Smell Your Way to a Better Mood

You can change your mood by changing what you smell. Smell has a powerful effect on behavior. Certain smells can brighten our moods and lift our spirits. Some smells we find repulsive and alert us to danger. If smells are such powerful influencers of moods and behavior doesn't it make sense that changing the smell can also change the behavior?

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.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Luke Vorstermans

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 with Scentuelle patch go to http://www.scentuellepatch.com

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

Unlocking the Secrets of Your Sense of Smell: Part 12

The delivery of aromas and scent - for a wide variety of reasons - offers huge potential for the health and wellness of future generations. As researchers delve into the science behind scents, the technologic world looks for ways to mimic the precise function in which the human nose detects different scents.

What is the future of scents in our lives?

As researchers began to delve into the science behind scents, the technologic world began to seek ways to mimic the precise function in which the human nose detects different scents. In the mid 1980s the Institute of Olfactory Research at Warwick University came up with the world's first prototype "high-tech nose." Commercial versions of the "Warwick" nose are now used by perfume makers wanting to protect their secret formulas against "knock-off" versions and dock inspectors to resolve disputes with fishermen over the grading of fish.

As researchers continue to find links between patient odours and certain diseases, the use of electronic noses has become invaluable. Research is now underway to create sensors in telephones into which patients may be able to breathe and receive a diagnosis.

High-tech noses may someday be able to detect stages of a woman's menstrual cycle to either aid in fertility or prevent unwanted pregnancies. These noses may also be installed on motor vehicles and detect the alcohol level of drivers, preventing them from starting their vehicle's engines.

Our personal "scentprint" may someday prevent fake ID cards, replace PIN numbers and security entry systems.

Soon home computers may have special devices whereby people can experience various scents via the internet.

The advantages of electronic noses are that unlike the human nose, they do not become desensitized to smells, they don't get bored with repeated scents, and do not become sick by chemical odours.

High-tech Scents

With the advancement of "headspace" science is now able to analyse and reproduce the exact combinations of almost any fragrance by a process called "soft-extraction." During this process, technologists pass carbon dioxide through an object and extract its fragrance. Applications of this technology are seemingly endless. Now it is possible to fragrance our cars, offices, and homes with almost any fragrance. What's more, the food we eat and the various drinks we consume may now be enhanced with flavours that are richer and truer to life.

The science of aromachology is still in its infancy. Researchers have only begun to scratch its surface. Much more work in this area is needed to be done. As science continues to gain a better understanding of how scents are perceived, differentiated and transmitted, no doubt, the world will continue to reap its rewards and use fragrances to:

* Reduce stress levels at home and at the office

* Trigger long-lost memories

* Encourage confidence

* Enhance sexuality

* Promote relaxation

* Get rid of nightmares

* Lose weight

* Stay alert and improve work performance

* Detect the early onset of diseases

* To alleviate depression and mood swings

All of these aromatic applications are readily available - or being developed - in one way or another. Scent is not a new product but rather an age-old tradition. However it is the fusion of science and nature that is driving the growth of this research. The delivery of aromas and scent - for a wide variety of reasons - offers huge potential for the health and wellness of future generations.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Luke Vorstermans

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 with Scentuelle patch go to http://www.scentuellepatch.com

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

Unlocking the Secrets of Your Sense of Smell: Part 11

Can aromas really help to reduce our levels of stress? Rather than reaching for medications to relieve stress, many people are looking for other ways to reduce their levels of stress. Scents are a great way to relax, unwind and reduce stress.

Can aromas really help to reduce our levels of stress?

Ask any parent who works at home, manages a busy household, or looks after children if they experience stress. Or ask any parent who struggles with work outside the home and is frustrated with having no time to manage their home and kids. Today, even the haven of our homes cannot protect us from stress. At home it comes in many forms and affects both young and old.

