5 Ways To Self-Soothe With Scent

Can You Self-Soothe With Smell?

Do you self-soothe with scent? It’s a simple question, but when you’re really going through it emotionally, it’s not one that we always have the capacity to answer. That’s why we’ve got you covered with examples, exercises, and the science that backs it all up. Your sense of smell can be a powerful tool for triggering emotions, memories, and keeping your body regulated.  Self-soothing is a necessary skill that we all deserve to use freely, and by understanding the power of your sense of smell, you can bring your self-soothing skills to the next level. 

“Smell is a potent wizard that transports you across thousands of miles and all the years you have lived.”

– Helen Keller

What Is Psychological Self-Soothing?

Psychological self-soothing is an articulate way of describing the things we do to make ourselves happier. By self-soothing, we can calm ourselves down when we feel triggered or upset without relying on the kindness of others. One of the most reliable ways to self-soothe is to involve your body’s senses. When you involve your physical body in the process of self soothing, it can jumpstart the process of calming down by directly accessing your brain through your body. That is why you can self-soothe with scent.

Can Certain Smells Calm You Down? 

Believe it or not, there are specific smells that humans have used to calm down and recuperate for thousands of years. All over the world we can find records and traditions of human beings using smell to comfort their mind, body, and spirit. Whether it’s the incense burning in ancient Judaism, the tea ceremonies of Zen Buddhism, or even all the way back to the prehistoric campfires our distant ancestors gathered around, human beings love to sniff good smells. Results may vary, as the web of associations that our brain makes with different smells can be very different from person to person, but for the most part there are several smells that are generally agreed to help with anxiety and general emotional activation. 

• Lavender. This might be a beautiful flower, but lavender is not just a pretty face. In my own anecdotal experience, lavender is one of the most calming scents for most people to experience. You can get access to lavender through sleep balms, incense, or get it straight from the source the old fashioned way by sniffing a flower. 
• Chamomile. You probably saw this one coming. We’ve all been told by someone in our life to drink chamomile tea when we’re sick. That’s for a reason. Chamomile can have promising effects on both your physical and mental health. Especially if you’re in the habit of drinking chamomile tea when you’re sick, this mental association between chamomile and the healing process can have a powerful impact on your healing journey. 
• Your Favorite Smell. This paragraph could have been written about lemon, orange, bergamot, or rose. Lovely scents, the lot of them, but ultimately, I think it’s more valuable to invite you to calm down with the smells that speak to you specifically. Maybe it’s your partner’s perfume, perhaps it’s the smell of your mother’s pasta sauce, and it’s even quite possible that you have a particular affinity for your own laundry detergent. Look within, and you can find specific answers that are more satisfying than anything I could tell you. 

How Can I Self-Soothe With Scent?

Your sense of smell is a powerful gateway to your memories. By drawing upon smells that you have positive associations with, and creating new positive associations with smells that are readily accessible to you, you can use the instantaneous connection between smell and the brain to improve your quality of living. 

• Light Incense. There’s a reason that incense is often lit in religious ceremonies. The gentle flame of the incense combined with the powerful draw of its aroma can be a gentle oasis of calm, even in the unfriendly desert of anxiety. 
• Bathe With Essential Oils. Adding a few drops of essential oils can take your bathing experience to the next level. Taking a bath is generally a good idea, but bringing the dimension of smell into it can make it connect with your body on multiple levels. If you are looking for a sign to take a bath, this is your sign. 
• Take A Walk. In the hustle and bustle of our increasingly digital lives, spending all day indoors can leave your nose seriously understimulated. By taking a walk, you can expose yourself to surprising new smells, for good or ill. In the event that your walk takes you to a particularly disagreeable smell, take note of its location, avoid it in the future, and remember that bitterness makes sweetness all the sweeter. 
• Brew Some Tea. Tea is not just an experience of taste. It’s an aromatic journey just as much as it pertains to taste, if not moreso. Brewing tea can bring a sense of ritual whether it’s morning, evening or afternoon. 
• Experience The Smell Of Nature. Especially if you’re living in a city, it can be far too easy to get out of touch with the smell of nature. Human beings are animals that evolved to live in commune with nature, and we psychologically depend on the variety of sensory experiences that it provides. Check out the parks that are near you (we’ve chosen some of our favorites in St. Petersburg here), and stop to smell the flowers and start to self-soothe with scent. 

“Nothing revives the past so completely as a smell that was once associated with it.”

– Vladimir Nabokov

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Sunny Ebsary is an educator, multi-modal artist, and writer specializing in the intersection of myth and mental health. Sunny’s writing walks the line between poetic and logical, giving readers a chance to interface with the mind and imagination. Sunny’s been putting pen to paper since he was a child, writing everything from albums, novels, and plays, to essays, interactive games, and of course, many articles! While studying both psychology and writing, he realized his real passion in life was helping others unlock their creative spark. Whether he’s leading a D&D game, directing a production, or diving deep into the brain, you can be sure Sunny will be ushering you toward finding meaning in your life.