Coffee is well known as a drink that promotes alertness, and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee is inseparable from the start of the day for many. However, it may be that just its aroma causes certain bodily reactions and temporarily affects well-being.
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This is shown by data from a small study conducted in Japan, the results of which were published in the scientific journal “Nutrients”.
Negative emotions decreased after just a few minutes
The study involved 20 healthy people aged 20–29. In the laboratory, they were exposed to the aroma of freshly brewed coffee for five minutes. Later, the researchers compared the obtained indicators with those recorded before the experiment.
Among other things, the participants had to assess their mood using a standardized questionnaire. The results showed a noticeable change – the overall negative mood indicator decreased.
Several individual components of negative well-being also decreased – fatigue, tension and anxiety, confusion, and depressed mood.
However, not all recorded changes were statistically significant. For example, the initially observed effect on anger and hostility disappeared after statistical correction. The sense of vitality and energy also did not change significantly.
Brain activity also changed
The scientists also monitored electrical brain activity using electroencephalography (EEG).
After five minutes of exposure to the coffee aroma, the so-called relaxation index increased. This is an indirect indicator describing certain brain activity patterns associated with relaxation.
However, from this indicator alone, it cannot be said whether the recorded change actually means physically or psychologically significant relaxation.
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No effect on heart rate detected
Cardiovascular system indicators did not change. The aroma of coffee had no measurable effect on either heart rate or heart rate variability – the natural fluctuations in the time intervals between individual heartbeats.
No clear connection was found between mood and changes in brain activity either.
Thus, the results suggest that the aroma of coffee may be associated with changes in both mood and certain brain activity patterns, but these processes are not necessarily directly related. It may be that these are separate bodily reactions to the smell of coffee.
The study is small – conclusions should not be rushed
Although the results are interesting, they do not yet allow a firm statement that the observed changes were caused specifically by the aroma of coffee. The authors of the study themselves assess the conclusions cautiously.
One of the main reasons is that there was no control group in the study. Therefore, other factors could have influenced the results. For example, the fact that participants simply sat quietly for five minutes, or their prior expectations related to the aroma of coffee.
Moreover, the study involved only 20 young and healthy people, so it is not yet clear whether the same results would be obtained when studying people of other age groups.
Despite these limitations, the study suggests that the aroma of coffee may simultaneously affect several psychological and physiological processes. So if you feel better in the morning just from the smell of freshly brewed coffee, it may be that this feeling is not just a product of imagination.
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