According to those surveyed in the National Sleep Foundation’s recent International Bedroom Poll, it does. Funded by the Procter & Gamble, the maker of the air freshener Febreze, the poll tapped into sleep habits of residents of Canada, Germany, Japan, Mexico, the United Kingdom and the United States. A majority of the respondents in every country, except Japan, said that they feel more relaxed in bed if the bedroom smells nice.
“Studies have shown that scent plays a powerful role in relaxation and memory-building,” said David Cloud, chief executive officer of the NSF. “Having a pleasant scent and a relaxing bedroom routine can contribute to a good night’s sleep.”
The specific scents in question were lavender and jasmine. Lavender is known to boost deep sleep and even has some benefits for people with insomnia. In a German study, jasmine was found to be as effective as taking anti-anxiety medication in relieving nerves and aiding sleep.
The poll also asked whether mold, body odor, pet odor, stale air, cooking odor or antiseptic disrupted sleep. Mexico and U.S. residents ranked mold as the worst offender, while Canada named body odor. German, Japanese and U.K. residents were kept awake by stale air.
