Checklist: How To Use Scent to Influence Your Mood

Research shows there is a 40% improvement in mood after being exposed to pleasant scents. Read below for the scoop on how to use scents to improve your mood:

1) Scent is used a great deal in the field of psychology to help people cope with difficult emotions and distress.

It is called a "grounding" technique. You can use scents as a way to distract you from difficult emotions or thoughts and help ground you in the present moment. Often when we are feeling distressed, we are thinking about the past or the future. By bringing ourselves to the present moment, we are better able to tolerate our difficult experience. Smell is a great way to help you do this. Next time you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, find a strong scent that typically brings about a positive emotion in you and spend a few moments totally connecting with the scent. Bring your focus to the present moment. It is not a 100% cure all for your problems but using your sense of smell can help you reduce overwhelming emotions and think more clearly. 

2) Use scent to increase productivity.

The scent of mint has been known to help increase productivity and increase feelings of alertness. Using this smell on your body may help you concentrate and get work done.

3) Scent can help you relax or wind down after a long day.

Of all the senses, the sense of smell is most closely connected with the emotional part of the brain. This is powerful information, because you can use the sense of smell to help relax and calm yourself in times of stress. The use of candles, aromatherapy, bath bombs or other types of smells can help you relax after a long day. 

4) Use the sense of smell to set your day on the right track.

Do you know you have a tough day ahead of you? Take the initiative to set it off on the right foot with the use of smell. The smell of coffee may help you feel awake and ready for the day. But other smells can increase feelings of positivity and optimism. When you intentionally use smell as a way to influence your mood, you are stopping and halting the automatic mode of the day. You may wake up, get ready, and go to work on automatic pilot, but when you stop this process and use the sense of smell, you can set your day off with intention.

5) Use scents while at work to help keep you positive.

There is a reason why many major hotels are using scents. They have realized that the way a room smells influences how people feel. Some of the fanciest hotels in Las Vegas and Miami have taken advantage of this important information. And so can you. Help set the tone at work for yourself and others. The use of diffusers can be a great way to influence feelings at work. Just make sure that you use quality smells, because low quality scents can have a negative impact or cause distress or headaches. The key is to keep it light. Don't overdo the smells. Use just enough to where it is barely noticeable.

6) Smell can be extremely influential in moments of intimacy.

Sexiness is a feeling. And smell can create feelings. So, use the sense of smell to help you feel sexy and attractive. People have been doing this for a long time. People have used perfume to entice others and to increase their feelings of sexiness. Sweetums wipes can be a great way to smell and feel sexy AND taste sexy.

7) Use smell to remind you of things and places that you like.

Ever notice how a smell can bring you directly back to a specific memory? The smell of apple pie might bring you back to your grandma's home. Or the smell of a certain perfume might remind you of a lover. Think about what smells are connected with memories of happiness and relaxation. Is there a smell that reminds you of a vacation? Maybe the smell of pina coladas reminds you of fond memories of a past trip. Use this information as a way to bring positive memories to the forefront of your brain.