What if one of the simplest habits in the world, slowing down to savor your morning coffee or pausing to breathe in the scent of roses, could actually support your brain health? It sounds poetic, but emerging neuroscience suggests it might also be practical.
Smell isn’t just a sensory pleasure; it’s a direct neurological portal. The olfactory nerve connects straight to the brain’s memory and emotion centers, the hippocampus and amygdala. This makes our sense of smell uniquely powerful in influencing cognition, memory, mood, and even long-term brain resilience.
And now, scientific research is beginning to show that engaging your sense of smell regularly and intentionally may help strengthen cognitive function and potentially lower dementia risk.
The Science: Why Smell Matters
A groundbreaking study from the University of California, Irvine explored a question few had asked: can increasing scent exposure improve memory? Participants aged 60–85 were asked to use a diffuser at night with a different natural scent each evening. After six months, the results were astonishing:
A 226% increase in cognitive performance compared to the control group, who received no olfactory enrichment.
Brain imaging revealed strengthened connections in the left uncinate fasciculus, a neural pathway tied to memory, language, and decision-making that typically declines with age.
Another key takeaway: researchers rotated seven different scents each night. This suggests that variety, smelling multiple unique scents regularly, may stimulate stronger neural benefits.
This aligns with earlier research showing that olfactory training can boost not only the sense of smell but also neuroplasticity, cognitive processing, and emotional well-being.
Simply making time to smell several different scents throughout your day may help keep your brain active and adaptable.
Smell Loss Is a Warning Sign, a Big One
Just as engaging your sense of smell can support brain health, losing it may predict future cognitive decline.
Studies show that declining olfactory function can precede dementia symptoms by years, even a decade. In fact, smell loss is now recognized as one of the strongest predictors of:
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Other dementias
- Parkinson’s disease
- Schizophrenia
- Alcohol use disorder
- Numerous neurological and psychiatric conditions
Altogether, loss of smell has been linked to nearly 70 different neurological or psychiatric disorders.
That’s because the olfactory system is deeply embedded in brain regions that tend to be affected early in neurodegenerative diseases. This also explains why smell testing is being evaluated as a potential early-warning tool for dementia risk.
So… What Can You Do? Slow Down. Smell More. Live Fully.
Your brain benefits when your senses are awake. You don’t need a complex regimen, you just need to smell more things, more intentionally. Pause and inhale the aromas of:
- Fresh morning coffee — start your day with a mindful sensory boost.
- Rose bushes — the floral scent engages memory and soothes mood.
- Evergreen trees — pine and fir aromas can sharpen alertness and calm stress.
- Citrus fruit — invigorating and uplifting, perfect for a midday pick-me-up.
- Herbs while cooking — rosemary, basil, and thyme stimulate both smell and taste pathways.
- Rain, earth, ocean air — natural outdoor scents reconnect you with your environment.
- Your meals before you eat them — savoring aromas heightens mindfulness and enjoyment.
This simple, joyful, accessible practice stimulates olfactory pathways and supports cognitive health, without pills, stress, or technology. It’s mindfulness + neuroscience + daily sensory pleasure.
Smell at least a few different scents every day, scientists suggest up to seven, to give your olfactory system the variety it responds to most. Your memory, focus, and emotional well-being may thank you.
🎁 Seven Great Holiday Gifts to Support the Sense of Smell
Top-selling, highly rated, and perfect for anyone looking to build a “smell-rich” lifestyle. Daily sensory rituals, smelling coffee, herbs, fresh aromas, or scenting your home, anchor you in the moment, reinforce mindfulness, and may help preserve smell function, which naturally declines with age.
1. InnoGear Essential Oil Diffuser (Best Seller)
A compact, quiet diffuser that fills any room with your favorite essential oils. Perfect for beginners or seasoned aromatherapy fans, it creates a calming, scent-rich environment in bedrooms or workspaces.
2. Cleverfy Shower Steamers Aromatherapy
These shower steamers release fragrant aromas as steam rises, turning a simple shower into a sensory escape. Ideal for integrating daily olfactory stimulation without extra effort.
https://amzn.to/4irLldU
3. Atlas Coffee Club World of Coffee Gift Set – 4-Pack Variety Box
A gourmet sampler of freshly roasted single-origin coffees from around the world. Each box includes tasting notes and a postcard, offering a sensory journey with every morning cup.
https://amzn.to/4p4oDe6
4. Tea Forte Tea Tasting Assortment Premium Petite Presentation Box
A beautifully packaged assortment of ten handcrafted teas, each in its own pyramid infuser bag. Perfect for exploring new flavors and aromas, making tea time a mindful, scent-focused ritual.
https://amzn.to/43UipoN
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5. Smokehouse by Thoughtfully Holiday Ultimate Grilling Spice Seasoning Gift Set
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A set of 20 hand-selected herbs and spices, from rosemary and chili garlic to lime chipotle. Perfect for cooking enthusiasts, it turns everyday meals into aromatic experiences that awaken the senses.
https://amzn.to/48vicKm
6. Burt’s Bees Christmas Gifts – 3 Body Skincare Stocking Stuffers
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Includes hand cream and cuticle care infused with natural scents like almond and lemon butter. Nourish your skin while enjoying gentle, uplifting aromas—supporting mindful self-care.
https://amzn.to/4p6gsOx
7. PURA D’OR Organic Sweet16 Essential Oils Set
A luxurious collection of 16 therapeutic-grade essential oils—including lavender, rosemary, turmeric, ylang ylang, and more—packaged in a sleek wooden gift box. Perfect for diffusers, DIY sprays, or home aromatherapy, it encourages daily scent exploration and a “smell-rich” lifestyle.
The Takeaway
Your sense of smell is deeply tied to your memory, identity, and brain health. When you nurture it, you nurture your mind. If you are interested in learning more about the pheromones, environmental signals, and emotions we process with each breath, how olfaction makes us the individuals we are then you will find The Forgotten Sense by Jonas Olofsson intriguing. Link to the book/audio…https://amzn.to/3KmiJWD
Main takeaway, so slow down. Breathe in deeply. Smell your coffee. Smell the roses. Smell the evergreen trees. Smell your food. Smell the world.
This holiday season, give more than a gift. Give health, cognition, and mind. Aromatherapy sets, teas, coffees, spices and other scent-rich experiences aren’t just enjoyable, they help support memory, mood, and long-term brain health.
Give the gift that delights the senses and strengthens the mind. It’s a present they’ll truly use every-day and thank you for for years to come.
Mom on the go in Holy Toledo 