New Study Links Coffee Aroma to Mood Shifts Without Caffeine
A new study from Showa Pharmaceutical University suggests that merely smelling freshly brewed coffee can reduce negative mood states and alter brain activity, even without consuming caffeine. Published in the journal Nutrients, the research tracked 20 university students who sat near coffee for five minutes. While participants reported less fatigue, tension, and anxiety, their heart rates remained unchanged, indicating the effect may be psychological or sensory rather than physiological.