The Hidden Power of Scent

Our ability to smell is the oldest and most developed of our five senses. As cell-like life forms, before we could touch, hear, or see, we learned to primitively respond to chemicals around us in the air and water. This is why the human nose contains more than 1,000 smell receptors while our eyes have just four light sensors. Scent is hard-wired into our brain, enabling us to experience it in a far more visceral way. Scents can have positive effects on mood, stress reduction, sleep enhancement, self-confidence, and physical and cognitive performance.

“Smell is a potent wizard that transports you across thousands of miles and all the years you have lived.† Helen Keller

“Nothing is more memorable than a smell. One scent can be unexpected, momentary, and fleeting, yet conjure up a childhood summer beside a lake in the mountains.â€Â  Diane Ackerman

“Scent is the strongest tie to memory.†Maggie Stiefvater