sleep, contact Scent.ology today.
