Aroma Therapy for Frustrated Drivers?

Wonder what else you can do with that peppermint oil you bought at the health food store to curb your appetite or help your digestion? Well, there’s research that shows the smell of peppermint – or cinnamon – could actually take the edge off that feeling of road rage you get when you’re stuck in a traffic jam.

How? Long stretches behind the wheel of your car can lead to fatigue, which in turn leads to anxiety and frustration. Studies show that smelling or eating peppermint increases brain activity in the area that controls alertness. There’s no doubt, stimulating the brain and increasing your level of alertness will contribute positively to your driving performance. In addition, this increased awareness wards off fatigue, which in turn helps to relieve frustration, that can bubble over into rage when you’re late for an appointment because you’re stuck in traffic. 

The findings from this study were based on how test subjects responded to the scent of peppermint or cinnamon. Will sucking on a peppermint candy create the same results? Who knows? But what can it hurt? Grab two or three extra mints on the way out of your favorite restaurant and stash them in your car. Next time you’re stuck on the highway in a long line of slow moving traffic, you’ll be prepared to do your own test.

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