The new school year doesn\u2019t just mean new notebooks, backpacks, and class schedules. Children and teens, who have enjoyed a more flexible lifestyle over the summer, are suddenly expected to listen for long periods, process information, remember what they\u2019ve learned, complete their homework, and manage their attention amid many different distractions.<\/p>\n
For this reason, one of the questions parents face most frequently in September is how to support their children\u2019s focus<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n The 2026\u20132027 school year begins on September 14 in Turkey; orientation programs for preschool and first-grade students will take place between September 7 and 11. This means that to prepare for the new routine, it makes sense to start organizing not only back-to-school shopping but also your child\u2019s sleep, study, physical activity, and mental transition routines<\/strong> now.<\/p>\n But first, let\u2019s make an important distinction. Focus isn\u2019t a switch. You can\u2019t simply turn it on by telling a child, \u201cPay attention.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Sleep, stress levels, task duration, the environment, phones and other distractions, learning difficulties, emotional state, and individual characteristics can all play a role in attention.<\/p>\n Therefore, the goal isn\u2019t to keep the child at the table for hours on end; it\u2019s to create an environment and consistent cues that make it easier for the mind to shift into work mode.<\/strong><\/p>\n And scent can be one of those cues.<\/p>\n What is expected of a child\u2019s mind during summer vacation is quite different from what is expected during the school year.<\/p>\n During the summer:<\/p>\n When school starts, however, the child suddenly has to listen to lessons, follow instructions, retain information in working memory, take notes, complete a task, and then move on to another class.<\/p>\n A few days of disorganization during this transition is not unusual in itself. The primary goal here should not be \u201cStudy more,\u201d <\/strong>but rather \u201cGet used to studying again.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s important not to confuse these concepts when discussing focus.<\/p>\n Attention<\/strong> refers to the ability to direct our mental resources toward a specific stimulus or task.<\/p>\n Working memory<\/strong>, on the other hand, allows us to hold information in our minds for a short time and process it.<\/p>\n For example, keeping a three-step instruction given by a teacher in mind and following it in order requires working memory. So does not forgetting an intermediate result while solving a math problem.<\/p>\n Therefore, it\u2019s important to understand that studies conducted with certain aromatic substances measure not \u201cconcentration\u201d but rather working memory, recall, processing speed, or alertness<\/strong>.<\/p>\n This distinction may seem minor, but it is very important from a scientific perspective.<\/p>\n One of the most notable studies in the field of aromatherapy and cognition involving school-age children was published in 2017.<\/p>\n Moss and colleagues divided 40 school-age children, aged 9\u201311<\/strong>, into two groups. One group completed standard working memory tests in a classroom environment with rosemary aroma, while the other group completed the tests in an aroma-free environment.<\/p>\n In the group exposed to rosemary aroma:<\/p>\n In a study by Filiptsova and colleagues, 53 middle school students aged 13\u201315<\/strong> were examined.<\/p>\n Thirty-one students were assigned to the control group, while 22 students were assigned to the group exposed to rosemary essential oil in the environment.<\/p>\n The study found significant differences in the short-term visual memory and number recall<\/strong> performance of students exposed to rosemary aroma compared to the control group. Therefore, we now have experimental findings not only from adult studies but also from two different school-age groups.<\/p>\n Nevertheless, these studies should not be interpreted as a treatment for ADHD, a treatment for learning disabilities, or a method for improving academic performance.<\/strong><\/p>\n One of the key aromatic components of rosemary essential oil is 1,8-cineole<\/strong>.<\/p>\n In a study conducted by Moss and Oliver on healthy adults, a correlation was found between blood levels of 1,8-cineole following exposure to rosemary aroma and speed and accuracy on certain cognitive tests. Higher measured concentrations of 1,8-cineole were associated with better indicators of cognitive performance.<\/p>\n Since this study was not conducted on children, we should not directly apply its results to children. However, it provides an interesting clue for discussions on the mechanisms underlying the effects of rosemary observed in studies involving children.