The scent that slashes stress

Inhaling the aroma of yuzu, a citrus fruit popular in Japan, can quickly bring on happy calm in minutes, suggest researchers in the journal BioPsychoSocial Medicine. In a small study, stressed women who breathed in yuzu essential oil had up to 83 percent lower scores of tension and anxiety than when they inhaled steam alone—and the feel-good effects lasted for a half hour. According to study author Tamaki Matsumoto, Ph.D., the fruit contains compounds that triple activity in the parasympathetic nervous system, which counteracts the body’s stress response. To experience the benefits, he suggests adding a few drops of the oil (like Edens Garden Yuzu Essential Oil, $9 for 5 ml, EdensGarden.com) to an aromatherapy diffuser or bath as part of a nightly routine.