Health
Study reveals why chewing gum might actually help with focus and stress relief
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Humans have been chewing gum for thousands of years, long after the flavor fades and without any clear nutritional benefit.
The habit dates back at least 8,000 years to Scandinavia, where people chewed birchbark pitch to soften it into a glue for tools. Other ancient cultures, including the Greeks, Native Americans and the Maya, also chewed tree resins for pleasure or soothing effects, National Geographic recently reported.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, William Wrigley Jr. transformed chewing gum from a novelty into a mass consumer habit through relentless and innovative marketing. His brands, including Juicy Fruit and Spearmint, promoted gum as a way to calm nerves, curb hunger and stay focused.
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“Are you worried? Chew gum,” an article from 1916 said, according to Kerry Segrave’s book, “Chewing Gum in America, 1850-1920: The Rise of an Industry.” “Do you lie awake at night? Chew gum,” it continued. “Are you depressed? Is the world against you? Chew gum.”
Advertisements have long framed chewing gum as a tool for stress relief and mental sharpness. (Keystone View Company/FPG/Archive Photos/Getty Images)
In the 1940s, a study found chewing resulted in lower tension but couldn’t say why.
“The gum-chewer relaxes and gets more work done,” The New York Times wrote at the time about the study’s results.
Gum became an early form of wellness, and companies are trying to revive that idea today as gum sales decline, according to National Geographic.
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But only now are scientists finally beginning to understand the biology behind those long-standing beliefs.
Chewing gum may briefly affect attention and stress-related brain activity, according to studies. (iStock)
A 2025 review by researchers at the University of Szczecin in Poland analyzed more than three decades of brain-imaging studies to examine what happens inside the brain when people chew gum. Using MRI, EEG and near-infrared spectroscopy research, the authors found that chewing alters brain activity in regions tied to movement, attention and stress regulation.
The findings help clarify why the seemingly pointless task can feel calming or focusing, even once the flavor has faded.
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Chewing gum activated not only the brain’s motor and sensory networks involved in chewing, but also higher-order regions linked to attention, alertness and emotional control, the review found. EEG studies found brief shifts in brain-wave patterns linked to heightened alertness and what researchers call “relaxed concentration.”
Humans have chewed gum for pleasure for thousands of years, according to reports. (iStock)
“If you’re doing a fairly boring task for a long time, chewing seems to be able to help with concentration,” Crystal Haskell-Ramsay, a professor of biological psychology at Northumbria University, told National Geographic.
The review also supports earlier findings that gum chewing can ease stress, but only in certain situations. In laboratory experiments, people who chewed gum during mildly stressful tasks such as public speaking or mental math often reported lower anxiety levels than those who didn’t.
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Chewing gum did not, however, consistently reduce anxiety in high-stress medical situations, such as immediately before surgery, and it offered no clear benefit when participants faced unsolvable problems designed to induce frustration.
Some studies suggest chewing gum can reduce stress in mild situations but not extreme ones. (iStock)
Across multiple studies, people who chewed gum did not remember lists of words or stories better than those who didn’t, the researchers also found, and any boost in attention faded soon after chewing stopped.
Gum may simply feed the desire to fidget, experts suspect.
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“Although these effects are often short-lived, the range of outcomes … underscores chewing gum’s capacity to modulate brain function beyond simple oral motor control,” the researchers wrote.
“However, at this time, the neural changes associated with gum chewing cannot be directly linked to the positive behavioral and functional outcomes observed in studies,” they added.
A 2025 review analyzed decades of MRI, EEG and near-infrared spectroscopy studies on gum chewing. (iStock)
Future research should address longer-term impacts, isolate flavor or stress variables and explore potential therapeutic applications, the scientists said.
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The findings also come with caveats beyond brain science. Although sugar-free gum may help reduce cavities, Fox News Digital has previously reported that dentists warn acids, sweeteners and excessive chewing may harm teeth or trigger other side effects.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the study’s authors for comment.
