Aroma & Room Design: How it affects energy level, mood, and emotions.

09/07/21 • 20 min

This is the third episode in our series about Room Design. We are discussing various design elements and how they impact stress, productivity, attention, and behavior.

Have you ever been out for a walk and smelled something that triggered a memory? Our sense of smell can trigger memories and strong emotions, both good and bad.

The olfactory nerve taps into the memory system of the brain. That’s why strong smells have a connection with memory recall, emotions, and behaviors.

Let’s travel back in time a bit to ancient Egypt. The Egyptians practiced aromatherapy for both their physical and psychological wellness. Since that time, essential oils have been used for therapeutic purposes to attain mind and body well-being.

Some aromas wake you up, calm you down, or stimulate brain activity. Get creative! Have fun! Be aware of allergies!

Lauren discusses various ways to incorporate scents, such as a diffuser, a spray bottle, scented candles, and plants. She also explains the effect of certain scents, including:

Lavender and Jasmine – have a calming effect.
Lemon / Citrus – enhances mental & physical performance and brightens the mood.
Rosemary – helps improve thinking, memory, and processing.
Cinnamon – stimulates brain activity and attention.
Peppermint - improves alertness & memory.

If you’ve been looking for ways to promote productivity or relaxation at home or in the classroom, introducing different scents might be what you need. Have fun exploring and experimenting!

Other related resources from The Behavior Hub:

Blog Post – Classroom Design with Aroma in Mind

Our Online Courses:

Lauren answers this week’s listener question during the episode:
Do you have helpful strategies for dealing with students who have ODD-type behaviors in a school setting?

Try-at-home tip: Co-Regulation

Do you have a question? I can answer it in a future episode!
Email questions to [email protected] or send via text to 717-693-7744.
Subscribe to our mailing list and find out more about the Emotional Brain.
Check out our Facebook Group – Raising and Teaching Respectful Children
The Behavior Hub website
The Behavior Hub blog

Are you struggling with behaviors and not sure where to begin? Let me help!
Schedule a free discovery call and let me be your Guide.

This is the third episode in our series about Room Design. We are discussing various design elements and how they impact stress, productivity, attention, and behavior.

Have you ever been out for a walk and smelled something that triggered a memory? Our sense of smell can trigger memories and strong emotions, both good and bad.

The olfactory nerve taps into the memory system of the brain. That’s why strong smells have a connection with memory recall, emotions, and behaviors.

Some aromas wake you up, calm you down, or stimulate brain activity. Get creative! Have fun! Be aware of allergies!

Lauren discusses various ways to incorporate scents, such as a diffuser, a spray bottle, scented candles, and plants. She also explains the effect of certain scents, including:

Lavender and Jasmine – have a calming effect.
Lemon / Citrus – enhances mental & physical performance and brightens the mood.
Rosemary – helps improve thinking, memory, and processing.
Cinnamon – stimulates brain activity and attention.
Peppermint - improves alertness & memory.

If you’ve been looking for ways to promote productivity or relaxation at home or in the classroom, introducing different scents might be what you need. Have fun exploring and experimenting!

Other related resources from The Behavior Hub:

Blog Post – Classroom Design with Aroma in Mind

Our Online Courses:

Lauren answers this week’s listener question during the episode:
Do you have helpful strategies for dealing with students who have ODD-type behaviors in a school setting?

Try-at-home tip: Co-Regulation

Do you have a question? I can answer it in a future episode!
Email questions to [email protected] or send via text to 717-693-7744.
Subscribe to our mailing list and find out more about the Emotional Brain.
Check out our Facebook Group – Raising and Teaching Respectful Children
The Behavior Hub website
The Behavior Hub blog

Are you struggling with behaviors and not sure where to begin? Let me help!
Schedule a free discovery call and let me be your Guide.

Previous Episode

Using Color in Room Design: How it affects actions, learning, and retention.

This is the second episode in our series about Room Design. We are discussing various design elements and how they impact stress, productivity, attention, and behavior.

Color has its own magnetic frequency. It has an energy that influences the neurological pathways in the brain.

Color also influences our moods, emotions, and actions. It is very impactful, so why not choose colors to help kiddos learn? Color also helps us stay regulated, feel better, reduce stress, and improve performance.

Lauren talks about using colors conducive to learning, retention, participation, and cooperation. She discusses a variety of ways to incorporate the following colors:

Red – Energy booster. Think the Energizer Bunny!
Orange – Mood lifter.
Yellow – Attention grabber.
Green – Concentration catcher.
Blue – Productivity driver.

Remember, color is a significant part of our lives and perceptions. Don’t shy away from trying different color combinations to see what works best for you.

Mentioned in this episode:
BDNF -Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor.
We won’t go into the science of it, but what you do need to know is that it is activated by exercise and is a fertilizer for your brain. So, more exercise = clearer thinking.

Other related resources from The Behavior Hub:

Blog Post – Classroom Design with Color in Mind

Our Online Courses:

Lauren answers this week’s listener question during the episode: When a child has challenging behaviors, how do you support parents in trying to understand it more from the child's perspective?

Try-at-home tip: Go outside immediately upon waking!

Do you have a question? I can answer it in a future episode!
Email questions to [email protected] or send via text to 717-693-7744.
Subscribe to our mailing list and find out more about the Emotional Brain.
Check out our Facebook Group – Raising and Teaching Respectful Children
The Behavior Hub website
The Behavior Hub blog

Are you struggling with behaviors and not sure where to begin? Let me help!
Schedule a free discovery call and let me be your Guide.
Returning to Us Podcast - part of the Top 15 Health & Wellbeing Podcasts!

Next Episode

Temperature and Room Design: How it affects learning, productivity, and stress response.

This is the fourth episode in our series about Room Design. We are discussing various design elements and how they impact stress, productivity, attention, and behavior.

Think how you feel after being outside on a hot, humid day. You’re sweating, hot, and feeling exhausted. Now, think how a child feels in a hot classroom with either no A/C or bad airflow. They will struggle to remember what they learned that day.

More elements go into learning than just content. Other things impact memory and productivity, like room temperature in a classroom or a work setting.

Remember Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs? You must have psychological and physical needs met first, in order to have the brain space to perform “higher-order” thinking skills. Examples include critical thinking, creativity, logic, and reason.

Based on the Harvard-based National Bureau of Economic Research, each school day with temperatures above 90 degrees F resulted in the loss of one-sixth of 1% of a year’s learning. Temp over 100? Those days saw a loss of 0.5% of a year’s learning. Crazy!

Recent research by Cornell studied the effects of cold on the performance of Florida-based employees. When temperatures were low (below 68°F), employees made 44% more mistakes. Also crazy!

So, what is the optimal working and learning temperature? 68 to 73 degrees F.

This episode includes several tips to help control a room’s temperature. Some have an expense involved (like air conditioning) while others work naturally with your body (staying hydrated).

One tip from this episode:
Put a tray of ice cubes in front of a tabletop fan to help cool the room a bit.

Listen to the episode for more tips or check out the blog post linked below.

Lauren answers this week’s listener question during the episode: What are some tips for redirecting intrusive or negative thoughts for teens who do not appreciate mindfulness?

Try-at-home tip: Real Food
Other related resources from The Behavior Hub:
Blog Post – Room Temperature: How It Affects Learning

Our Online Courses: