What is the olfactory system?
Carrying odours, aromas and fragrances from our nostrils to our brain, the olfactory system is – to put it simply – our sense of smell.
The importance of our sense of smell should not be underestimated, because while its function to help us smell things seems an obvious one, its impact on many areas of our lives is huge.
Our olfactory system helps us to identify things that our memories tell us are pleasurable (think: a beautiful bunch of flowers or freshly baked bread), just as well as it can warn us of things that require a reaction (think: a burning smell or something nasty stuck to the bottom of our shoe). It can also be responsible for the way we feel about something and the things that evoke memories because the olfactory system is directly linked to the hippocampus (the area of the brain responsible for learning), the amygdala (responsible for emotion), and the frontal lobe (memory and attention).
The exact science behind the physiology of our olfactory system is a fascinating one, and we recommend reading more if you’re interested in gaining a deeper understanding. But what we’re interested in sharing with you here is the reason we arrived at the specific formulations that make up those in our ALERT and CALM inhalers. So let’s dive into the sensational world of olfactory wellness.