US researchers suggest smells could be used to calm fears - while people sleep.
People were trained to associate two images, linked to smells, with fear.
During sleep they were exposed to one of those smells - and when they woke they were less frightened of the image linked to that smell.
A UK expert praised the study and said it could help treat phobias and perhaps even post-traumatic stress disorders.
People with phobias are already commonly treated with "gradual exposure" therapy while they are awake, where they are exposed to the thing they are frightened of in incremental degrees.
This study suggests that the theory could be extended to therapy while they are in slow-wave, or deep, sleep.
This is the deepest period of sleep, where memories, particularly those linked to emotions, are thought to be processed.
The researchers showed 15 healthy people pictures of two different faces. At the same time they were given a mild electric shock. They were also exposed to a specific smell, such as lemon, mint, new trainers, clove or wood.
Later, when they were awake, they were shown both faces - without the scents or shocks.
They showed less fear when shown the face linked to the scent they had smelt while asleep than when shown the other face.
Their response was measured through the amount of sweat on the skin and fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) brain scans.
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