<\/p>\n Mint is also one of the most commonly used aromatic herbs when it comes to \u201cmental alertness.\u201d<\/p>\n In an older experimental study involving 144 healthy participants, peppermint aroma was associated with positive outcomes in certain memory measures and feelings of alertness compared to a control condition. In contrast, ylang-ylang induced greater calmness while reducing certain measures of cognitive performance.<\/p>\n However, a comprehensive review published in 2025 that evaluated human studies on the effects of peppermint scent on cognition and attention raises an important caveat:<\/p>\n The methods used in these studies vary considerably, and the evidence is not yet homogeneous enough to develop a standard clinical recommendation.<\/strong><\/p>\n Therefore, rather than stating that \u201cpeppermint definitely enhances focus,\u201d it would be more accurate to say that peppermint is one of the aromatic scents that has been studied for its effects on mental alertness and cognition<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Here, we need to correct a common mistake in aromatherapy: \u201cThe child is stressed \u2192 Let\u2019s use lavender.\u201d<\/p>\n This may not be the right approach in every situation. Because relaxing is not the same as staying cognitively active.<\/strong><\/p>\n In a controlled study conducted in 2003 with 144 healthy participants, rosemary was associated with better performance on certain memory measures, while the lavender group showed a decline in working memory performance and on some attention\/speed measures.<\/p>\n Even more interestingly, in a 2024 study of high school students while they were studying:<\/p>\n Lavender, however, was not found by researchers to be equally effective in reducing stress during work.<\/p>\n This leads to a very valuable principle: The scent of the evening doesn\u2019t have to be the same as the scent at your desk.<\/p>\n A calmer aromatic profile may be preferred when preparing for sleep.<\/p>\n While studying, however, a combination of rosemary, citrus, and more invigorating aromatic profiles <\/strong>may be a more sensible choice.<\/p>\n If a child sits at the desk but their mind is constantly elsewhere, the problem isn\u2019t always low alertness.<\/p>\n Sometimes the opposite can be true: The mind is overstimulated.<\/strong><\/p>\n Test anxiety, a change in schools, a new teacher, pressure to perform, or overdue homework can drain mental resources.<\/p>\n In a cross-over study conducted by Seo in 2009, 36 female high school students<\/strong> were evaluated using a personalized necklace containing aroma (wearable aromatherapy) and a placebo condition using a carrier oil.<\/p>\n Most of the perceived stress and measured stress responses during aroma inhalation were found to be lower compared to the placebo.<\/p>\n This study is also interesting from Terra di Simana\u2019s perspective for another reason: The aroma was not diffused throughout the entire classroom. A personal, wearable inhalation method was used.<\/strong><\/p>\n In a study published in PLOS ONE in 2021, 43 adolescents<\/strong> aged 16\u201320 were evaluated under control, sandalwood, and sandalwood + lavender conditions.<\/p>\n The researchers measured recovery in the autonomic nervous system by examining post-exercise heart rate variability.<\/p>\n Differences were found in certain indicators of parasympathetic activity in the sandalwood and, particularly, the sandalwood-lavender combination groups compared to the control group.<\/p>\n However, one of the most interesting findings was this: While the response was more pronounced in the low-stress group, the same effect was not observed in the moderate-to-high-stress group.<\/strong><\/p>\n This draws a very important line for us. It is more accurate to think of aromatherapy not as a \u201cmethod for treating intense anxiety<\/strong>,\u201d <\/strong>but as a sensory tool that can accompany stress regulation in daily work routines<\/strong>.<\/p>\n One of the most interesting aspects of learning through scent is research on context-dependent memory<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Human memory does not store information in isolation; it can also use certain characteristics of the learning environment as cues to retrieve that information.<\/p>\n Scent can be one of these contextual cues.<\/p>\n In a study conducted with college students, the reintroduction of the scent used during learning enhanced the recall of verbal material.<\/p>\n Another study from 2022 also showed that reintroducing the scent from the learning environment can improve performance on certain measures of declarative memory.