LAHORE – Psychologists at Northumbria University, Newcastle, conducted a study presented at the Annual Conference of the British Psychological Society in Harrogate, which showed that sniffing the essential oil from the herb rosemary enhances memory functions.
The researchers said their findings could have implications for treating people with memory impairment. According to WebMD, the researchers presented evidence that sniffing the essential oil from the herb rosemary improved long-term memory and performance in mental arithmetic.
According to Discovery News reports, researcher Dr. Mark Ross said it enabled people to “remember events that will occur in the future” by 60-75 percent and to “remember to complete tasks at particular times.” The results of the test indicated that volunteers in the room scented with the essential oil of rosemary performed better in the memory tasks than volunteers in the room that were not scented.
Previous research suggests volatile molecules from essential oils can be absorbed into the bloodstream through the nose. The chemicals also stimulate the olfactory nerve in the nose directly, which could have effects on brain functioning.
Dr. Mark Moss, who presented the findings at the British Psychology Society conference, said that “In this study, we focused on prospective memory, which involves the ability to remember events that will occur in the future and to remember to complete tasks at particular times. This is critical for everyday functioning, for example when someone needs to remember to post a birthday card or to take medication at a particular time.”
Also, Discovery News reports that previous work had suggested that the volatile compounds in rosemary aroma could enhance long term memory and mental arithmetic.
From the past we can get evidence of rosemary’s importance as According to WebMD, there is proof that the Greeks were aware of the memory enhancing properties of rosemary aroma.
Talking about rosemary’s significance, the herb is being discussed in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” as Ophelia said: “There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance: pray you, love, remember.”
The useful herb is also used as an ingredient in cooking and as a moth repellent. It can also be used as an ingredient in herbal remedies for cough and sore throats.
So, all the students out there, enhance your memory by sniffing rosemary ahead of exams session.
