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How to upgrade your sense of smell
Every time you breathe in particles brush past the nasal mucosa deep inside your nose. From there a message is sent directly to the brain by a short nerve. The brain then interprets the scent.
When you perceive a scent you either classify it as pleasant or unpleasant. Bad things like rotting food tend to smell bad, while things that are good for you usually have a pleasing smell. Your sense of smell thus helps you to distinguish between good and evil, and is for that reason the basis of your moral judgment
We are usually surrounded by a abundance of smells but most of the time we are unaware of them. Smells can produce emotions or bring back memories. You might be walking down a street when all of a sudden, a whiff of something sets off an emotion or transports you back into the past. This often happens without being consciously aware of the smell.
Food smelling mindfulness exercise
Select a food or drink and describe its aroma. Take a short break, and then smell it again. Record any feelings, memories, or judgments it provoked.
Smell your surroundings mindfulness exercise
Find a place outside where you can sit down. Close your eyes and begin to notice the smells, aromas, smells, fragrances, scents, and stenches around you. First pay attention to your immediate surroundings and then see if you can smell objects a small distance away from you. Which smells did you notice right away? Which did you become aware of after some time? Did you make any judgments?
Identify scents with a scent diary
Just as pumping iron helps you build muscle, putting your nose through its paces can improve your sense of smell. Try this exercise to upgrade your sense of smell.
It’s much easier to improve your sense of smell if you record and label the smells you encounter on a daily basis. Use your phone to take notes whenever you come across a new fragrance. This might be your shampoo, your lunch, or the smell of your car.
Be as descriptive as possible and try to use words that paint a mental or emotional picture. To help you out here is a list of adjectives describing scent.
Outdoorsy adjectives for smell
airy - natural smelling, like clean, fresh air
clean - very light scent, clean and natural
crisp - fresh and natural
earthy - recently dug or tilled soil
fresh - natural smelling, rather than artificial
loamy - fragrance with an earthy note
feminine - floral fragrances
floral - scents associated with flowers
flowery - fragrance similar to flowers
masculine - earthy fragrances
pine - crisp, refreshing evergreen smell
lilac - rich floral scent combining rose with vanilla
moist - smell of dew or rainfall
rose - spicy yet sweet fragrance
smoky - scent of burning wood
woodsy - forest-like smell
Food-Related Words to Describe Smell
citrusy - crisp notes of any citrus fruit
fishy - smelling of fish; pungent, strong, unpleasant
lemony - tart, piquant citrus notes
lime - refreshing and zesty citrus smell
minty - menthol-like smell, think mint tea or peppermint candy
savory - spicy, salty scent that has no elements of sweetness
spicy - sharp, heady, can sting or tickle the nose
sour - rancid, sickly sweet smell
sweet - sugary smell
tart - sharp fragrance
Adjectives to Describe the Depth of Scent
billowy - scent that surges and wanes
biting - pungent, sharp or harsh fragrance
faint - very light or mild fragrance; can barely be detected
heady - very strong aroma
misty - mild fragrance, not overpowering
overpowering - too strong of a smell
pungent - strong fragrance
redolent - having a strong, permeating odor
rich - a strong, resounding smell that is appealing to the senses
sharp - pungent fragrance that permeates the air
wispy - hint of fragrance in the air
perfumed - artificial fragrance, not natural-smelling
The smell test
Inhale scents
It’s generally accepted by the experts that five scents is the optimum number. Fewer than that makes guessing too easy while more than five results in confusion.
You should smell the 5 scents twice a day in alternating order – Ideally in the morning and in the evening. TIP: Set a “reminder” on your mobile
You’ll need 5 identical containers. Opaque dropper bottles are ideal but small plastic containers will do the job just as well. It is important that the bottles be identical in order NOT to be able to recognise them easily
Labels to identify the bottles.
A logbook to keep track of your results
Some cottonwool
Aromatic materials such as essential oils, spices, or coffee grounds. Essential oils are easy to use and store, but remember that cheaper oils are usually synthetic while genuine oils can be pricey.
Method
Place the scented material in the container and cover with paper or cotton wool. Identify each bottle by sticking a label underneath. Write down the smells in your logbook. The bottles should be kept away from heat and light. The samples should be renewed every fortnight to guarantee a good intensity of smell. This implies rinsing the bottles in hot water.
Inhale scents
It’s generally accepted by the experts that five scents is the optimum number. Fewer than that makes guessing too easy while more than five results in confusion.
You should smell the 5 scents twice a day in alternating order – Ideally in the morning and in the evening. TIP: Set a “reminder” on your mobile
Smell each scent for approx. 20 to 30 seconds and a break of 1 minute after each scent so that the nose can neutralise itself again. Only in this way is it ready for the stimulus of the next fragrance. If you want to genuinely improve your sense of smell it will require at least three months of daily practice before you begin to notice improvements.
I’m Dr. Rodger Douglas, DMH, a South African-born homeopath now based in Osaka, Japan. With a psychology degree from Nelson Mandela University and a diploma from the Hahnemann College of Heilkunst, I specialize in holistic care for fibromyalgia. I serve clients by phone or video across the US, Canada, the UK, and Europe.