Remember those moments where a certain smell brings back a memory? It happens so fast. Sometimes alarming how fast, in my opinion.
Why is this? Well, according to Medical News Today, “the Proust effect ” — is due to how close the olfactory processing system is to the memory hub in the brain.” –
“When these elements combine, a what-when-where memory is formed […] This is why, for example, you might have the ability to remember the smell of a lover’s perfume (the what) when you reminisce about your first kiss (the when and where).”
A certain flower: the memory of first smelling it. seeing its vibrant colors.
A walk in nature: maybe there’s a certain “after the rain” smell or a specific flower in spring that brings back a memory of this same experience. I sometimes feel and explain these as Deja Vu, as it’s recalling an episodic memory from my past that I’ve already lived.
What a fabulous way to support our nervous system in times of heightened stress! This can be a quick gateway with a certain smell to bring us back to the present moment awareness and out of fight/flight/freeze. I highly recommend diving deeper into this tool!
Take a moment to consider your smell and taste tools that you use during the day. Some of my favorites are ginger chews, peppermints, essential oils, and teas.
I provided a few links below to check out some of my favorites. These are affiliate links and I do get slight compensation if you purchase through these links. Thanks for supporting my small business.
