HEALTH HACKS...

Simple things you can do to make life a bit better

FEELING DOWN OR ANXIOUS?

There may be an easy fix to beating the blues – just smell the skin of an orange.

Scientists in Austria looked at the impact of orange and lavender essential oils on anxiety, mood, alertness and calmness in dental patients.

They found that those exposed to oils with these scents were less anxious and in a better mood while waiting for dental treatment compared with than those sitting in an odourless room.

Researchers from the Medical University of Vienna concluded that ‘odours are capable of altering emotional states and may be helpful in reducing anxiety’.

Orange oil is found within the peel of the fruit.