How Mint Helps you to Think

Peppermint is good for lots of things and not just your feet and your stomach. It can also make you more mentally alert. This is great if you feel you are lagging later in the day and need a little something to pick you up and make you feet more awake. On hot days and being in a hot environment this can really help. 

Can Peppermint Improve Your Mental Performance?

This is a FACT.

Peppermint health benefits have been celebrated by ancient civilizations, including the Greeks, and were first identified by the English in 1696. The herb is scientifically known as Menthe piperita – from the Labiatae family – and its primary component is menthol.

Peppermint oil is extracted through steam installation to provide a liquid substance that is clear with a slight shade of yellow.

Rich in antioxidants, peppermint oil contains manganese, iron, copper, calcium, vitamins A and C, magnesium and omega-3 fatty acids.

There have been a lot of conflicting reports regarding the mental health benefits of peppermint but the consensus remains in favour of the herb. There are many physical health benefits of peppermint that many outside the holistic world may be unaware of.

Peppermint oil is…

• Antibacterial
• Anti-microbial
• Anti-septic
• Antispasmodic

Brain Boosting with Peppermint

Most people are familiar with candy peppermints but research has shown that drinking peppermint tea, inhaling peppermint via a diffuser, or applying peppermint oil to the skin are actually more effective for boosting mental alertness. Peppermint health benefits are also available in capsule form as a supplement.

But it is the scent of peppermint more than the ingestion of peppermint that is crucial.

Contrary to many articles, the health benefits of peppermint does not “make you smarter.” However, its scent – primarily the menthol component – stimulates the hippocampus area of the brain which controls mental clarity and memory. The odour triggers you to wake up and pay attention.

The University of Cincinnati found that using peppermint in a room of test-takers boosted alertness and concentration.

Wheeling Jesuit University found that drivers exposed to peppermint health benefits were more alert, less tired, more motivated and less irritable. They found that peppermint slowed the release of the stress hormone cortisol and kept drivers calm yet awake.

The limbic system in your brain maintains hormones that affect overall mood. The scent of peppermint travels immediately to this area and helps you feel more refreshed and rejuvenated. Many subjects reported feeling emotionally uplifted in response to peppermint aromatherapy.

Using products such as soaps or lotions that contain peppermint oil have shown similar results.

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