Flashback Friday: A scientifically proven method to quit smoking that works in your sleep!

What if quitting smoking were so easy you could do it in your sleep? Well, the scientists behind this study claim to have found a way! But be warned, there’s a drawback… and it involves “profoundly unpleasant odors.” Aversion conditioning works by associating an unwanted behavior with something disagreeable, and in this case scientists tested whether associating the smell of smoke with disgusting smells would help patients quit smoking. To do this, they had participants wear a special mask that released smells when they were sleeping. Amazingly, pairing the smell of cigarette smoke with that of rotting fish during sleep reduced smokers’ cigarettes by about 40% for several days! This might be the best use of rotting fish smell we’ve heard of yet.Olfactory Aversive Conditioning during Sleep Reduces Cigarette-Smoking Behavior. “Recent findings suggest that novel associations can be learned during sleep. However, whether associative learning during sleep can alter later ...