The olfactory bulb (smell center) has the most direct neural pathway to the hippocampus and amygdala—the brain's centers for memory and emotion. Recalling a scent activates this pathway almost as powerfully as actually smelling it, triggering a potent neurochemical reward response.
This practice leverages 'nostalgia neuroscience,' which shows that positive reminiscence increases feelings of social connectedness, meaning in life, and self-continuity, buffering against stress and anxiety.
The link between smell and memory is called the Proustian phenomenon, named after author Marcel Proust who wrote vividly about childhood memories triggered by the scent of a madeleine cake. You are essentially hacking this phenomenon for well-being.
Unlike other senses, scent bypasses the thalamus (the brain's 'router') and goes straight to the limbic system. This is why a smell can instantly transport you decades back in time with visceral intensity.
