Five Scents to Help Stay Awake While Driving

Falling asleep at the wheel, especially during long trips, is a dangerous possibility. Accept the aid of your nose to improve your driving. Here are five scents that are known to increase alertness:

Peppermint

Chew peppermint gum. According to University of Northumbria's Human Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, peppermint oil aroma can increase alertness as well as improve memory.

Cinnamon

Bring a few naturally-flavored cinnamon candies, or try some cinnamon in your tea. Add a few sticks and sip it when you need a pickup. The scent of cinnamon can increase and improve reaction time, according to the North American Journal of Psychology.

Jasmine

Rub jasmine oil on then inner parts of your wrist, or soak a few cotton balls in the oil and place them near your dashboard. Theresa L. White, Ph.D. of Le Moyne College and State University of New York Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, states that the aroma of jasmine can have a "stimulating, anti-depressant effect."

Citrus

The same can be said of citrus scents, according to Dr. White. Bring a bag of citrus fruit wedges. Open the bag when you feel the need and take in the energizing scent of lemons or grapefruit.

Basil

A great reason to start growing your own herbs, fresh basil can be chopped up and carried in a satchel in your pocket. The moment you start to feel drowsy on the road, take a whiff of fresh basil, or simply hang the satchel on your rear view mirror. Basil is known in the aromatherapy world as an excellent herb to fight against mental fatigue.

Choose Your Own Energizing Scent! Often, a particular aroma will bring back positive, energizing memories.

Coffee and energy drinks can only do so much. Slapping yourself is just not nice. Rolling the window down in the middle of January to keep from dozing off can make a commute or road trip miserable. Give these five natural scents a try for a more pleasurable way to stay alert.

Sources: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18041606,

http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-200919505.html,

http://www.senseofsmell.org/papers/White_aroma_chology.pdf,

http://www.anniesremedy.com/remedy_use127.php