Design Psychology: How Our Sensory Responses to Aromas Create Happy Homes

Our sense of smell elicits strong emotional reactions and triggers powerful memories, whether we're consciously aware of it or not.

Scents and Feelings

Our olfactory system sends a chemical message about the scents around us through the limbic part of our brain, which is the oldest part of our brain. In seconds, that message is telegraphed to our central nervous system, which, in turn, controls how our body functions and how we feel about those smells.

Scents also influence the temperature we feel emotionally. For instance, a grass matting floor covering has a pleasant scent, and makes us feel cooler, while the aroma of fresh baked bread creates a warm feeling of being loved. Marine scents, such as salty sea air, refresh us, while spice and wood scents bring warm thoughts.

The Evolution of Aromatherapy

The ancient civilizations of Arabia, Babylon, China, Egypt, Greece, India, and Rome all used the aromas of scented plants, flowers, and woods to heal and protect. Religious and spiritual ceremonies have used aromas to arouse mankind's deeply spiritual nature from the dawn of time. Today, the science of aromatherapy, which is a holistic healing practice, uses essential oils and herbs, to treat stress-related illnesses, muscular, circulatory, respiratory, and digestive ailments, and even skin problems.

The Effects of Scent on Emotions

Essential oils influence our emotions within seconds of inhalation. For instance, clary sage stimulates the thalamus to release a hormone called encephalon, a neurochemical that creates a sense of euphoria and provides pain relief. Lavender and chamomile fuel the release of serotonin, which has a calming effect on fear, stress, aggravation, or insomnia.

Scents activate the deep part of the brain, where memories are stored. You can recreate pleasant memories and share them with your family and friends through the use of smells. For instance, my mother often baked a cake just before we kids arrived home from school. Now that I've grown up, we don't eat as much cake in our home, but sharing a vanilla scent with my children often prompts them to share stories about their grandmother.

Smells are a powerful link with the memories of our past. My mother used to tell me stories of her grandmother, whose home smelled like baked cinnamon rolls in the morning and exotic, tangy spices in the evening.

The sense of smell, a potent tool in Interior Design Psychology, brings a feeling of harmony and serenity to any room in a home. Embrace the scents you love and those that conjure pleasant memories, and make the use of scent an integral part of your overall design plan.

Copyright (c) 2004 by Jeanette J. Fisher

Jeanette Fisher, Design Psychology Professor, is the author of Joy to the Home eNewsletter. Discover innovative Interior Design Psychology and makeover your home to support happiness, productivity, and well-being. For Design Psychology information, see http://www.designpsych.com/ For more information about "Joy to the Home," see http://www.joytothehome.com/

---

10 Easy Ways You Can Feel Happier, Be Healthier and Live Longer Starting NOW!

Let's just say? first thing when you popped out of... Read More

Do You Love Yourelf?

Learning to love yourself isn't easy - especially if you... Read More

Why Choosing To Be Happy Is Not Enough

I talked in a recent article about how every moment... Read More

There is a Cure for the Summertime Blues

I have never lived anywhere else where when you walk... Read More

Giving Attention To Happiness

When I left England in 2000 there did not seem... Read More

Hanging Out

Right off the top: What is the difference between dating... Read More

7 Surprising Keys to Happiness

Have you ever had one of those days where you... Read More

Flowers Truly Reach Your Soul

Flowers are a simple, sincere and unobtrusive way to lift... Read More

Stop Sickies and Make People Happy At Work

If you're an employer or a manager then work place... Read More

Dont Let Life Happen to You

Don't Let Life Happen To You ... Read More

Forgive to Succeed - Im Talking to the You Behind Your Eyes

If your blood is still pumping through your veins, you... Read More

King Solomons Mind

"Don't you understand, everything in this life is meaningless," cautioned... Read More

How to Stop Attracting Negative People to Your Life

Placing your attention, energy and focus on the negative aspects... Read More

Get Right! Make a Difference

Want to make a difference? What can one person do?... Read More

4 Steps to Use Fears as Friends: Don?t be a Thunder Dog!

Imagine humungous, bulbous, billowing alto-cumulus clouds building higher and higher... Read More

May the Budgie of Happiness Sit on Your Head

My grandmother, Mimi, was a great solitaire player. My family... Read More

The Elusive Butterfly of Happiness

Are You Chasing the Elusive Butterfly of Happiness?For many people... Read More

Keeping You Confident!

We can all be confident when we are sure of... Read More

Happiest Person In America: Whats Sex Got To Do With It?

Who is the happiest person in America? USA Today featured... Read More

Happiness And Health Are The Two Most Important Things In Life

The world is becoming obsessed with money and all things... Read More

Growing Up Backwards

It seems like I set out in this life to... Read More

What Does It Take To Be Happy?

What does it take to be happy? In our age... Read More

Eleven Keys to Success and Happiness

1. Mend a quarrel Seek out a forgotten friend and... Read More

If You Can Dream It you Can Do It!

Confuscious, the Chinese Philospher is quoted as saying : "I... Read More

Who Controls YOUR Happiness?

Where does happiness fit on a scale of 1 to... Read More

Happiness Versus Pleasure

We are a pleasure seeking society. Most of us spend... Read More

Gratitude For Dummies

Yes, it might feel great to win the lottery. Money,... Read More

Joy Is Sexy

Joy is sexy because in embracing our joy, we embrace... Read More

Colors: How Do They Make You Feel?

One of the most important colors in advertising is the... Read More

Are You Doing What You Love Each And Every Day?

It is easy to get caught up in the day-to-day... Read More

Getting Connected

"The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance, the wise... Read More

In Pursuit of Happiness

In pursuit of happiness, what will we do as women?... Read More

10 Ways to Bring Meaning to Your Life

My life always appears to be so hectic. It's as... Read More