Life is full of stressors. Work tension can follow you home, keeping your nerves on end. Soon, the sound of children playing and fighting will be more irritable to you. You snap at the babysitter, and apologize before she leaves. You’re too tired to cook dinner, but know you have to, and your spouse doesn’t come home until late.

With the added stress of the conflict we see today, viruses and social unrest, your tension has the ability to linger in the environment long after the kids have gone to sleep. “Me-time” is tainted; there has to be something that will make your anxious nerves feel better. Alone time should help you to recharge.

Did you ever consider that there’s a reason scented candles have been used for spas and personal relaxation all this time? Lavender as an aid for stress might seem like a cliche, but the reason why so many suggest it is because natural scents work.

Our sense of smell is powerful. We don’t notice it at the time, but it’s helping us record memories as we open the kitchen pantry or take a stroll in the garden. When you walk past a cluster of lavender or a blooming rose bush, images from your carefree childhood in the back yard come in to soothe.

Natural scents in particular are powerful to our bodies. The chemistry in the scent works in our system as we breathe it in, so peppermint and citrus are as powerful as lavender. Light a candle with the smell of the ocean and feel yourself settle down. In smell, we have a medicine that we often overlook.

The next time you have a long and tumultuous day, give it a try—light a candle, or go outside and smell the flowers. You might be surprised at the difference it’ll make when you come in. Your problems will still exist, but with a level head, you’ll be able to handle them more calmly and creatively.

Try some of the scents science has claimed will make you feel better; some make you happier, others help you to sleep, but all are a natural way to eliminate stress.