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America’s youth have been increasingly abusing common over-the-counter medications, according to poison center records.
A health advisory from America’s Poison Centers, representing 53 poison centers across the country, alerted a “concerning rise” in cases of diphenhydramine abuse among teens ages 13 to 19.
Diphenhydramine is commonly found in allergy and sleep medications such as Benadryl and Zzzquil, as mentioned in the advisory.
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From 2024 to 2025, the total exposure to any substance among teens in this age group reportedly increased by 5.1%.
But cases involving diphenhydramine alone increased more rapidly, from 10,068 to 13,284 cases, a 32% spike.
Thirteen percent of diphenhydramine cases in 2026 have been linked to intentional abuse, an increase from 7.3% in 2020. (iStock)
The trend appears to be continuing into 2026, as the first five months saw 6,179 diphenhydramine-only cases in teens — more than double the prior year.
According to America’s Poison Centers, the exposure appears to be driven by recreational misuse rather than accidental over-medication. Thirteen percent of cases in 2026 were linked to intentional abuse, up from 7.3% in 2020.
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Taking diphenhydramine improperly or in large amounts can affect the brain and heart, and can lead to serious or life-threatening effects, the advisory warned.
Diphenhydramine is commonly found in over-the-counter allergy and sleep medications. (iStock)
Some symptoms of diphenhydramine poisoning include drowsiness, agitation, fast heart rate, nausea, vomiting, hallucinations, seizures, dangerous heart rhythm and loss of consciousness.
To avoid overexposure and complications, America’s Poison Centers advises the public to store all medications safely, up high, and out of reach of kids and teens. Label instructions should be followed carefully.
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“Talk with teens about the risks of misusing medications, including serious health effects and poisoning,” the notice suggested. “Be aware of social media trends or challenges that may encourage unsafe use of medications.”
Those who suspect misuse should contact the local Poison Control Center immediately.
America’s Poison Centers advises the public to “be aware of social media trends or challenges that may encourage unsafe use of medications.” (iStock)
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Benadryl manufacturer Kenvue commented that the “health and safety of people who use our products is our top priority.”
“The social media trend promoting misuse of diphenhydramine-containing products is extremely dangerous and should be stopped immediately,” a Kenvue spokesperson said. “Our hearts go out to those impacted by the misuse of diphenhydramine-containing products.”
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“We are working with social media platform safety teams to remove these dangerous posts and help stop this behavior from spreading,” they added. “We are also taking action to educate on the safe use and storage of over-the-counter medicines, including those with the ingredient diphenhydramine.”
“The social media trend promoting misuse of diphenhydramine-containing products is extremely dangerous and should be stopped immediately.”
Mary Leonard, SVP of communications and public affairs for the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, called the recent report “deeply concerning.”
“OTC medicines should never be used for recreational purposes, and intentional misuse should not be confused with the safe, effective use of these products,” she told Fox News Digital. “When used as directed, millions of Americans rely on OTC medicines containing diphenhydramine for relief from allergies, cold symptoms, motion sickness, minor skin irritations and occasional sleeplessness.”
“Because misuse of any medication can result in serious health consequences, the Drug Facts label clearly communicates dosing instructions, warnings and other important safety information.”
“OTC medicines should never be used for recreational purposes, and intentional misuse should not be confused with the safe, effective use of these products,” an industry spokesperson said. (iStock)
Kenvue shared the following three steps people can take to help prevent misuse.
- Report content related to this trend on the social media platform where it appears.
- Always store OTC medicines up and away in places children cannot access — preferably in locked cabinets or containers — and never leave medications on counters, bedside tables or in open bags, even temporarily.
- Carefully read and follow the instructions on the label and educate children on safe usage.
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“Dosing instructions and additional safety information are available on Benadryl.com, and always remember to consult a healthcare professional should you have questions,” the spokesperson added.
Fox News Digital reached out to Zzzquil maker P&G for comment.
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