To relieve fatigue, smelling coffee is better than drinking coffee.

Researchers believe that the aroma of roasted coffee beans can calm nervous nerves-and just a little fragrance can alleviate the effects of sleepless nights on the brain.

A cup of freshly ground coffee is what it takes to get some people moving in the morning.

But, according to a study, it may be the aroma rather than the coffee itself that does the trick.

Researchers believe that the aroma of roasted coffee beans can soothe frayed nerves-and that just the whiff could be enough to reverse the effects of a poor night's sleep on the brain.

Aroma: Just smelling coffee can help cure tiredness better than drinking a cup

They said that chemicals extracted from coffee and pumped into the air may one day be used as a way of reviving tired people.

Scientists in Tsukuba, Japan, kept 16 laboratory rats awake for 24 hours, by keeping them in a cage filled with an inch of water, then exposed half of them to the smell of roasted coffee.

After taking samples of the rats' brains, they found that the smell of coffee boosted the activity of key genes that promote cell in the body and reduce anxiety, New Scientist magazine reports today.

Professor Yoshinori Masuo, who led the study in Tsukuba, Japan, said that when people drink coffee to stay up all night, just the smell of the coffee could alleviate some of the stress caused by sleeplessness.

He added: & # 39 is it better for us to smell coffee bean aroma than to drink coffee, or would any other food-related odour produce similar effects? Further studies are needed.'

A cup of fresh ground coffee can be energizing when you get up early in the morning.

But a new study suggests that this effect may be caused by the aroma of coffee rather than the coffee itself.

Researchers believe that the aroma of roasted coffee beans can calm nervous nerves-and just a little aroma can alleviate the effects of sleepless nights on the brain.

Aroma: just smelling coffee can help relieve fatigue more than drinking a cup of coffee

Sooner or later, they say, people's fatigue can be relieved by extracting chemicals from coffee and releasing them into the air.

Scientists in Tsukuba, Japan, put 16 mice in cages with an inch of water to keep them awake for 24 hours. Then, put half of the rats in the aroma of roasted coffee.

After sampling the brains of mice, they found that the smell of coffee enhanced the activity of key genes that promote cell survival and reduce anxiety.

Professor Yoshio, who led the Tsukuba research team in Japan, said that when people drink coffee in order to stay up late, the taste of the coffee alone reduces the stress caused by not sleeping.

He added: smelling coffee beans is better than drinking coffee. But will the smell of other foods have a similar effect? This needs further research.