You can change your mood by changing what you smell. Quick:
Which of our five senses more than any other influences our
behavior? Triggers our memories? Controls our cravings?
Enhances our moods? Ignites our sexuality?
If you replied, "It's our sense of smell," then you're
smarter than most. We live in a culture that overwhelms us
with stimulation delivered through sight and sound. Even
taste and touch are highly valued and utilized to expand
our experience of pleasure and sensuality. But our sense of
smell has been relegated to the bottom of the sensory pile.
It's an unfortunate place to be for a sense that's
primarily responsible for our quality of life.
Unlike the other senses, our sense of smell is always on
duty. Each day, without any thought, we breathe in over
23,040 times and inhale over 238 cubic feet of air. Each
breath floods our smell receptors with information about
the environment we live in. Smells of pleasure. Awareness.
Danger. Sexual attraction. We are capable of recognizing
approximately 10,000 different odors, with each odor having
the power to influence our moods and behavior. However,
most people would be hard pressed to identify more than a
couple of dozen. Such is the mystery of this enigmatic
sense.
Smell has a powerful effect on behavior. Certain smells can
brighten our moods and lift our spirits, like the smell of
a good cup of coffee and warm cinnamon buns straight from
the oven. An exotic perfume or the smell of your lover's
skin can lead to intimacy and romance while other scents
bring a sense of calm and make us feel at home.
Some smells we find repulsive and alert us to danger. Just
think of your reaction to the stink of a dead skunk on the
side of the road or the smell of burning toast. Such strong
smells usually trigger an instant reaction and alert us to
take corrective action.
Aromas delivered directly to the smell receptors in our
brain have a powerful effect on our behavior. Since birth,
our smell receptors have been busy cataloguing every smell
that passed through our nostrils. As newborn infants
snuggled up against our mothers' breast, the smell of her
skin gave us a deep sense of comfort and safety. That first
smell, lodged deep within our memory, still has the power
to trigger intense feelings.
The environment of our childhood, with its varied smells,
fragrances and odors, built the platform of scent memories,
which determines how we respond to the hints of those
scents today. The smell of a musty basement, Thanksgiving
dinner at grammas or the gym locker room after a basketball
game are all powerful triggers that transport us back into
our world of memories.
The brain processes information delivered through our other
senses by cognitive identification first, which in turn
triggers an emotional response. But our sense of smell is
unique. It does the opposite. Our smell receptors are
directly connected to the limbic system, which controls
emotional behavior and memory. Incoming odors first trigger
an emotional response, which is then followed by cognitive
recognition. That's why, for example, you'll respond to the
relaxing effects of lavender long before you can identify
the specific aroma.
Aromas have long been used to influence behavior. Legend
has it that Cleopatra perfumed the sails of her ship sent
to meet Anthony so the wind would carry a hint of her
desire. For centuries, doctors would diagnose various
diseases by smell alone and we all know that our shopping
experience is influenced by the smells funneled through the
air conditioning systems. Smells are being introduced
everywhere - in our household products, our homes, our cars
and office environments.
If smells are such powerful influencers of moods and
behavior doesn't it make sense that changing the smell can
also change the behavior? Research is pointing to that
probability. So while the sense of smell is the least known
of our senses, it has recently emerged as a new medical
frontier. As research identifies how odor is identified and
transmitted, we will be able to use a variety of scents to
obtain the maximum benefits we desire. It is the
scents-ible approach to creating health and well-being.
----------------------------------------------------
Luke Vorstermans is the founder of The Sense of Smell Lab,
a world leader in the development of innovative products
that use our sense of smell to influence behavior, trigger
memories, manage cravings, enhance moods and improve sexual
health. To learn more about enhancing your sex drive, go
to http://www.scentuellepatch.com
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