[HEALTH]We've known that rose oil can calm the nerves and lift the mood, but apparently it's been hiding a secret superpower. New research shows that this classic scent may do more than make you feel serene; it might actually rewire your brain for the better.
Rose Oil Increases Gray Matter Volume
In a study published in 2024 in the journal Scientific Reports, a group of 50 healthy women was asked to live their lives as normally as possible for one month. Half of the group was asked to wear a small amount of rose essential oil on their clothes each day, while the other half wasn’t.
All participants had brain scans using MRI before and after the experiment. The results showed that women who wore the rose scent daily experienced a significant increase in gray matter volume in an area of the brain called the posterior cingulate cortex, which is involved in reflecting, processing emotions, and memory retrieval.
In other words, simply by wearing a dab of rose oil each day, the brains of the women in the study had measurably changed in just 4 weeks!
Rose Oil Makes Us Feel Calm
A 2022 study published in the journal Perceptual and Motor Skills found that inhaling rose and orange essential oils for just 90 seconds had an immediate calming effect on the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain involved in thinking and reasoning. The participants in the study, who were all young women, reported feeling calmer, more comfortable, and more at ease.
On top of that, rose oil has been shown to reduce blood pressure and heart rate.
Rose Oil May Help Memory
There’s some evidence that rose oil could also be involved in memory consolidation - making sure the memories you form while learning something new stick around for a long time.
One study of students at a university found that those who learned materials while smelling rose essential oil retained significantly more information than students who were not exposed to the scent.
The fact that rose oil’s scent is so deeply linked to the relaxation and restorative experience, combined with the power of scent to influence our emotional landscape, makes a strong case for continued exploration.
Rose Oil Increases Gray Matter Volume
In a study published in 2024 in the journal Scientific Reports, a group of 50 healthy women was asked to live their lives as normally as possible for one month. Half of the group was asked to wear a small amount of rose essential oil on their clothes each day, while the other half wasn’t.
All participants had brain scans using MRI before and after the experiment. The results showed that women who wore the rose scent daily experienced a significant increase in gray matter volume in an area of the brain called the posterior cingulate cortex, which is involved in reflecting, processing emotions, and memory retrieval.
In other words, simply by wearing a dab of rose oil each day, the brains of the women in the study had measurably changed in just 4 weeks!
Rose Oil Makes Us Feel Calm
A 2022 study published in the journal Perceptual and Motor Skills found that inhaling rose and orange essential oils for just 90 seconds had an immediate calming effect on the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain involved in thinking and reasoning. The participants in the study, who were all young women, reported feeling calmer, more comfortable, and more at ease.
On top of that, rose oil has been shown to reduce blood pressure and heart rate.
Rose Oil May Help Memory
There’s some evidence that rose oil could also be involved in memory consolidation - making sure the memories you form while learning something new stick around for a long time.
One study of students at a university found that those who learned materials while smelling rose essential oil retained significantly more information than students who were not exposed to the scent.
The fact that rose oil’s scent is so deeply linked to the relaxation and restorative experience, combined with the power of scent to influence our emotional landscape, makes a strong case for continued exploration.