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For some of us, a field of wildflowers brings back memories of the freedom of childhood or the carefree peace of an early spring walk. For those with hay fever, that same field evokes memories of misery and probably a sneeze as well. That explains how important our sense of smell is to our memories.

Sensitivity to a scent is not only personal, it's cultural. What is considered "acceptable" to one group of people may be revolting to another. For example, members of one primitive tribe in New Guinea say good-bye by putting a hand in each other's armpit, then rubbing themselves with the other's scent. By contrast, in past years in Japan, a strong body odor could disqualify men from military service.

How Our Sense of Smell Works

The human body experiences scent through thousands of olfactory nerves in the nose which are directly linked to the brain. This olfactory system works like a lock and key for remembering scents. The lock is the actual smell memory; the key is the scent - which opens up the mind to the memory.

The Connection Between The Senses

The sense of smell is closely connected to the sense of taste. Our tongue tastes only sweet, sour, salt and bitter. All other "tastes" are in fact, odors. Research shows there are at least 20 sensations normally referred to as tastes that are really odors. They include: insipid or stale, metallic, pungent, burning, warm and cool (as in menthol), astringent-dry and astringent-tangy.

Research also shows there are more than 1,000 odor receptors to help translate the many smells we encounter. This system of odor receptors is much more complex than the three types of receptors our eyes use to distinguish between colors.

The Brain Connection

In aromatherapy, the brain responds to the aroma of an essential oil by retrieving a past memory associated with the aroma. If the aroma is unfamiliar, the brain creates a new memory. The average adult processes about 10,000 different odors in about one square inch of the brain. In addition, the sense of smell has the longest recall of all senses, so we tend to retain memories associated with aromas for quite some time.

Different scents activate certain brainwaves which are sensitive to our thoughts and emotions. For example, essential oils that offer euphoric aromatherapy benefits, such as clary sage and grapefruit, stimulate the part of the brain that secretes neurochemicals called "enkephalins". These natural pain killers produce a general feeling of well-being.

Aphrodisiac scents, such as jasmine and ylang-ylang, stimulate the pituitary gland to secrete endorphins which relay amorous feelings of relaxation and inner balance.

Sedative odors, such as marjoram, stimulate the area of the brain called the "Raphe nucleus", triggering the secretion of serotonin, which helps us sleep.

Once you understand the connection between scent and memory, it's easy to understand how a field of wildflowers can create a totally different sensation for two people. If you're looking to make sense of your memories, the answer just may be in the scent of the moment, both now and then.

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