Smells Familiar?

We don't know why smells are such a powerful trigger of memories. However, there are some clues as to why this should be.

Firstly, our sense of smell is very closely linked to our emotions, and emotions are a powerful trigger for memory. Much of sense of smell seems to be subconscious, and some of it is hard wired by evolution. Surprisingly, we can learn to recognize people by their unique scent.

Here's an idea for you...

"Strengthen your conscious awareness of scents. Take a moment to smell the air wherever you are now. Is the odor pleasant, neutral or unpleasant? Do this each time you enter a new environment.

Our smell- memory system is largely subconscious, it means that it's both more powerful yet more inaccessible than other forms of memory. Smell can enhance the ability to learn.

"Odor memory seems to be the most resistant to forgetting."

Dr Jay Gottfried, scent researcher

Alternatively, you could use a plug-in room fragrance product that gives off a scent only for a limited time. The technique may also work simply by having the scent near you, and taking an extended nap, although no research has been done.