Wake up and smell the java

Study shows how the scent of coffee relaxes sleep-starved rats

The aroma of freshly roasted coffee may help rats take the edge off all-nighters, a new study suggests. Cells in sleep-deprived rats sniffing freshly brewed coffee turn up the volume of genes that soothe stress and prevent cell damage. The finding suggests one way the smell of coffee may calm stressed-out people — even if the drink itself revs them up.