Waking up to the smell of bacon every day may not be plausible, but you may be able to fall asleep to some equally pleasant (though less … meaty) smells. Meet the Oria from Sensorwake, described as a “smart, intuitive, and nonintrusive device that improves sleep quality and recharges our personal batteries using the power of scents.”
It’s a follow-up to Sensorwake’s first product, an olfactory alarm clock that woke you up with pleasant smells. The Oria, however, isn’t as interested in getting you out of bed as it is about enjoying your time in bed. By working with fragrance and flavor specialists at Givaudan, Sensorwake has created a device that employs sleep enhancing fragrances to help you sleep better and longer, and wake up feeling more refreshed.
“After using scents to help people wake up in better conditions and in a better mood, we brainstormed a lot on the power of smell and what other issue it can solve,” said Guillaume Rolland, CEO of Sensorwake. “Sleep deprivation can have terrible consequences on health. We all feel it on our everyday lives, and that’s what we want to solve with Oria. ”
In studies conducted by Givaudan and the Clinical Sleep Center at Loughborough University, scientists have determined that certain smells do indeed impact sleep quality. To that end, Oria is using two patented scents in to help you get some shut-eye — there’s one meant to help you relax and fall asleep faster, and another that keeps you in the deep sleep phase of your REM cycle for better sleep quality.
And what do they smell like? According to Sensorwake, the first scent releases aromas of powdered rose, peach and pear, with notes of talc and musk, whereas the second evokes fresh linen with notes of soap and sandalwood.
“Sleep has always been key in our lives, but more and more people sacrifice sleep for work, hobbies, etc. We know it’s going to be a strategic topic for years to come.” explained Chris Thoen, head of science and technology at Givaudan. “Our in-house team of neuroscientists and partner universities work continuously with our fragrance development teams to elaborate the best of research on scents, bring them to the market and impact the sleep quality of millions.”
Oria is expected to be made available this summer at a price of $149.