Almost everyone today is a victim of elevated levels of stress and anxiety. Even children, much like their parents, lead hectic and stressful lives. But did you know that certain fragrances can help alleviate some of this stress?

It's true. We can use our noses to reduce our levels of stress.

Rather than reaching for medications to relieve stress, many people are looking for other ways to reduce their levels of stress. Scents are a great way to relax, unwind and reduce stress. Research at Yale University suggests that the smell of spiced apples may be effective in warding off a panic attack.

In a study conducted by Dr. Susan Schiffman, subjects were first trained to relax when introduced to a pleasant-smelling fragrance. Within just a few weeks, these subjects were able to relax the muscles over their forehead the muscles which, when allowed to remain in a tense position, lead directly to a "stress headache.

In another study conducted by Dr. Gary Schwartz subjects were asked a series of stressful questions while they were exposed to pleasant fragrances. Compared to control subjects who hadn't been exposed to these scents, those tested with fragrances were shown to have lower blood pressures, heart rates and even breathing patterns.

Stress at Work?

Who doesn't experience stress at work! In studies done by Dr. Joel Warm and William Dember, workers who were exposed to the occasional scent of peppermint showed a marked increase in alertness and improved job performance. The significance of this finding may have a large impact on the workplaces of the future.

Overall, studies have found that

* pleasant fragrances help to reduce workers' levels of stress and promote a healthy mental atmosphere.

* lemon's invigorating scent has been clinically proven to help clerical workers make fewer computer and data entry errors.

* lavender can help individuals compute equations more quickly and more efficiently.

* peppermint and lily of the valley can help individuals lengthen their attention span.

* pleasant fragrances also promote well-being in employees wherever they gather in conference rooms, lobbies, etc.

As technology continues to advance, more and more employees will be subjected to lengthy hours in front of computers. Anyone who has experienced more than an hour at a time inputting and analysing computer data knows how difficult it may be to stay alert especially during the late morning and early afternoon hours. Could it be that a whiff of peppermint may help us to stay awake more than our cup of coffee? Research in this area offers promising hope especially for those of us who have an intolerance for caffeine.

Japanese companies are putting this research to task and are seeing promising results. Workers who are exposed to regular sprays of scents via computerized odour delivery systems by way of air conditioning and ventilation systems show a marked increase in efficiency and performance. To stimulate employees at the beginning of their workday, companies are odorizing their offices with shots of citrus scents. Then late in the morning, employees are stimulated by swirls of floral-scented odorants. By mid-afternoon these employees are then exposed to invigorating woodsy cypress and cedar scents.

However, employers should be warned that some pleasant-smelling fragrances can actually have a negative impact on productivity. In one study, galaxolide, a musk-smelling scent, had a doubling effect on subject response times.

Cacosmia, or "sick-building syndrome," is a phenomenon where individuals become ill from low levels of common environmental chemical odours found in paint, building materials and even perfumes. Sufferers tend to experience daytime tiredness and are often shy and introverted. Interestingly, shy, introverted individuals have been shown to be more sensitive to smell than their more gregarious counterparts.

According to "The Smell Report, "If the 'olfactory-survival-reflex' theory is correct, it may be that people with high-smell sensitivity become shy and novelty-avoiding because their olfactory receptors transmit more primeval danger-signals making them feel more vulnerable."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 Luke Vorstermans

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 with Scentuelle patch go to http://www.scentuellepatch.com

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

Unlocking the Secrets of Your Sense of Smell: Part 10

Did you know your perception of others is influenced by their scent?  In an experiment, subjects who were exposed to pleasant fragrances gave higher ratings to individuals than those who were subjected to unpleasant fragrances. So, it wouldn’t hurt for us to give ourselves a little spray of our favourite colognes every now and then.

Can the mere suggestion of an aroma affect us in the same way that our actual sensation of the aroma would?

