|
Author: Jeanette Joy Fisher Article source: http://www.allabout-skin-care.info/. Used with author's permission.
Our sense of smell elicits strong emotional reactions and triggers powerful memories, whether we're consciously aware of it or not.
Scents and Feelings
Our olfactory system sends a chemical message about the scents around us through the limbic part of our brain, which is the oldest part of our brain. In seconds, that message is telegraphed to our central nervous system, which, in turn, controls how our body functions and how we feel about those smells.
Scents also influence the temperature we feel emotionally. For instance, a grass matting floor covering has a pleasant scent, and makes us feel cooler, while the aroma of fresh baked bread creates a warm feeling of being loved. Marine scents, such as salty sea air, refresh us, while spice and wood scents bring warm thoughts.
The Evolution of Aromatherapy
The ancient civilizations of Arabia, Babylon, China, Egypt, Greece, India, and Rome all used the aromas of scented plants, flowers, and woods to heal and protect. Religious and spiritual ceremonies have used aromas to arouse mankind's deeply spiritual nature from the dawn of time. Today, the science of aromatherapy, which is a holistic healing practice, uses essential oils and herbs, to treat stress-related illnesses, muscular, circulatory, respiratory, and digestive ailments, and even skin problems.
The Effects of Scent on Emotions
Essential oils influence our emotions within seconds of inhalation. For instance, clary sage stimulates the thalamus to release a hormone called encephalon, a neurochemical that creates a sense of euphoria and provides pain relief. Lavender and chamomile fuel the release of serotonin, which has a calming effect on fear, stress, aggravation, or insomnia.
Scents activate the deep part of the brain, where memories are stored. You can recreate pleasant memories and share them with your family and friends through the use of smells. For instance, my mother often baked a cake just before we kids arrived home from school. Now that I've grown up, we don't eat as much cake in our home, but sharing a vanilla scent with my children often prompts them to share stories about their grandmother.
Smells are a powerful link with the memories of our past. My mother used to tell me stories of her grandmother, whose home smelled like baked cinnamon rolls in the morning and exotic, tangy spices in the evening.
The sense of smell, a potent tool in Interior Design Psychology, brings a feeling of harmony and serenity to any room in a home. Embrace the scents you love and those that conjure pleasant memories, and make the use of scent an integral part of your overall design plan.
Copyright (c) 2004 by Jeanette J. Fisher Jeanette Fisher, Design Psychology Professor, is the author of Joy to the Home eNewsletter. Discover innovative Interior Design Psychology and makeover your home to support happiness, productivity, and well-being. For Design Psychology information, see http://www.designpsych.com/ For more information about "Joy to the Home," see http://www.joytothehome.com/
Small Business Marketing Tip #5: How To Turn Time Into Dollar Bills
Have you ever found yourself on a Friday afternoon wondering where the week went? If so, don't do another thing before you read this entire article. It's reveal...
Sports Massage
Rapidly gaining in popularity, Sports Massage is a massage technique that utilizes a system of...
The Hidden Truth About Diets
Want to know why most diets don't work? Want to know the hidden truth about diets? This article will turn your understanding of conventional diets on it's hea...
Mind Your Own Business!
And the best way to mind your own business is to insure that
those audiences whose behaviors have the greatest effect on
your enterprise keep thinking about y...
The Clutter Factor: From Packrativity to Productivity
• Are you embarrassed when you walk into your home or
office?
• Do you frequently run out of space?
• Is your desk piled high with UPO's (unidentified piled
obj...
How to Choose the Right Duvet Cover
There are different sizes of duvets made to accommodate different beds. There are various duvet cover sizes made to cover and protect duvets made for different...
Selling Property - Valuing Your Property
Before you value your property you must arrive at two important figures:
1. The lowest price you will accept for your property
2. The ideal price you ...
The Other World Series: The 2005 World Series Of Poker
The World Series of Poker officially started in 1970 but its origins pre-date that. From 7 participants in 1972 to over 2500 last year, this years competition p...
New Car Loans - How You Buy a New or Used Car With Poor Credit
If you have a poor credit history, but are looking to get financing for a new or used car, here are some tips to help you get the financing you need.
Thinking About Re-mortaging? Read These Tips First
Re-mortgaging can be a way to save significant amounts of money on monthly interest payments. However, there are pitfalls you need to be aware of.
Website Woes: Top Five Offenders
Learn how you can improve your website from the mistakes of others.
Why Pregnant Women Get Stressed and Depressed?
If you are a pregnant mother or soon will be, this is the most important reality you going to face. You will get stress and depress. Why?
Can You Really Let Go Of Your Huge Internal Struggle?
The author recalls a powerful insight that occurred to him when he was in graduate school for psychology. He found that the reason for the high success rate of...
The Top Six Ways to Stay Motivated
I receive many emails from people that basically ask the same question: How can I keep myself motivated long term? This seems to be quite a common dilemma for m...
Car Wash Fundraiser Preparation
Are you considering a car wash fundraiser for your group? We all no it is getting harder and harder to raise the funds for non-profit groups these days. Especia...
Trucking and the Flow of Fuel
Definitely something to think about. If trucks stop shelves empty in 5.5 days, people starving the next week, anarchy in the streets within three weeks. Yes ev...
Uk House Price Increases Take A Summer Holiday
House sellers reduce asking prices to attract buyers, but previous rises force many first time buyers to stay out in the cold.
Three Key Facets Of Successful Network Marketing
Network marketing has many aspects, but promotion, persistence, and patience are three key elements which are critical to achieving successful results. PROMOTIO...
The REAL Secret to Building A High-Profit Internet Business
These 4 steps, written by someone who actually HAS made it online, show why following the latest fad is not the way forward. Instead, having a system is the key...
Business Plan Financial Projections: Stop Worrying About Being Right...
Business plan financial projections seem daunting because
they are so uncertain. This very uncertainty, however, is
what makes preparing them easy because you...
Shape Up! 4-Alternative Weight Loss Solutions
I am embarrassed to admit how many different commercial weight loss programs I've tried. I don't know about you, but after a while I grow tired of talking heads...
Bill Consolidation Loan Tips
Here are some tips to consolidating your bills.
Complete Home Rehab In 10 Days
This report is about taking a house and restoring it to an aesthetically pleasing dwelling that has reclaimed it's functional utility. In effect, it is the ant...
Why Employers Want an Employee with a Degree
You wake up in the morning, head to work, and find out your company is downsizing and you are being laid off. No big deal you think, you have experience, you'v...
|
Print this page