You know the feeling when you walk past a bakery or open a pizza box and your whole body lightens up a little? Turns out, that’s not just hunger talking. According to a new study from the University of East Anglia, the smell of freshly baked pizza doesn’t just make your stomach rumble – it can work to actively reduce stress and boost your mood.
Researchers measured biometric markers like heart rate and skin conductance and found that exposure to the scent of a hot, cheesy pie triggered a physiological relaxation response. In plain terms: the smell of pizza calms you down. It significantly lowered participants' anxiety levels, suggesting that familiar, comforting scents can have a powerful impact on your emotional state.
Luckily for the lactose intolerant among us, the researchers found that pizza isn’t the only feel-good fragrance. Broader research into olfaction – the science of smell – shows that pleasant aromas can improve mood by up to 40%. That’s because your sense of smell is directly wired into the limbic system, the part of the brain responsible for emotions and memory. A whiff of something nostalgic or delicious can trigger the release of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine: the same brain chemicals that help you feel happy, calm, and content.
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The research hasn't been released in any peer-reviewed journals yet, but I'm sure it's something most of us would be happy to confirm in our own experience.
So, if you’ve been burning the candle at both ends and feeling the stress, maybe it’s time to light a different kind of candle — one that smells like comfort, calm, or even deep-dish pepperoni. Your brain (and your nervous system) might thank you for it.
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