perceptionsense: Post Two: Smell & Aromatics

Aromatherapy has been used for centuries in Egypt, China, and India to treat psychological and physical disorders, including insomnia, depression, and anxiety. It has also been known to improve mood. Personally, I use sandalwood oil to help with sleep and anxiety. For some reason, the smell reminds me of comfort. Fragrance is perceived by humans through the olfactory system. During this process, electrical signals are generated and transferred to the brain. These signals impact memory, thoughts, and emotions. This can explain why we can smell a fragrance and suddenly be reminded of something or someone. For example, when I smell a specific perfume called aura, I'm transported back to my childhood. It has an earthy yet clean smell and reminds me of a rainy school morning. It's interesting how we can attribute certain smells to specific memories.

While doing deeper research on smell, I learned about phantosmia. Phantosmia is characterized as a condition that causes one to encounter smells that are not actually present in the setting. Phantosmia isn't common, but some people have reported developing this condition after having COVID-19.