<\/p>\n Other experiments have also shown that reintroducing the same scent during both learning and recall can create contextual effects on memory.<\/p>\n This leads to an interesting idea that can be applied to daily life:<\/p>\n Using the same mild aromatic cue every day when a child begins studying can, over time, create a sensory association that signals, \u201cIt\u2019s time to study.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n The goal here isn\u2019t some \u201cmagic formula\u201d like \u201csmell the scent, remember the information.\u201d But leveraging the brain\u2019s capacity to form habits and context could be a sensible approach.<\/p>\n If a child isn\u2019t getting enough sleep, no other \u201cfocus-boosting\u201d method can make up for it.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why establishing a sleep schedule for children as they return to school\u2014<\/strong>as we discussed in our previous article\u2014is actually the first step in this guide.<\/p>\n Before establishing a focus routine, try to keep bedtime as consistent as possible.<\/p>\n Just because a child sits at the desk for two hours doesn\u2019t mean they\u2019ve studied for two hours.<\/p>\n Breaking tasks down into smaller, clearer blocks may be more manageable for most children: Instead of \u201cStudy Turkish,\u201d <\/strong>say, \u201cLet\u2019s solve these 12 questions.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n When the start and end points of the study session become clear, the mental load decreases.<\/p>\n Set up the desk.<\/p>\n The phone is put away.<\/p>\n Water is placed on the desk.<\/p>\n The notebook is opened.<\/p>\n And the same aromatic cue is used.<\/p>\n Repeating this simple sequence can help the child recognize the start of study time.<\/p>\n Here is one of the most practical ways to incorporate aromatherapy into your daily routine.<\/p>\n Terra di Simana Memory Arrows<\/strong><\/a> is a room mist that combines rosemary, bay leaf, and lemon balm hydrosols with bergamot, lemon, orange, juniper, bay leaf, ginger, and other botanical ingredients.<\/p>\n What\u2019s particularly interesting about the formula is this: it intersects with the aromatic axis of rosemary, lemon, and bergamot\u2014<\/strong>which stands out in the literature we\u2019ve reviewed in this blog.<\/p>\n The Memory Arrows Spray <\/span>can be positioned as a recurring aromatic cue that defines the desk and the start of work<\/strong>.<\/p>\n In aromatherapy, more scent does not necessarily mean more effect.<\/p>\n Moreover, other people in the same classroom or work environment:<\/p>\n Johns Hopkins also highlights that people nearby may be affected by the use of diffusers, particularly in shared spaces, and recommends using essential oils with greater caution around children.<\/p>\n For this reason, in shared environments like schools, personal aromatherapy methods<\/strong> may offer a more controlled approach than altering the air quality for the entire class.<\/p>\n The Memory Keeper Wearable Aromatherapy Badge<\/strong> is<\/a> a single-use badge designed to create a personal aromatic space containing black pepper, ginger, lemon, juniper berry, rosemary, black cohosh, and peppermint; it carries essential oils in a barrier-sealed reservoir. The product is designed to provide controlled diffusion for approximately eight hours.<\/p>\n This product is especially suitable for:<\/p>\n The advantage of this product is that the aromatic scent is portable and personalized.<\/p>\n Losing focus is not a failure.<\/p>\n The real skill is recognizing when your attention has wandered and being able to return to the task.<\/strong><\/p>\n Therefore, instead of telling the child, \u201cYou\u2019ve zoned out again,\u201d you can teach them a simple restart sequence:<\/p>\n Stop \u2192 breathe \u2192 return to the table \u2192 identify the next single task.<\/strong><\/p>\n Here, a personal scent can also be part of this \u201creturn\u201d cue.<\/p>\n Terra di Simana G\u00f6z Kaman<\/strong><\/a> is a personal diffuser bracelet that allows an aromatic blend to be applied to porous natural lava stones. The lava stones absorb the aroma and gradually release it over time through body movement and heat.<\/p>\n Instead of defining this product as an \u201cattention-boosting bracelet\u201d for children or teens, there\u2019s a more interesting way to use it: \u201cA cue to refocus when my attention wanders.\u201d<\/p>\n When the student notices the bracelet, they can take a breath, reread the task at hand, and refocus their mind on the task by stepping away from their phone or other distractions.<\/p>\n In this way, the product transforms from merely a scent carrier into a behavioral reminder<\/strong>.<\/p>\n I particularly like this approach for older students and parents.<\/p>\n A child might say, \u201cI can\u2019t study.