Summary
The impact of smell on our overall well-being goes way beyond odour detection. Our olfactory system is responsible for several physiological functions, eliciting emotive responses and helping the body recognise danger. The role of scent in design becomes crucial when trying to create environments that promote calm and seek to enhance our overall quality of life.
Key Takeaways
A Powerful Scent
According to research, humans are able to distinguish more than one trillion odours, far outperforming any of the other senses.
The Smell of Well-being
As the sense of smell is highly emotive, various smells can positively impact our health by decreasing anxiety and depression and improving our overall quality of life.
The Smell of Design
Using smell within design is key to creating healthier environments and spaces that value calm, relaxation, and enhance overall quality of life.
“Our ability to smell can enhance our experiences in nature, around food, and in social situations, with various smells having positive effects on our health.”
The Impact of Smell on Well-being: An Overview
Smell is often considered one of the most powerful senses, deeply intertwined with our emotions, memories, and overall well-being. The human olfactory system, responsible for detecting and processing smells, plays a crucial role in various physiological and psychological functions. This article explores our scientific understanding of how smell impacts well-being, highlighting the important connections between our sense of smell and our mental and physical health.
The Importance of Smell
A study published in Science by Bushdid et al. in 2014 demonstrated that humans can distinguish over one trillion different odours. The researchers used mixtures of different odour molecules to estimate the number of unique smells the human olfactory system can identify, far exceeding previous estimates. Our ability to smell can enhance our experiences in nature, around food, and in social situations, with various smells having positive effects on our health.
Conversely, impairment to smell (anosmia) can have negative consequences on health, increasing levels of disconnect, anxiousness, and depression. It can also lead to dietary imbalances, further affecting physical well-being. Another negative impact includes the inability to smell danger – such as a gas leak or fire.
The Correlation Between Smell and Memory
Has a smell ever taken you back to a specific moment in time? The link between smell and memory, often referred to as the ‘Proust Phenomenon,’ is well-documented in scientific literature. A study published in Chemical Senses explored how smell-induced memories can instantly trigger an emotional response, finding that smells that evoke personal memories can promote slower, deeper breathing and decrease inflammation in the body.
Slow Breathing and Emotions Associated with Odor-Induced Autobiographical Memories
An important feature of olfactory perception is its dependence on respiratory activity. By inspiration, olfactory information ascends directly to olfactory-related limbic structures. Therefore, every breath with odour molecules activates these limbic areas associated with emotional experience and memory retrieval. Researchers tested whether odours associated with autobiographical memories can trigger pleasant emotional experiences and whether respiration changes during stimulation with these odours.
Findings showed that autobiographical memory retrieval was associated with increasing tidal volume and decreasing respiratory frequency more than during presentation of control odours. Subjective feelings such as emotional arousal during retrieval of the memory, arousal level of the memory itself, or pleasantness and familiarity toward the odour, evoked by autobiographical memory, were more specific emotional responses compared with those related to control odours. In addition, high trait anxiety subjects responded with a stronger feeling of being taken back in time and had high arousal levels with tidal volume increases.
Study Date 9 Jan 2012
Equally, certain smells can be linked to past trauma, triggering a negative response such as an intense flashback or an episode of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Scientists continue to study the link between the brain and how it identifies smells, incorporating odour-exposure therapy, including the use of virtual reality (VR) technology, to treat trauma patients.
The Role of Smell in Design
Scent marketing is used to elicit certain responses from consumers. Lavender, basil, cinnamon, and citrus can induce feelings of relaxation; peppermint, thyme, and rosemary can invigorate us; and rose can lead to feelings of positivity and happiness.
Scent has a functional place in design. Indoor and outdoor plants act as air purifiers, improving air quality and smell as well as creating a healthier environment. Better ventilation systems or scent diffusers neutralise harsh odours and preserve a cleaner atmosphere. Aromatherapy is proven to encourage a positive emotional response, with essential oils being used to enhance both physical and mental well-being.
Conclusion
The link between smell and well-being cannot be denied. Deeply embedded within the memory and emotion centres of the brain, our sense of smell has the power to alter our body, mind, and spirit. Using smell within design is key to creating healthier environments and spaces that value calm, relaxation, and enhance overall quality of life.
References
Humans can discriminate more than 1 trillion olfactory stimuli
National Library of Medicine – 2021 | View Article
Slow Breathing and Emotions Associated with Odor-Induced Autobiographical Memories
Oxford Academic – 2012 | View Article
Slow Breathing and Emotions Associated with Odor-Induced Autobiographical Memories
Chemical Senses – 2012 | View Article
Humans can discriminate more than 1 trillion olfactory stimuli