Recent studies have shown that our expectations about an odour, rather than any direct effects as a result of our real exposure to an odour, may be responsible for our moods and its health benefits.  For example, in one experiment subjects who were told that they were subjected to an unpleasant odour that they may or may not be able to smell reported mood changes associated with this suggested smell alone.  Conversely, in this same study, subjects who were given the suggestion of a pleasant odour reported positive effects on their moods.

However, in studies where odourless sprays (placebos) were used, subjects responded to a lesser degree than those who were exposed to scented sprays.  Thus, while the mere mention of a pleasant odour may give us a cheerful disposition, the actual smell has a greater impact on our moods and well-being.  And although our olfactory sense may decrease with age, a pleasant smell has been shown to have positive effects on individuals of all ages.

Is one side of our brains more prone to a certain emotion than another?

Interestingly, scientific research has shown that our right and left nostrils do not respond in the same manner to positive and negative aromas.   Researchers have discovered differences in olfactory cortical neurone activity in the right and left hemispheres of the brain.  According to their studies, negative emotions are predominantly processed by the right hemisphere while positive ones are predominantly processed by the left hemisphere.

How does scent effect our perception of others?

Our perception of others may also be influenced by scent.  In one experiment, subjects were asked to rate the appearances of individuals in a series of portraits.  Subjects who were exposed to pleasant fragrances gave higher ratings to individuals than those who were subjected to unpleasant fragrances.

It is interesting to note, however, that fragrances had little bearing on ratings of individuals with outstanding features—whether beautiful or ugly.  Exposure of fragrances during testing seemed to only have an impact on ratings where there was an ambiguity in one’s appearance.  If an individual was average looking, a pleasant fragrance seemed to make him or her more attractive for the beholder.

It would seem, then, that unless we are an Nicole Kidman or George Clooney, it wouldn’t hurt for us to give ourselves a little spray of our favourite colognes every now and then . . . 

Does the same hold true for our perception of the quality of things?

Research suggests that this is so.  In another experiment, individuals were asked to rate the professionalism of various works of art.  Not surprisingly, pleasant and unpleasant odours had a similar effect on subjects’ ratings.

Can we be manipulated to act in a certain way by fragrances alone?

Again, research suggests that our emotions—which to a large degree control our actions—can be manipulated in this manner.  In a related experiment, a Las Vegas casino experienced a 45% increase in the amount of money used in their slot machines when their casino was odorized with a pleasant fragrance.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Luke Vorstermans

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 with Scentuelle patch go to http://www.scentuellepatch.com

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

Unlocking the Secrets of Your Sense of Smell: Part 9

Researchers have only just begun to scratch the surface about how our sense of smell relates to our various moods.  Studies show that eight major factors of mood—such as stress, depression, apathy, happiness, sensuality, relaxation and stimulation—can be affected by fragrances.

  

How Do Different Scents Affect Our Moods?

Specific odour patterns are transmitted to various parts of the brain.  Along with other sites, odour patterns are sent to the hypothalamus, the limbic system, and the cerebral cortex.  These areas of the brain are responsible for managing and coordinating internal biological processes, including how we think, learn, feel and respond to our environment.

With the help of technology, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we are able to see detailed images of the brain’s metabolic activity.  Now scientists have been able to confirm that within our brains are olfactory-specific activities that directly relate our sense of smell to specific activities within our brains.

Other studies have shown that eight major factors of mood—such as stress, depression, apathy, happiness, sensuality, relaxation and stimulation—can be affected by fragrances. Further, because individuals react to the multiple notes within one fragrance, fragrances themselves have the ability to affect various moods. Conversely, the study notes that simple fragrances affect only a single mood state.  The study explains that while complex fragrances, such as lily of the valley, have the potential to increase both relaxation and stimulation, less complex fragrances such as Douglas fir consistently induce relaxation and lower depression.

Tuberose, on the other hand, has been shown to have the ability to promote happiness and relaxation.  It is suggested to invoke a sensual, romantic atmosphere while lowering depression, as does the very complex formulation within the fragrance of hyacinth.

