The Hidden Force of Fragrance
We all know that scent has a strong effect on memory, having been referred to as "Memory's Muse" but it affects so much more. New scientific research confirms the link between fragrance and the way it affects the most important aspects of our quality of life.
Scents can have positive effects on mood, stress reduction, sleep enhancement, self-confidence, and physical and cognitive performance," says Theresa Molnar, executive director of the Sense of Smell Institute, the research and educational arm of the perfume industry's Fragrance Foundation. By becoming more aware of the way specific odors affect you personally, you may be able to enhance your health and well-being.
An odor has no personal significance until it becomes connected to something that has meaning. With your initial encounter, you begin forming nerve connections that intertwine the smell with emotions. The capacities for both smell and emotion are rooted in the same network of brain structures, the limbic system. The olfactory center also interacts directly with the hippocampus, a brain area involved in the formation of new memories. No other senses have this kind of deep access.
Knowing how to choose the right fragrance for the right occasion can not only improve your quality of life but can also help your chances of getting something you want. For example, if you have a job interview choose a scent that most people like and that is soft and non-offensive like vanilla. This is one that if you are meeting a stranger, is a safe bet. Vanilla could remind them of fond memories of baking with grandma and you can be sure that you are going to stand out.
If you know the person well, you can help persuade them to agree with you by using a scent they are fond of while making your argument. A fragrance they do not like will achieve the complete opposite so if you do not know them then choosing a generally loved fragrance will be the safest choice. Check out this post with new scientific research shows the most attractive fragrance for each sex, ranked. Your welcome.
On a practical level, that means that you may be able to use your sense of smell to prompt your memory when taking a test. Research suggests that your ability to recall information may be improved by inhaling an odor you breathed while absorbing information—so fire up a stick of incense while studying, then bring a vial of that aroma's essential oil to a big test.
As a significant link in the mind-body connection, the sense of smell can be deployed to improve pain tolerance. Any pleasant smell can act as a distraction and lift mood, but recent studies suggest that sweet smells may work best. Sweet tastes reduce pain by activating opioid systems in the brain, and the odor comes to activate the same systems.
You can also train your sense of smell to deliver instant relaxation, says Pamela Dalton, a sensory psychologist at the Monell Chemical Senses Center, in Philadelphia. Pick a distinctive odor, then pair that aroma with a calming meditation session. After a few sessions, the odor itself will elicit a relaxed state, even when you don't have time to meditate.
The smell savvy that helps you perform better on a test or cope more effectively with pain also helps you shape the impression you make on others. Choose a personal fragrance carefully, being mindful of common cultural associations. A mossy or woody fragrance exudes earthiness, for example, while a musky scent connotes sexiness.
If you want to be remembered, pick a distinctive fragrance that many people haven't encountered. Be mindful of how much you are applying. Just because your own nose adapts to the scent after 15 minutes doesn't mean customers you greet or friends you meet can't still smell it.
Be sure to use your newfound powers for good...!!
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