Surprising Facts about Our Sense of Smel

 An estimated 1 in 20 Americans have a compromised sense of smell. Yet unlike loss of hearing or sight, loss of smell has been very under-reported and under-researched.

· All flavors come from smell.  Without a sense of smell you can’t taste the difference between an apple and a potato or a glass of red wine and a cup of cold coffee.

· A woman’s attraction to a man depends more on how he smells to her than on any other particular physical characteristic.

· Smells can alter and influence our moods and our behaviors.

· You can not smell while you are asleep. You don’t smell the coffee and wake up; rather you wake up and then smell the coffee.

· Smell cells are renewed every 28 days, so every month you ostensibly get a new nose.

· Nearly all smells have a feel to them, such as a cooling feel with menthol or a burning feel with ammonia.

· Our sense of smell is very suggestible. If told there is an odor in the room, you will likely then smell something that actually isn’t there at all. This is not true with any of the other senses. If someone said “Do you see the cat in the chair?” and there wasn’t really a cat…forget it!

· Our sense of smell is more connected to emotion than any other sense.

· Our sense of smell is the first to develop of all our senses. Even before we are born, our sense of smell is fully developed and functioning.

· You can create smell illusions with words.  By calling a scent a certain name it will be perceived to be that name. Yet apply a different name to the same scent and the scent will almost magically turn into a new smell.

· Certain drugs, like amphetamines, can give you smell superpowers.

· Our sense of smell gets bored easily. When entering a bakery or florist you are very aware of the aroma but chances are that before you’ve reached the counter with your purchase you will no longer be able to smell the wonderful aromas around you.

· Cigarette smoking impairs a person’s sense of smell.

· Women have a keener nose than men on average.

· Everyone can improve their sense of smell with a little practice and attention.