In 1997 Dr. Robert A. Barron of Rensselelaer Polytechnic Institute conducted a study in a retail mall where he found that individuals who are exposed to a pleasant odour are more apt to help others than individuals who are not exposed to the same pleasant odour.  When asked about their current mood, these same individuals claimed they felt happier than those who were not exposed to pleasant odours.

So is it really that simple—if we are upset, we just need to sniff vanilla and presto, we become instantly happy?

Yes.  And no!  It depends on an individual’s earliest association with vanilla.  The connection between scents and emotions is more complicated than one may first imagine.

 Exposing ten individuals to the same sweet-smelling vanilla cookies does not necessarily guarantee that one will have ten happy individuals.  This is because all of these individuals’ past experiences with vanilla may not be positive.  The manner in which we were exposed to aromas—our experiences and emotions associated with the aroma—in the past has a large impact on our sensation of the odour now.

Though cherry may be an appealing flavour to most of us, if we had to take cherry cough syrup as a child, we may detest the smell, taste and even hint of cherry flavouring now.  For this same reason, the scent of gasoline, or even a skunk, may be repulsive to most individuals but if one associates these scents with that of a pleasant memory—say, an early summer evening or a childhood boat ride on the lake—these same scents may not be repulsive at all.  The pleasantness of a scent is not universal; our reaction to many scents is highly personal depending on our own experiences with a particular scent.

Many of our olfactory likes and dislikes—both that of smell and taste—are based on our emotional reactions to these substances that may have little to do with the “taste” or “scent” of the substance itself.  Indeed, smells can evoke strong and surprising reactions within all of us.  Generally speaking, however, we have positive associations with odours that are familiar to us and we often dislike odours that are foreign to us.

What is interesting is that individuals often recognize a scent more quickly and show a preference for it when it is visually associated with its appropriate corresponding colour.  The fragrance of a lemon is more quickly identified when it is visually paired with the colour yellow, grape with purple, cherry with red and orange with orange.  Conversely, when an individual smells a strawberry-scented blue object, he or she is less likely to readily identify its scent—thus manufacturers design scented markers with their visually appropriate colours.

The magic of vanilla

One scent, however, tends to be liked by most individuals, regardless of its visual colour—be it brown, beige, , or even pink.  Vanilla.  While researchers haven’t agreed on any specific reason for vanilla’s universal popularity, many believe that our positive childhood associations with vanilla’s warm scent—homemade cookies, ice cream and milk—may be the answer.  Perfume, soap, air fresheners and candle manufacturers have been quick to capitalize on this phenomenon since the 1990s.

Yet while manufactures have only recently begun to jump on the vanilla bandwagon, psychologists and researchers have been familiar with its positive emotional effects for many years, using its scent in experiments where a universally pleasant fragrance is required.  Moreover, its fragrance is used on cancer patients undergoing diagnostic procedures to lessen their anxieties.

A study at Germany’s Tubingen University confirms vanilla’s ability to reduce the startle-reflex in humans and animals.  That vanilla has a calming effect on not only humans, but on animals as well suggests that the connection between vanilla’s scent and positive emotions has to do with more than just warm and fuzzy childhood memories.

 Researchers have only just begun to scratch the surface about how our sense of smell relates to our various moods and many more studies, no doubt, are needed in this area.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 Luke Vorstermans

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 with Scentuelle patch go to http://www.scentuellepatch.com

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

Unlocking the Secrets of Your Sense of Smell: Part 8

We may think our taste buds are the center of taste perception, but the human nose—not the tongue—is the main organ of taste as well as smell.  While our taste buds help us to distinguish between substances that are sweet, sour, bitter and salty, our olfactory receptors distinguish all other “tastes.” 