\u201d<\/p>\n But underlying this might be: \u201cI\u2019m afraid I won\u2019t be able to keep up.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n In this case, more stimulating scents, more coffee, or longer study hours may not be the solution.<\/p>\n It may be necessary to reduce their stress level first. That\u2019s why the goal of a focus routine shouldn\u2019t just be to wake up<\/strong> the mind, but to regulate<\/strong> it if necessary.<\/p>\n In our opinion, this is one of the most important practices to keep in mind.<\/p>\n The aromatic profile used while working can be based on more invigorating notes<\/strong>, such as rosemary, citrus, and mint<\/strong>.<\/p>\n In the evening, however, you can switch to a calmer profile as part of your bedtime routine.<\/p>\n This creates two distinct sensory contexts throughout the day:<\/p>\n Work time \u2192 mental alertness<\/strong><\/p>\n Night \u2192 relaxation<\/strong><\/p>\n The child does not need to be exposed to the same aromatic profile all day long.<\/p>\n For some families, the issue isn\u2019t choosing a single product, but reorganizing scattered work habits from the start.<\/p>\n The Mergen Kap\u0131s\u0131 Set<\/strong><\/a> is a collection designed to boost mental alertness and focus, based on using Early Morning Mist, Memory Arrows, Eye Bright, and lavender oil at different times of the day. Terra di Simana\u2019s current usage recommendations offer a flow divided into morning, work, and balancing phases.<\/p>\n This is particularly recommended for:<\/p>\n For children, however, not all components of the set should be used automatically; the age appropriateness of each product should be evaluated separately. In particular, pure essential oils should not be applied directly to children\u2019s skin.<\/strong><\/p>\n Instead of asking a child, \u201cHow much did you study today?\u201d <\/strong>it can sometimes be more educational to ask:<\/p>\n \u201cWas it easy to get started today?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhere did your attention wander the most?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDid you realize when you needed to take a break?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn what kind of environment did you feel most comfortable studying?\u201d<\/p>\n The goal isn\u2019t just to solve more problems. It\u2019s to help the child learn to recognize their own attention patterns<\/strong> over time.<\/p>\n Because true study skills aren\u2019t about never getting distracted\u2014they\u2019re about knowing how to refocus when you do get distracted.<\/strong><\/p>\n We need to be especially clear about this.<\/p>\n Difficulty focusing in children can arise from a wide variety of causes, such as sleep disorders, anxiety, depressive symptoms, learning disabilities, or vision or hearing problems.<\/p>\n An ADHD diagnosis is not based on a single symptom or a single test; healthcare professionals evaluate the child\u2019s behavior at home, school, and in other settings collectively and work to rule out other conditions that could cause similar symptoms.<\/p>\n If the attention problem:<\/p>\n Aromatherapy is not a treatment here. It is one of the sensory elements that accompany daily routines.<\/strong><\/p>\n To help a child focus, sometimes it\u2019s better to reduce the noise around them rather than put more pressure on them.<\/p>\n Simplify the table.<\/p>\n Put the phone away.<\/p>\n Establish a sleep routine.<\/p>\n Break the task down into smaller steps.<\/p>\n Clarify where to start.<\/p>\n Recognize stress.<\/p>\n And perhaps create a familiar cue with the same light scent every day: \u201cIt\u2019s time to work.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Science hasn\u2019t yet told us that aromatherapy is a \u201csolution\u201d to attention problems in children. But some studies suggest that rosemary, citrus, and personal inhalation methods,<\/strong> in particular, are worth investigating in terms of working memory, stress, and cognitive performance<\/strong>.<\/p>\n At Terra di Simana, this is exactly where we position aromatherapy:<\/p>\n Not to forcibly change a child\u2019s mind, but to create a sensory space that accompanies them as they transition into their own state of focus.<\/strong><\/p>\n Because, in our view, focusing means reducing the unnecessary a little and making the destination of one\u2019s attention visible.<\/strong><\/p>\n There is no single method. Regular sleep, a suitable study environment, small and clear tasks, minimizing screen distractions, taking regular breaks, and managing stress must all be addressed together. Aromatherapy can be one of the sensory tools that complement these efforts.<\/p>\n In two small-scale experimental studies conducted with 9\u201311-year-olds and 13\u201315-year-olds, students exposed to rosemary aroma were reported to perform better than control groups on certain working memory and short-term memory tests.