A ‘Smell Walk’ Has Surprising Mood-Boosting Powers

You may observe the sights, sounds, and weather while taking a leisurely walk in the neighborhood. But some people suggest that you should also take the time to appreciate and experience the various scents around you. Best Life, a lifestyle site says that engaging in a "smell walk" can actually enhance your mood and significantly reduce your stress levels.

A "smell walk" is basically just taking a walk and really getting into all the different smells around you. "When we give our attention to specific sensory input such as the smells in our environment, we are naturally focused on the present rather than the past or future,” clinical psychologist Carla Marie Manly, PhD, tells Best Life. "The experience of a smell walk allows us to detach from the racing, busy mind and focus on the various scents in our environment."

According to the site, if you find traditional meditation challenging, a smell walk can be a more active alternative. It still allows you to attain a similar state of mindfulness. They say it's a great way to engage in the practice and experience its benefits.

According to Olivia Dreizen Howell, one of the site’s experts, our sense of smell is directly connected to the brain's limbic system. It plays a role in our emotions and memories. This connection means that the scents we encounter during a smell walk can actually influence our subconscious mind.

If you're wanting to try a smell walk, they suggest simply getting outside. There’s no need to seek out the perfect spot. Whether you're in the city, by the beach, or surrounded by nature in the woods, any location will do. The best part is your walk can be as short or as long as you like—totally up to you.

Once you're outside, just immerse yourself in the experience. Tune into your surroundings and let the aromas guide you.
Take a look at the full breakdown and science behind a smell walk here.

Have you ever tried a fragrance and thought to yourself, "Wow, this smells awful?" Then you wonder why and how anyone would ever enjoy that smell. Just like our sense of taste, smells are based on preference. For example, your friend may like the smell of corpse flowers (the worst-smelling flower in the world) and burnt hair while you like the smell of roses and bonfires. 

"Most people assume we all like the smell of roses and hate the smell of skunk... with the exception of irritating odors, smell is something we come to know from personal and cultural experiences." noted lead researcher Rachel Herz, PhD, in a 2005 Brown University study.

Alan R Hirsch, the founder and neurological director of the Smell and Taste Treatment & Research Foundation, explained to NPR that “the factors that influence our sense of smell are actually a combination of cultural, genetic, and environmental factors.”

There are certain smells that almost everyone loves. From the new car smell (which may not be good for you) and freshly baked bread to Sharpies and gasoline. People enjoy a variety of aromas and find some more pleasant than others. The scents we smell can change our moods and emotions. Sometimes, it can even bring us back to long-forgotten events and memories.

Here are 10 unusual smells most people enjoy.

It could be due to its association with nail salons. It's where many people find a moment of relaxation.

Should you thank their hair care routine for this? Or maybe you’re a fan of their pheromones? Let's just call it a chemically compatible match.

Some people enjoy the smell of recycled rubber, glue, and a slight hint of petroleum.

It's probably not because it can make you high. It may have more to do with nostalgia. Sharpies and markers tend to smell like childhood to some people.

It makes sense that some people like the smell of chlorine. Most people are reminded of memories by the pool. Or maybe an abundance of laundry.

It may be something with the smell combination of fresh paper and book adhesive, mixed with the excitement of getting a new book.

Do you ever catch a whiff of yourself and actually don't mind it? Maybe, it's because it's your own scent. Some studies show that we've adapted to like our own odors, to help us maintain proper hygiene.

It has that "cold" smell that’s similar to when the AC blows in the car.

Some people like it because it "smells like the country.” The smell is supposedly associated with fresh air and fields of farmland.

Someone loved this scent so much that they created a crowdfunding site for a candle that "always smells like it's not actually burning while it’s burning." They described the smell as a "warm, smoky aroma."