You’ve probably heard of the saying “stopping to smell the roses.” It’s generally used to as a metaphor for taking a moment to appreciate something, but it’s more than just a romantic phrase used by writers. There’s actually a lot of evidence that suggests taking time to enjoy nature really can do you some good.
Calming scent
It’s not often that you’ll notice people stop on the sidewalk and start sniffing the flowers around them. We usually don’t have the time just to stand around smelling things, and we’d probably look a little silly if we did that. Plus, no-one wants to risk getting a bee up their nose.
However, while we might not actively inhale the smell of flowers everywhere we go, it’s hard not to get a whiff of their scent as we walk by. Most flowers out there have some kind distinguishing aroma, and they’re not just pleasing to the nose.
Research has found that all these different flowers can have an impact on our mental wellbeing, which is why it’s good to surround ourselves with them. Jasmine is linked to calming depression, while lilac is known to help people sleep. Roses can do both of these things, as well as helping people to deal with anxiety. That’s a lot of power packed into one smell.
How it works
As magical as these flowers seem, there’s nothing supernatural going on here. These smells all set off chemical reactions in our body which then leads to the aforementioned changes we experience.
Lavender is another flower that’s known to help us sleep, and that’s because it causes our heart rate to slow down. It also reduces our blood pressure, which makes it easier for us to feel more relaxed. When you’re in that state, it’s easy to drift off to sleep.
It should be noted that sniffing lavender isn’t going to make you pass out just like that. Flowers aren’t miracle cures. However, having them around your house or in your bedroom will definitely keep you at ease, so you’ll rarely have to worry about losing a good night’s sleep.
Helping with memory
Something that a lot of people struggle with is their memory. The older you get, the harder it is to remember things. That is sadly just the way that life goes.
Fortunately, if you take the time to appreciate some rosemary, you might find your memory lasting a lot longer than most people’s. That’s because research has found it’s an excellent flower for helping your recall skills remain in tip-top condition.
Through an experiment, it was discovered that people who were in a room that smelt of rosemary found it much easier to remember their surroundings. In contrast, those who were in a room smelling of lavender struggled with their recall, probably because they were too relaxed.
More than smell
It’s not just the scent of flowers that makes them so useful as a tool for improving mental wellbeing. The color of these plants is also important, because they can impact your mood dramatically. The right arrangement can improve your happiness, calm you down, and even get you in the mood. These positive qualities are why flowers are such common gifts for people recuperating in the hospital, because they give them the strength to get better.
Flowers are more than just a pretty centerpiece for your home. They’re a necessary addition for anyone looking to improve their mental wellbeing and prevent each new day from getting them down. You don’t have to stand around sniffing flowers to reap their benefits, although no-one’s going to stop you if that’s what you enjoy doing. To each their own.
