The Science behind the Olfactory System

The Olfactory System is involved in the processing of our emotions, survival instincts, and memory function.  It connects senses, such as odors, to our memories and emotions.

Smells are handled by the olfactory bulb, the structure in the front of the brain that sends information to the other areas of the body's central command for further processing. Odors take a direct route to the limbic system, including the amygdala and the hippocampus, the regions related to emotion and memory.

Smell is the only fully developed sense a fetus has in the womb, and it’s the one that is the most developed in a child through the age of around 10 when sight takes over. Many terpenes possess strong associative properties, and work easily to alter the mood, promoting increased alertness and positivity, or creating feelings of calm, tranquility, and relaxation. They can be helpful in alleviating stress, easing insomnia, providing clarity and focus.