When your brain takes in other senses like sight and hearing, that information first passes through the thalamus (its sensory processing center), meaning smell takes a quicker route straight to the amygdala and hippocampus. “This direct pathway allows smells to quickly evoke intense emotional responses and memories,” Dr. Parma explains. That’s why a whiff of your ex’s cologne can hit you with a pang of heartache before you even realize what you’re inhaling. It’s also why the scent of autumn is inextricably linked to a feeling.
Adding to this emo effect, if you’ve experienced anything especially impactful during the fall, the smell of the season might instantly conjure that up. “When a particular scent is present during an emotionally significant event, it can become strongly encoded in the hippocampus,” Dr. Parma says. A lot of us tend to recall fun times (playing in leaves, cheering at football games, baking treats with friends and family), but for people who have negative associations with the season, its scent may trigger unpleasant or wistful reminders, Dr. Parma says.
That brings us to the nostalgia factor.
If you find fall’s aroma to be lovely yet melancholy, nostalgia—that fuzzy feeling of sentimentality for the past—could be at the heart of it. Olfaction and psychology researchers often refer to the connection between smell and memory as the Proust phenomenon, named after French writer Marcel Proust. In his novel In Search of Lost Time, Proust wrote about how the taste of a madeleine cake dipped in tea brought back a surge of memories from his childhood.
And in a 2022 review of previous studies on the Proust effect, researchers concluded that nostalgic memories triggered specifically by taste and smell are “among the most potent and influential.” Evidence suggests that nostalgia evoked by these senses can boost self-esteem and optimism, make you feel more connected to other people, promote deeper and more relaxed breathing, and infuse life with more meaning.
Because fall is quite literally a time of transition, it may be more emotionally ripe for this sentimental pull. Our world switches from warm to cool, vacation to school year, growth to harvest. “These shifts can make the season feel particularly meaningful, with its smells serving as cues for change,” Vicente Ramirez, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow studying taste and smell at the Monell Chemical Senses Center, tells SELF.
For me, there’s also a bit of “anticipatory nostalgia” baked into the experience—the sensation of missing the present moment before it’s even gone. Because the season is so fleeting, there’s this urge to hold onto fall in all its glory because it’ll be over too soon. While general nostalgia tends to lean more positive emotionally, anticipatory nostalgia has more of a bittersweet tang. A 2020 study on the phenomenon found that it can improve mood and enjoyment for some people who are dissatisfied with their lives or currently in an unpleasant situation, but that it generally tends to dampen the vibe and can even prevent you from appreciating the present when things are good.
Nostalgia aside, certain fall smells are just…soothing.
“Scents associated with fall, like cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin, and wood smoke, are often linked to feelings of warmth, coziness, and comfort,” Dr. Parma says. “These odors can activate the brain’s reward centers, releasing neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, which elevate mood and promote relaxation,” Dr. Parma says. Familiar scents from nature, like the earthy smell after rain or, yep, rotting leaves, may help reduce stress and anxiety, too. “They can create a sense of grounding, helping people feel connected to the natural world, which has a calming effect,” she adds.
Whether the smell of fall chills you out, gets you excited, or hits you with a wave of nostalgia, the fact is the hype around fall’s fragrance is absolutely warranted. And if you get the same sublime feeling that I do from taking it in, consider this your license to sniff your heart out. You have nothing to lose by taking plenty of mindful moments to enjoy it while it lasts.
Related:
Awe Can Do Wonders for Your Well-Being—If You Know Where to Look for It 12 Books That’ll Get You in That Cozy Fall Mood Try This Quick, Easy Tip to Feel More at Peace When You’re Spending Time Outside
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