Have you ever walked into a coffee shop toilet, or your friend’s home, and been impressed with the incredible smell of their diffuser? And wonder why the diffuser you’ve had for a few months doesn’t seem to smell anymore?
Well…you might be experiencing something called nose blindness.
So, what is nose blindness?
At Hideaway working with fragrances means we all experience nose blindness all the time when making our products. Luckily as a team we all can laugh and confirm that we’re not going mad, there is fragrance there!
Nose blindness or Olfactory Fatigue is the common experience of losing sensitivity to odours after prolonged exposure. When the smell receptors in the nose detect an odour they respond by transmitting them to the Olfactory Bulbs located high up in the nostrils. These bulbs are full of nerves that relay those messages to those parts of the brain responsible for memory, emotion and smell identification.
It's a temporary and completely natural sensory adaptation that occurs when you're exposed to a particular smell for a certain amount of time, meaning a couple of minutes to a couple of hours. The receptors in your nose stop responding, and start ignoring the odour because it's no longer providing you with any new information, and in turn enables your nose to be ready to identify new and potentially dangerous smells.
It’s not a medical condition and shouldn’t be confused with the actual medical condition anosmia, where you cannot smell anything.
An extremely common example of nose blindness is not being able to notice certain odours in your own home.
This may be the smell of smoke (if you smoke in the home), that well known dog odour, or certain foods that contain garlic and spices.
For someone new entering your space these smells would be noticeable the second they walk in the door, but for you, nothing. This is because you've been around these odours long enough for your nose receptors to stop responding to them, ignoring them altogether.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO AVOID GOING NOSEBLIND?
- Take breaks from scents: Try taking a break from strong scents and then return to them after some time has passed. This can help your brain reset and avoid becoming desensitized to the scent.
- Vary the scents: If you use scented products frequently, try to vary the scents you use. This can prevent your brain from becoming too accustomed to one particular scent.
- Use scents in moderation: Avoid overusing scented products, particularly in smaller spaces where the fragrance can become overwhelming. Stick to using a small amount of fragrance at a time and allow time for the scent to dissipate before adding more.
- Clean regularly: Regular cleaning can help remove lingering odours and prevent the build-up of scent molecules in your home. Pay particular attention to areas where odours tend to linger, such as the kitchen and bathroom.
- Exercise - It may seem strange, but breaking a sweat could help out your sense of smell. In fact, a2014 studyTrusted Source found that older adults who exercised regularly had a lower risk of developing an impaired sense of smell. How exactly exercise affects your sense of smell isn’t known. However, vigorous exercise, like cardio, definitely increases blood flow throughout your body, including in your nose. This may help you pick up on scents.
- Coffee has been anecdotally reported as a potential palate cleanser for the nose. One hypothesis is that some odorants found in coffee may have properties that displace other odorants from scent-detecting nerve cells. However, a 2011 studyTrusted Source didn’t support this. Study participants smelled several specific scents multiple times, leading to nose blindness. They then sniffed coffee, lemon, or plain air and were asked to identify a scent afterward. According to the study, people who’d inhaled coffee didn’t perform any better at scent identification than those that had inhaled lemon or plain air.
- Be aware of it - While we don’t recommend stressing out too much over your home’s scent, being aware of it may help reduce nose blindness. The reason for this is that when you consciously make an effort to think about something, your brain focuses more attention on it. This, in turn, may make you more sensitive to odors that you may have ignored before.
By varying your scents and using fragrances in moderation, you can enjoy a beautiful smelling home without falling victim to nose blindness.
Exploring hideaway home fragrances collection
Hideaway Home Fragrances offers an expansive collection of candles, diffusers, room sprays, wax melts and much much more!
- Our collection of reed diffusers is carefully curated, featuring a variety of scents to fit any space in your home. From the warm and inviting aroma of spiced apple to the clean fragrance of fresh linen, we have a diffuser for every mood and occasion.
- Discover our Hideaway Home Fragrances beautifully scented soy wax candle collection all finished with a plantable seeded cover. With a collection of over 50 fragrances which will Set the perfect ambiance.
- Our soy wax melts are a perfect addition to any home, providing a clean and eco-friendly burn that will fill your space with a beautiful fragrance.
- Our Room Sprays will instantly refresh and enliven any space, whilst elevating your mood.