Why Do People Get Nostalgic When They Smell Certain Things?

Smells can bring back memories. Your nose sends messages to your brain, and sometimes those messages make you remember something from the past, like how your mom smelled when she made cookies or how your favorite playground smelled after rain. It’s like having a secret tunnel between your nose and your brain that takes you straight to old memories.

Take the quiz →

Examples

  1. When you smell the perfume your mom used to wear, it reminds you of her
  2. Smelling a lemon cake can make you think of birthday parties at Grandma’s house
  3. The scent of rain on hot pavement sends you back to playing outside as a kid

Ask a question

See also

Discussion

Recent activity