The Best Scents & Tips for Memory Enhancement—What Science Says
Here are some tips from science on how to use scent for memory enhancement:
1️⃣ Distinct and Unexpected Scents Strengthen Recall
🔬 Herz (1997) found that osmanthus (a floral-fruity scent) & peppermint enhanced memory, while familiar scents like pine were less effective.
✅ Osmanthus, Peppermint & Any Uncommon Scent – The more distinctive, the stronger the memory cue.
❗️ Avoid common scents—unfamiliar fragrances create stronger memory associations.
2️⃣ Emotionally-Linked Scents Boost Memory
🔬 Herz (1997), Masaoka et al. (2012), & Lopis et al. (2023) found that personally significant perfumes, childhood-related food & culturally significant scents trigger vivid and emotional autobiographical memories.
✅ Personal fragrances, scented environments, & childhood food scents.
❗️ Pair a scent with emotionally engaging tasks—stronger emotional connections lead to better recall.
❗️ Consider food-related scents linked to childhood or culturally significant scents — they tend to be deeply embedded in the brain.
3️⃣ Context-Dependent Scents Improve Learning
🔬 Herz (1997) & Sorokowska et al. (2022) found that memory improves when the same scent is present during both learning & recall.
✅ Peach & Onion (Hackländer & Bermeitinger, 2017) – Even unpleasant scents enhance recall,
❗️Use the same scent while studying, then reintroduce it during recall.
❗️Stick to the same scent for each task – switching scents too frequently may weaken associations.
4️⃣ Scent and Long-Term Cognitive Health
🔬 Woo et al. (2023) found that six months of overnight scent exposure improved memory by 226%.
✅ Rose, Orange, Eucalyptus, Lemon, Peppermint, Rosemary, & Lavender – Used in olfactory enrichment studies for brain health & memory benefits.
❗️Rotate scents to prevent adaptation & boost neuroplasticity.
📖 ASUS Official Website. (2024). ASUS Fragrance Mouse MD101 - Features & Specifications. Retrieved from https://www.asus.com/accessories/mice-and-mouse-pads/asus-mouse-and-mouse-pad/asus-fragrance-mouse-md101/
📖 Hackländer, R. P., & Bermeitinger, C. (2017). Olfactory context-dependent memory and the effects of affective congruency. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 43(10), 1631–1645.
📖 Herz, R. S. (1997). Emotion experienced during encoding enhances odor retrieval cue effectiveness. American Journal of Psychology, 110(4), 489–505.
📖 Herz, R. S. (1998). Are odors the best cues to memory? A cross-modal comparison of associative memory stimuli. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 855, 670–674.
📖 Herz, R. S. (2016). The role of odor-evoked memory in psychological and physiological health. Brain Sciences, 6(3), 22.
📖 Lopis, S., Martin, C., & Rinck, F. (2023). Odor-evoked memories: The importance of choosing the right odor. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 17, 1200448.
📖 Masaoka, Y., Sugiyama, H., Katayama, A., Kashiwagi, F., Homma, I. (2012). Slow breathing and emotions associated with odor-induced autobiographical memories. Chemical Senses, 37(4), 379–388.
📖 Sorokowska, A., Schriever, V. A., & Hummel, T. (2022). Odor-based context-dependent memory: Influence of olfactory cues on declarative and nondeclarative memory indices. Chemical Senses, 47, 1–10.
📖 Woo, E., Berlow, Y. A., Fong, M. W., Smiley, J. F., & Yassa, M. A. (2023). Overnight olfactory enrichment using an odorant diffuser improves memory and modifies the uncinate fasciculus in older adults. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 17, 964315.
