April 27, 2020
Did you know that different scents, affect us differently?
Our sense of smell really is an amazing thing. Although we use our eyes and ears to process what goes on around us daily, we all use our sense of smell far more often than we think!
It's ironic that most people undervalue the power of scent. Fragrances have the ability to evoke both positive and negative psychological states of mind and reactions in milliseconds. Whether it's that warming smell of freshly ground coffee in the morning, baked croissants or the cut grass in your garden. Many of these daily scents can evoke powerful memories and emotional feelings attached.
Have you ever walked into a room and instantly been transported back to a happy memory or felt your mood or emotions change? According to scientists, our sense of smell triggers memory more than of our other senses. This is because those senses do not pass through these areas of the brain relating to memory.
Our sense of smell is one of the most powerful senses we possess and the merest hint of something familiar can trigger a special memory of a wonderful moment in our lives that we may treasure forever or a loss or mishap that happened and the accompanying feelings.
The Science Bit
The olfactory bulbs are part of the limbic system and directly connect with limbic structures that process emotion (the amygdala) and associative learning (the hippocampus). No other sensory system has this type of intimate link with the neural areas of emotion and associative learning, therefore there is a strong neurological basis for why odors trigger emotional connections.The reason for this is simple. It’s because there is a direct link in our brains between memory and scent.
Fun Fact
Our sense of smell is something we can improve. You can train your nose to become more sensitive to scents simply by taking a moment to enjoy the smells around you. Pause and focus on that smell of coffee before you drink it. Take a few moments to enjoy the scent of your favourite flowers or perfume or the myriad of scents from your freshly cooked meal. Becoming conscious or the scents around you and tuning into them, will help to increase your ability to recognise them again.
Our Wellbeing Range
It was this connection that Cathy realised was a powerful part of her treatments with clients when she worked in London as a therapist. The scent and ambiance of her therapy rooms was just as much part of there therapy as the actual treatment itself.
If a client was suffering from stress or anxiety, scents such as lavender and calming honeysuckle & jasmine were used. If a client was depressed, then a more uplifting scent added the boost that helped improve their mood.
At Miller & Keane we have continued this approach and hand picked and named each of our candles based on the benefits of their different scents. Our hope is to assist you in creating the calmness you need when you need it or to offer a boost with our uplifting fragrances such as Rejuvenate or Happy Day.
Not sure which scent to choose?
Some of the benefits of each of our scents is listed below.
Mandarin – Uplifting, joyful endorphins released thanks to the citrus notes. It is known for its ability to soften feelings of nervous or anxiousness.
Mimosa – Fresh floral scent which also brings a wonderful sense of calm.
Honeysuckle – Beautiful fresh scent that can delight our senses and affect our emotions in a calming positive way.
Jasmine – Studies have found that not only does the smell of jasmine create a sense of alertness, it can also serve as a way to help with depressive thoughts.
Basil – Basil emits a warm, sweet, freshly floral scent that can be characterized as airy and uplifting. This scent can stimulate, clarify, calm, fortify, energise and uplift the mind.
Lime – Citrus lime is beautifully fresh with a little zing to it. It can help you boost your mood and make you happy. They help you calm down and release stress, depression and anger.
Lavender – Most commonly used in aromatherapy. The fragrance from lavender is believed to help promote calmness and wellness. It can also help reduce stress, anxiety and possibly mild main.
Rose – The scent can help reduce stress and lower the heart rate. Rose scent has been shown to have anti-depressant benefits as it is traditionally used to calm and uplift.
Lily – Uplifting yet also beautifully calming. The scent of lily can help to reduce tension and stress levels.
Bay leaf – Bay has a warming effect on emotions. Associated with peace, it is celebrated due to its ability to calm our thoughts.
Cinnamon – The scent of cinnamon can help boost memory in a task. Researchers have found that it reduces drowsiness, irritability, and the pain and number of headaches.
Gardenia – Fresh, uplifting and a lovely awakening scent.
You can browse our full range of candles and natural reed diffusers online and start creating your happy space at home today with our special code of 'scentathome' to enjoy 20% off.
Adding scent to your home or woking space, is a wonderful way to help uplift your mood.
