Smell – the most delicate human sense
Smell is the most primitive sense. It predates language, thought, and memory, and is a direct link between the external environment and internal emotions. That is why each person perceives smell differently. Some people are so sensitive to smell that they can notice even the slightest change in their body odor, room odor, or clothing odor. Smell sensitivity is not random; it is the result of a combination of genes, hormones, brain structure, and life experiences.
Genes determine olfactory sensitivity
Some people have a larger number of olfactory receptors – tiny sensors in the nose that detect odors. This allows them to “pick up on odor signals” faster and more clearly than the average person. If someone in your family is particularly good at smelling, it’s likely that genetics played a role in your sensitivity.
Hormones and circadian rhythms directly affect the ability to smell.
The ability to sense smell is not fixed throughout the day but changes according to the body's circadian rhythm. In the morning, the brain is more alert, so people with sensitive smell are more sensitive. In the afternoon, fatigue and pressure accumulate, causing the sense of smell to decrease in accuracy. Stress hormones, anxiety or lack of sleep also make smells "heavier" in perception, making people with sensitive smell easily overwhelmed by strong smells or body odor.
Women are often more sensitive to smell than men.
Many studies have shown that women have a better sense of smell than men. The hormone estrogen, along with a brain structure that is more sensitive to emotions and subtlety, makes women more sensitive to the smell of sweat, clothes, or changes in the natural smell of loved ones. This explains why in many families, women are often the ones who "catch the smell" the fastest.
Life experiences and emotions form “smell memory”
The ability to smell comes not only from biology but also from memory and experience. People who grow up or work around smells – like chefs, bakers, perfumers, or cosmetologists – have a rich sense of smell, which allows them to distinguish smells quickly. Smells are stored in the area of the brain responsible for emotions, so people who are emotionally sensitive tend to have a keener sense of smell than others.
Lifestyle and living environment strongly influence the sense of smell.
People who do not smoke, drink little alcohol, get enough sleep and live in a clean environment have a stronger and more accurate sense of smell. On the contrary, prolonged stress, staying up late or living in a polluted place makes the sense of smell work poorly, reducing the ability to perceive odors. Therefore, two people standing in the same place can perceive completely different smells.
Some people are so sensitive to smell that they notice even the slightest change in their body odor or the smell of the environment. Therefore, they often especially love clean, light, clear and refreshing Mediterranean scents. Breeze Italy style scents always create a pleasant feeling, do not overwhelm and are more suitable for their delicate sense of smell than scents that are too strong or too sweet.
Why are people with "sensitive odors" easily affected by body odor?
For people with a sensitive sense of smell, body odor or sweat is amplified more strongly by the brain. They easily feel uncomfortable or tired when standing near someone with a strong odor, or in a poorly ventilated space. The time when the body emits a strong odor, especially at noon and in the afternoon, also makes them react more strongly to the odors of people around. Therefore, keeping the body clean and using light scents helps create comfort for both yourself and the person opposite.
Conclude
Smell sensitivity is a combination of genes, hormones, emotions and living environment. Some people are more sensitive to smell not because they are picky, but because their bodies and brains are actually more delicate. When you understand this, you will easily adjust your body odor, choose suitable clean and light scents and create a more pleasant, delicate and comfortable communication space for everyone.