The relationship between smell and mood is a long-studied curiosity. There is some debate over whether smells actually impart a mood on the sniffer or if memory associations with a particular smell are the real cause of emotional response. That there IS a response, however, is accepted as a matter of fact. Your nose quite readily can lead you to a better day.

Realtors have a proven method for moving lived-in homes more quickly through the market and that’s the smell of baking bread or cookies greeting prospective buyers as they walk through the door. The scent instills a feeling of “home” in people. Vanilla has a similar influence and induces a sense of calm and general well-being and has been shown to promote patience or tolerance (who would want to walk away when there might be a pie or cookies coming out of the oven at any minute?!)

The next time you find yourself in the need of an emotional pick-me-up, try slicing a fresh lemon or orange and breathe deeply. Citrus smells in general tend to energize and uplift. Other smells with similar results are eucalyptus, mint and pine.

Do keep in mind that studies indicate there is a potential obstacle to any smell’s expected impact. If you’ve had bad experiences associated with a smell, the experience is likely to override the “normal” result and cause a negative mood or association with what should otherwise be a positive mood-enhancing result.

For example, many people find the smell of lime to be energizing. Real limes have the same effect on me. But, for quite some time, the smell of synthetic lime present in many cleaners and subtly noticeable in the smell of a Pepsi actually had a negative impact on me… I associated the scent with the artificial cleaners used in the sterile, institutionalized day-care center where I was always the first child dropped off and the last child picked up. Once I recognized the link, the negative impact diminished significantly. Still, I now experience, at best, a neutral response to the odor.

Assuming you have had no bad past experiences with lemons or oranges, why not slice into one and maybe drizzle some fresh juice into your tea for a quick morning boost? It’s a refreshing way to charge up without saturating your body with sugar or caffeine.