Stress-relieving aromatic scents for covid-19 mask: analysis of the brain’s response to reduce the stress, to improve wellbeing and energy via the contribution of neuroscience
Podium 34
Presented by: Celine CARRASCO-DOUROUX
Introduction
This research was developed to provide an adaptative solution to the stress and anxiety associated with wearing a covid-19 mask. It will soon be two years that we have been living with the changing challenges and disruptions of Covid-19 and its variants. This pandemic has profoundly influenced our lives by increasing our stress and imposing, among other things, the mandatory wearing of mask. When we wear a covid-19 mask, an increase in stress and anxiety has been recognized. Breathing in and out means that our sympathetic system is involved and, if our body perceives a restriction in our airflow, it triggers several emotional reactions: stress, anxiety, difficulty breathing and increased heart rate. Our recent neuroscientific studies have proven that certain well-defined and associated scents, such as Ginger, Tonka Bean and Vanilla, significantly reduce stress, bring well-being and energize the person breathing them. By using neuroscientific techniques, such as measuring facial expressions, measuring visual cognitive attention and psychometric questionnaires, we were able to evaluate the power of these associated scents on stress and prove the well-being of the covid-19 mask wearer.
Methods
78 Caucasian volunteers aged between 20 and 66 years (male & female) were recruited, divided in 3 groups of 26: placebo (alcoholic solution), neutral fragrance and active fragrance (same heart of the neutral perfume with the additionally tonka-bean-vanilla-ginger complex). Volunteers were people who wear a mask during the working day, who are stressed by wearing a mask throughout the day and find it difficult to wear. For the study, participants had to wear a perfumed mask for 15 days. The spray had to be used on the outside of the mask: one spray in the beginning, wait 1 or 2 minutes for the alcohol to be evaporate and then wear the mask as usual. They could repeat the operation as often as necessary, as soon as the smell has disappeared. Two weeks of field study were organized at D0 and D15 for the 3 products. Firstly, we used the measurement of facial expressions, the assessment of heart rate variability and a psychometric questionnaire during the recording of facial expressions on the self-evaluation of the tested product, combined with the measurement of cognitive visual attention (eye-tracking) during the reading of emotional images. Then, we used a psychological assessment of subjective well-being (GEW) at D0, immediately after an application and after 15 days.
Results
After 15 days of daily use of the aroma spray, participants returned than wearing the active or neutral scented mask was more bearable than wearing the placebo one, and they felt more relaxed with the active mask in comparison to the placebo. Heart rate of active group was significantly lower than the one of placebo group. Eye-tracking results show that participants spent significantly more time on “well-being” picture while smelling the active scent in comparison to the placebo, and less time in “neutral” and “stress” pictures. Additionally, we asked participants to give the two emotional pictures most in line which each odor, among a mood board of 12 photos. Pictures depicting “well-being” were cited significantly more for the active scent in comparison to the placebo, and pictures depicting “stress” and “neutral” feeling were significantly less cited. Finally, results of emotional scales show that participants felt more “protected” after smelling the active fragrance in comparison to the neutral spray.
Discussion and conclusion
This study has helped us to understand that the covid mask can be the source of our unhappiness or stress and recognizing these feelings is essential to combat covid mask anxiety. Integrating the power of scents such as the vanilla-tonka bean-ginger blend accord to reduce stress and improve well-being will help us increase our comfort level and allow us to wear the covid mask longer. The process of measuring human emotions through neuroscientific methods such as facial expressions, heart rate variabilities and cognitive visual attention measurements provide the ability to induce and quantify reliable and congruent emotional non-verbal responses. To conclude, this research presents an innovative method to quantify a perfumed product capacity to enhance emotional experience and will be helpful to promote new claims regarding the emotional side of stress-relieving aromatic scents for covid-19 face mask in search of physical and mental well-being.
This research was developed to provide an adaptative solution to the stress and anxiety associated with wearing a covid-19 mask. It will soon be two years that we have been living with the changing challenges and disruptions of Covid-19 and its variants. This pandemic has profoundly influenced our lives by increasing our stress and imposing, among other things, the mandatory wearing of mask. When we wear a covid-19 mask, an increase in stress and anxiety has been recognized. Breathing in and out means that our sympathetic system is involved and, if our body perceives a restriction in our airflow, it triggers several emotional reactions: stress, anxiety, difficulty breathing and increased heart rate. Our recent neuroscientific studies have proven that certain well-defined and associated scents, such as Ginger, Tonka Bean and Vanilla, significantly reduce stress, bring well-being and energize the person breathing them. By using neuroscientific techniques, such as measuring facial expressions, measuring visual cognitive attention and psychometric questionnaires, we were able to evaluate the power of these associated scents on stress and prove the well-being of the covid-19 mask wearer.
Methods
78 Caucasian volunteers aged between 20 and 66 years (male & female) were recruited, divided in 3 groups of 26: placebo (alcoholic solution), neutral fragrance and active fragrance (same heart of the neutral perfume with the additionally tonka-bean-vanilla-ginger complex). Volunteers were people who wear a mask during the working day, who are stressed by wearing a mask throughout the day and find it difficult to wear. For the study, participants had to wear a perfumed mask for 15 days. The spray had to be used on the outside of the mask: one spray in the beginning, wait 1 or 2 minutes for the alcohol to be evaporate and then wear the mask as usual. They could repeat the operation as often as necessary, as soon as the smell has disappeared. Two weeks of field study were organized at D0 and D15 for the 3 products. Firstly, we used the measurement of facial expressions, the assessment of heart rate variability and a psychometric questionnaire during the recording of facial expressions on the self-evaluation of the tested product, combined with the measurement of cognitive visual attention (eye-tracking) during the reading of emotional images. Then, we used a psychological assessment of subjective well-being (GEW) at D0, immediately after an application and after 15 days.
Results
After 15 days of daily use of the aroma spray, participants returned than wearing the active or neutral scented mask was more bearable than wearing the placebo one, and they felt more relaxed with the active mask in comparison to the placebo. Heart rate of active group was significantly lower than the one of placebo group. Eye-tracking results show that participants spent significantly more time on “well-being” picture while smelling the active scent in comparison to the placebo, and less time in “neutral” and “stress” pictures. Additionally, we asked participants to give the two emotional pictures most in line which each odor, among a mood board of 12 photos. Pictures depicting “well-being” were cited significantly more for the active scent in comparison to the placebo, and pictures depicting “stress” and “neutral” feeling were significantly less cited. Finally, results of emotional scales show that participants felt more “protected” after smelling the active fragrance in comparison to the neutral spray.
Discussion and conclusion
This study has helped us to understand that the covid mask can be the source of our unhappiness or stress and recognizing these feelings is essential to combat covid mask anxiety. Integrating the power of scents such as the vanilla-tonka bean-ginger blend accord to reduce stress and improve well-being will help us increase our comfort level and allow us to wear the covid mask longer. The process of measuring human emotions through neuroscientific methods such as facial expressions, heart rate variabilities and cognitive visual attention measurements provide the ability to induce and quantify reliable and congruent emotional non-verbal responses. To conclude, this research presents an innovative method to quantify a perfumed product capacity to enhance emotional experience and will be helpful to promote new claims regarding the emotional side of stress-relieving aromatic scents for covid-19 face mask in search of physical and mental well-being.