2009/04/09

Lavender ’takes edge off horror’ 薰衣草減輕恐怖的感覺

◎自由時報轉載

Taking a deep sniff of lavender before you settle down for a horror film might stop you getting so scared - but only if you are a woman, a study has found.

研究發現,看恐怖片之前,深深吸一口薰衣草的味道,可以讓你沒那麼害怕 ——不過這只對女性有用。

Men should avoid the smell unless they crave a more unsettling experience, a paper being presented to the British Psychological Society suggests.

在英國心理學會發表的報告顯示,男性應該避免這種味道,除非他們想要更加不安。

Volunteers were given either capsules containing lavender or a placebo. Their physiological responses to neutral, scary and light-hearted film clips were then observed.

自願者拿到含有薰衣草或安慰劑的膠囊。接著研究人員觀察他們對中性、緊張與輕鬆影片的生理反應。

Women who took lavender had an increased heart rate variation - an indicator of a more relaxed state - during all three films.

吸薰衣草味道的女性,在觀看這三種影片期間,心跳變化增加,顯示較為放鬆的狀態。

Aromatherapy is rooted in the idea that certain fragrant smells can stimulate the limbic system - the emotion-related parts of the brain - causing changes in the function of the body and mind.

芳香療法的根據是,部分香味可以刺激腦中與情緒相關的邊緣系統,造成身心功能改變。

新聞辭典

take the edge off:片語,減少某種令人不悅、不舒服的感覺或影響。例句:Have an apple - it’ll take the edge off your hunger.(吃個蘋果吧,你就沒那麼餓了。)

sniff:動詞/名詞,嗅,聞。例句:Have a sniff of this medicine - it smells revolting, doesn’t it?(聞聞看這個藥,味道是不是很惡心?)

crave:動詞,渴望獲得。例句:Many young children crave attention.(許多小孩渴求獲得注意。)

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