<\/p>\n It depends on the goal. While rosemary has been studied for its effects on cognitive performance and working memory, lavender is primarily examined for its calming effects. Some studies have shown that lavender is not as effective as rosemary for active cognitive tasks.<\/p>\n Scent has been studied as an environmental cue for associative memory. In some experiments, the presence of the same scent in the learning and recall environment has been shown to enhance recall.<\/p>\n According to Terra di Simana\u2019s current product safety information, use is not recommended for children under 6 years of age. For children under 12, it should be applied to clothing rather than the skin and used under parental supervision.<\/p>\n Aromatherapy is not a treatment for ADHD, and current scientific evidence does not support any claim that it is an effective treatment. Persistent attention problems that affect functioning should be evaluated by a healthcare professional.<\/p>\n Moss M, Earl V, Moss L, Heffernan T.<\/strong> Any Sense in Classroom Scents? Aroma of Rosemary Essential Oil Significantly Improves Cognition in Young School Children.<\/em> Advances in Chemical Engineering and Science. 2017. DOI: 10.4236\/aces.2017.74032.<\/a><\/p>\n Filiptsova OV, Gazzavi-Rogozina LV, Timoshyna IA, et al.<\/strong> The essential oil of rosemary and its effect on human visual and numerical short-term memory.<\/em> Egyptian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences. 2017;4(2):107-111. DOI: 10.1016\/j.ejbas.2017.04.002.<\/a><\/p>\n Moss M, Oliver L.<\/strong> Plasma 1,8-cineole correlates with cognitive performance following exposure to rosemary essential oil aroma.<\/em> Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology. 2012;2(3):103-113. DOI: 10.1177\/2045125312436573.<\/a><\/p>\n Moss M, Cook J, Wesnes K, Duckett P.<\/strong> Aromas of rosemary and lavender essential oils differentially affect cognition and mood in healthy adults.<\/em> International Journal of Neuroscience. 2003. DOI: 10.1080\/00207450390161903.<\/a><\/p>\n Seo JY.<\/strong> The effects of aromatherapy on stress and stress responses in adolescents.<\/em> Journal of the Korean Academy of Nursing. 2009;39(3):357-365.<\/a><\/p>\nWhy does it become harder for children to focus during the first few weeks of school?<\/h2>\n
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Attention and memory are not the same thing<\/h1>\n
Rosemary and Memory: What Was Found in School-Aged Children?<\/h1>\n
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Similar results were found in the 13\u201315-year-old age group<\/h2>\n
How is rosemary\u2019s effect explained?<\/h1>\n
What about mint?<\/h1>\n
Not every calming scent may be suitable for studying<\/h1>\n
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If you\u2019re stressed, simply trying to \u201cstimulate\u201d your focus isn\u2019t enough<\/h1>\n
Another study on physiological stress responses in young people<\/h2>\n
Can a scent serve as a \u201csignal to start working\u201d?<\/h1>\n
Don\u2019t constantly change the scent associated with studying.<\/h3>\n
An 8-Step Back-to-School Routine for Helping Children Focus<\/h1>\n
1. Fix their sleep first<\/h2>\n
2. Don\u2019t equate sitting at the desk with studying<\/h2>\n
3. Add a consistent sensory cue to mark the start of study time<\/h2>\n
Memory Arrows: An Aromatic Start to the Study Area<\/h1>\n
4. Don\u2019t fill the entire room with a strong scent<\/h2>\n
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Memory Buddy: Taking the Scent Beyond Your Desk<\/h1>\n
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5. Teach your child the \u201crestart\u201d method instead of telling them to \u201cfocus\u201d<\/h2>\n
G\u00f6z Kaman: Turning a Personal Diffuser into a Reminder Cue<\/h1>\n
6. Recognize the difference between \u201cexam stress\u201d and \u201clack of focus\u201d<\/h2>\n
7. Separate study and relaxation scents<\/h2>\n
Mergen Kap\u0131s\u0131: Not just a single product, but for those who want to establish a workflow<\/h1>\n
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8. Focus on the process, not the result<\/h2>\n
Not every attention issue can be solved with aromatherapy<\/h1>\n
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Conclusion: Encouraging Focus Rather Than Forcing It<\/h1>\n
Frequently Asked Questions<\/h1>\n
How can focus be improved in children?<\/h3>\n
Does rosemary help with concentration in children?<\/h3>\n
Which is better for studying: lavender or rosemary?<\/h3>\n
Does using the same scent every time you study help?<\/h3>\n
Can Memory Booster be used for children?<\/h3>\n
Can aromatherapy be used to treat ADHD?<\/h3>\n
\nScientific sources<\/h1>\n