Hyperosmia is a heightened sense of smell. It can be related to “morning sickness” during pregnancy. I remember being nauseated by greasy food smells when I was pregnant. I have a sensitive sense of smell even when not pregnant. When I worked as a Nurse, I was able to smell odors that indicated infection. A pleasurable side of the sense of smell is the use of aromatherapy. I love the smell of natural scents like lavender, rosemary, sages, roses and others. I really do find these scents soothing and relaxing. My daughter has made me a couple of small scent pillows and I have bought a lavender eye pillow for Yoga. The scent of peppermint is supposed to be good for nausea and headaches. In the Renaissance people wore rings with hidden compartments for scent. Hidden spaces under the bezel of the rings allowed scented materials to be hidden in an attempt to cover up the bad odors that were the result of bad hygiene. The hand wearing the ring could be brought up to the nose whenever a smell became too much to bare. ‘Smelling salts‘ were used in Victorian Times to revive people who fainted. The strong smell would kind of shock the person awake, help bring them to their senses or to regain consciousness. First you faint from a shock and then are revived by a shock to your nasal membranes. It would be nice to have a little sachet of lavender to bring to my nose when I’m stressed. A good way to calm my senses.

Stream of Consciousness Saturday is hosted by Linda G Hill. Prompt word for today is “smell.”