Spice up the drive

Next time you’re faced with a long drive, you might want to bring some gum or a minty air freshener. New research shows that the smell of peppermint or cinnamon can significantly improve alertness and performance while driving.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, more than 100,000 fatigue-related accidents occur each year. “Considering the number of accidents, it’s important to make the car environment as pleasant as possible so we can keep as safe as possible,” says Bryan Raudenbush, a psychophysiologist at Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia and lead researcher on the new study.

Raudenbush had previously shown that peppermint and cinnamon scents can enhance alertness. To see if they could also help tired drivers, he put 25 students through a two-hour simulated driving course while they smelled cinnamon, peppermint or nothing at all. He found that both smells improved performance on the driving test, as well as the mental state of the driver.

Cinnamon and peppermint increased alertness and decreased frustration, and peppermint also decreased anxiety and fatigue.

Raudenbush says peppermint activates an area of the brain that regulates alertness and sleepiness.

The research was presented at a recent meeting of the Assn. for Chemical Reception Sciences in Sarasota, Fla.