The Taste Connection

Though we often imagine our taste buds as the center of taste perception, the human nose—not the tongue—is the main organ of taste as well as smell.  While our taste buds help us to distinguish between substances that are sweet, sour, bitter and salty, it is our olfactory receptors (remember those five or six million yellowish cells called the olfactory epithelium) that distinguish all other “tastes.”

Little wonder, then, that when we have a stuffy nose our favourite foods seem to lack their delicious flavour.  Hence, if you’re suffering from the symptoms of the “common cold” and find yourself wondering why your beloved out-of-the-way restaurant’s food just doesn’t taste up to par, it may not be that the restaurant has changed chefs.  It may be instead that your plugged nose cannot smell the complex blend of aromas that make up its “flavour.”

While you may be already familiar with why your food lacks its flavour when you are suffering from a cold, what you may not know is that your ability to smell aromas has a significant impact on your ability to lose weight.  In “The Use of Flavor to Enhance Efficacy of Reducing Diets,” Susan Schiffman claims that diets which are low in both flavour variety and intensity are more apt to fail in the long run than those with a wide variety and high intensity of flavour because they fail to satisfy the basic needs of overweight people—their need for flavour.  It may be that many overweight people don’t necessarily crave fat; they just have a “high flavour threshold.”  Individuals seeking to lose weight should introduce a variety of foods and flavour enhancers to their diets that will heighten their sensory experiences

.

Her study concludes that overweight individuals can become satisfied with smaller quantities of food so long as they receive the taste that they desire.  Though we may have eaten a nutritious meal, if it hasn’t satisfied our “taste buds,” we may still feel hungry, claiming that our food just didn’t “hit the spot.”

Your Metabolism, Appetite and Aromatic Food—the Connection

Did you know that exposure to aromatic food has been shown to contribute to the metabolism of foods that we eat?  It’s true!  Exposure to mouth-watering aromas, in fact, increases our saliva production and stimulates our digestive tracts which in turn encourages efficient metabolism of the food we eat.  In short, exposure to food aromas actually increases our bodies’ absorption of nutrients.

Have you ever thought that you weren’t hungry and then walk into a bakery where fresh bread is baking and notice that you instantly have an appetite?  Or how many times have you gone to the grocery store to pick up “a few items” and find yourself putting a few freshly-baked croissants, muffins, or buns into your basket as you walk past the bakery section?  It isn’t just a coincidence that all hotdog venders fry their onions beside a fan or an open window—they want your business and they know how to get it.   Food aromas are simply Mother Nature’s way of ensuring that we receive our proper nutrients.  Aromas from savoury and sweet foods not only ensure the proper metabolism of the foods we eat but they also ensure that we eat.

But did you know that an over exposure to food can have the opposite effect on our appetites?

It’s true.  While an exposure to foods can stimulate our appetites, an extended exposure to foods can cause us to lose our appetites. Simply speaking, an extended exposure to various aromas may in itself satisfy our appetite for food, even if we haven’t had anything to eat!

How many of us can remember spending an entire morning in the kitchen preparing for a large family meal only to find that when we finally sit down to enjoy the benefits of our hard work we no longer have an appetite?  Bakers, restaurant employees and individuals working in plants where food is being prepared often experience this same sensation and report that after a long shift they do not feel as hungry as one would otherwise expect.  In fact, the last thing they feel like doing is eating.

So while a lack of exposure can make us forget to eat, an overexposure can make us not want to eat.  Where our noses are concerned, it is possible to get too much of a good thing.

Obviously, then, a proper balance should be sought.  The saying, “moderation in everything” holds true—even for our sniffers.

Can smelling chocolate help us to control our sweet tooth?

The short answer—Yes!  So, all you chocoholics who want to curb your cravings should work a few shifts at your nearest chocolate factory or become a food product demonstrator for a chocolate manufacturer at your local grocer.  After a few shifts, chocolate will never again look the same for the very same reason discussed above.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Luke Vorstermans

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 with Scentuelle patch go to http://www.scentuellepatch.com

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com