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Fragrance and Mood: How Scented Laundry Can Improve Your Day

From home cooking to freshly washed sheets, there are some smells that never fail to bring a smile to your face! In fact, 75% of the emotions we experience every day are triggered by smell. In this article, we’re looking at why scent has the power to change your mood in an instant, and how you can use fragranced fabric softener to elevate your mood every day.



A woman happily enjoying the fragrance of her laundry

 

 

The science of scent

Of all your senses, you might be surprised to learn that smell is by far the most powerful, especially when it comes to mood. According to Harvard Medicine magazine, your sense of smell is directly wired to the emotional and memory centres of your brain. They explain that this goes back to our ancient ancestors, whose brains consisted of little more than smell and memory to help them navigate their world. Psychology Today South Africa adds that by linking certain smells to events and emotional states, we could store away important information about our environment for future use. For example, if a certain food made us sick, we would vividly remember the emotion the next time we encountered the smell, and we would know to steer clear.

The psychological benefits of scent 

We still use the power of scent today, for positive emotional associations as well as negative. That’s why certain scents not only instantly transport you to a happy moment in your life, but also conjure up the emotions you felt at the time. For example:

  • The smell of rain might bring back the excitement, exhilaration and awe you felt watching a big thunderstorm from the safety of your home.   

  • The smell of the braai might remind you of family birthday parties and all the fun and laughter you enjoyed. 

  • The smell of your mother’s perfume might make you feel the love, warmth and safety you felt when she held you as a child. 

This powerful mood-boosting effect of scent is supported by countless scientific studies, showing a significant impact on things like: 

  • Emotional wellbeing. Studies have found that a pleasant scent can improve mood by up to 40%, lowering irritation, stress, and depression, and enhancing happiness, sensuality and relaxation. Peppermint has been shown to reduce anxiety and fatigue and improve sleep quality. Meanwhile, people undergoing an MRI test were found to experience 63% less anxiety when exposed to a sweet vanilla scent. 

  • Workplace wellbeing and productivity. A Japanese company found that lavender and jasmine improved workplace stress, while lemon increased productivity by 54%. Lemon also helped students to improve their performance and memory. And peppermint has been shown to enhance alertness and performance for healthcare workers. 

  • Social interaction. It seems the right fragrance can have a positive effect on our social relationships, which have a big impact on mood. Research found that people communicated better when they were exposed to nice fragrances, and it even helped them to overcome communication breakdowns. Another study found that warm scents made people feel warmer towards others and behave in more community-driven ways.

Improving your day with fragrance 

Why not harness the power of fragrance for yourself by using a scented fabric softener? Whether you’re wrapping yourself in a fluffy towel after a shower, pulling on your comfiest shirt, curling up on the sofa under a cosy blanket, or slipping between some crisp, freshly washed bed sheets, there are so many opportunities to infuse fragrance into your day. Try some of these Sta-soft favourites for an instant, long-lasting boost: 

  • Lavender Dream, a blend of calming lavender and sweet vanilla to soothe the senses.   

  • Ocean Fresh, a clean, fresh scent that brings back memories of breezy beach days.

  • Spring Fresh, a crisp, clean fragrance for that first-day-of-spring feeling all year round.

There’s no denying that fragrance has a powerful effect on our mood, and Sta-soft® fabric softeners are one way to carry that power with you all day long. To find your perfect scent, check out our article Choosing the Right Fragrance: A Guide to Sta-soft® Scents, or shop the full range of Sta-soft fabric softeners here.

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