Candles are beloved home decor pieces that turn any space into a cozy, inviting retreat. Scented candles, especially, capture specific moods – a caramel fragrance can evoke a café atmosphere, while the floral essence of lavender adds a charming, cottagecore feel. Due to their diverse range, scented candles have also become a popular choice for gifting.
But did you become blind to their calming aesthetic, unaware of their potential health risks? A study published in Nature Communications revealed the underlying health dangers innocuous scented candles pose.
Influence on brain
The researchers explained that scented candles cause indoor pollution which in turn affects cognitive function. The pollution creates inflammation in the brain which is responsible for weak brain function.
The study assessed the impact of particulate matter (PM) pollution from candles on cognitive abilities. Researchers exposed 26 adults to either polluted air from burning candles or clean air for one hour. Later, the researchers conducted tests and saw a sharp decline in selective attention and emotional recognition after inhaling polluted air.
Selective attention is key to decision-making and focusing on tasks and ignoring distractions. Socio-emotional cognition is a social behaviour that helps people recognise emotions in themselves and others.
The researchers explain that indoor pollution creates these cognitive problems. Regularly lighting candles can add up to significant health issues over time. This is why the researchers stressed lighting them in a well-ventilated area as it may minimise the risks.
Other health dangers
The health dangers of candles are not limited to cognitive functions, they delve into much more serious issues.
Christian Pfrang, a professor of atmospheric science at the University of Birmingham, said, "Scented candles release aldehydes, such as formaldehyde in particular, and these are quite bad for health,”
Aldehydes can irritate the skin, throat, lungs, and eyes, potentially leading to headaches, allergies, and dizziness. They are also classified as carcinogens, meaning they have the potential to cause cancer.
Furthermore, when fragrance materials in candles burn, they can release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like benzene and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), both of which have been associated with cancer.
According to Christian Pfrang, burning a candle releases particulates like PM2.5, which can enter the lungs, along with carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NO), and sulfur dioxide (SO2).
This further aggravates the potential risks of heart disease and asthma.
You may regard scented candles as aesthetics bottled up in wax, but you don't know that in reality, they are hiding adverse health risks.
Source: Hindustan Times
Bd-pratidin English/ Afia
