A new study conducted at the University of California, Irvine shows that diffusers improve memory in seniors by 226%, according to Psychology Today.
Forty-three participants aged 60 to 85 who had no prior diagnosis of cognitive impairment or dementia received scent diffusers with seven different essential oil cartridges. They were used for two hours every night over six months.
The oil cartridges were in the fragrances rose, orange, eucalyptus, lemon, peppermint, rosemary and lavender.
Twenty of the trial participants received full-strength fragrance cartridges, while 23 were given cartridges with only trace amounts of odorant as a control group.
Members of the scent-enriched group reported sleeping more soundly and had better integrity in a brain pathway called the left uncinate fasciculus.
