How Scent Can Rewire the Brain
Have you ever caught a whiff of something — fresh-baked cookies, pine trees, or a certain perfume — and felt instantly transported to a memory or emotion?
Maybe you walk into a room with fresh baked cookies and suddenly you feel all warm and fuzzy inside because you were just transported back to being eight years old, baking cookies with your Nana.
That’s not a coincidence.
Scent has a direct line to the emotional center of your brain, and when used intentionally, it can be a powerful tool for nervous system regulation and emotional healing.
Let’s dive into the fascinating science behind why our brains work this way — and how essential oils can help you rewire old patterns and find greater calm.
How the Brain Processes Scent
Unlike our other senses, scent takes a direct path to the brain. When you inhale an aroma, the molecules travel through the nose to the olfactory bulb, which sits right above the nasal cavity.
Here’s where it gets interesting: The olfactory bulb is part of the limbic system, the area of the brain responsible for emotions, memory, and survival responses.
In fact, it’s one of the only sensory pathways that bypasses the thinking (cognitive) parts of the brain and heads straight to the emotional brain. This is why scent can trigger intense emotions, vivid memories, and even physical sensations almost instantly.
Certain regions of the limbic system, like the amygdala (which processes emotions like fear and safety) and the hippocampus (which helps store long-term memories), light up in response to different aromas. For example, lavender can help calm the amygdala’s threat response, while citrus oils can stimulate areas of the brain linked to mood and motivation.
This powerful, direct connection is also why scent-based therapies like the Aroma Freedom Technique (AFT) can be so effective for emotional healing and nervous system regulation. (More on that below.)
Essential Oils: Nature’s Nervous System Support
Essential oils are concentrated plant extracts that capture the plant's healing compounds.
Essential oils are molecules in the plant that are there to protect it or aid in it’s survival. These are molecules found in the leaves, stems, flowers, bark, and roots of plants. They do much more than just smell good or attract pollinators, they have properties that help the plant to heal when damaged, to detract from fungus or bacteria that could damage them, or protect them from the sun’s UV damage. And the amazing thing is that those same molecules can help us too!
But the reason I got obsessed with essential oils was because of how they helped my anxiety. Because the sense of smell is so closely tied to the emotional center of the brain, it’s a simple but powerful tool you can use to calm your mind and body.
Research has shown that certain essential oils can help regulate the nervous system by:
Lowering cortisol levels (the stress hormone)
Reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression
Supporting better sleep
Promoting relaxation and parasympathetic (rest and digest) activation
Here are few examples:
A 2013 study published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that inhaling lavender essential oil significantly reduced stress and improved heart rate variability — a marker of nervous system balance.
A 2015 review in Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine highlighted the anxiety-reducing effects of oils like bergamot, ylang-ylang, and lavender.
Essential oils aren't just "nice smells" — they interact with the nervous system in profound ways.
Not All Essential Oils Are Created Equal
Unfortunately, not every essential oil you see on a store shelf is truly therapeutic. Many are synthetic or diluted, meaning they won't offer the same benefits. And some may even be harmful.
When choosing essential oils, look for:
100% pure: No additives, fillers, or synthetic fragrances.
Sourcing transparency: Where and how the plants are grown matters.
Proper extraction methods: (like steam distillation or cold pressing) to preserve therapeutic compounds.
Third-party testing: Verified for purity and potency.
Trusted brands I personally use and recommend:
Young Living
DoTerra
Far + Wild
Revive
Rocky Mountain Oils
Plant Therapy
(Always check labels and sourcing practices. Even reputable companies can have variability!)
My Favorite Oils for Nervous System Regulation
Here are a few oils I love for calming the nervous system and supporting emotional resilience:
Lavender – Soothing, calming, supports better sleep and relaxation.
Bergamot – Brightens mood, reduces anxiety, promotes emotional balance.
Frankincense – Grounding, deeply calming, supports meditation and emotional healing.
Cedarwood – Encourages safety and grounding; great for nighttime use.
Ylang Ylang – Eases tension, uplifts mood, supports heart-centered emotions.
Vetiver – Heavy, grounding oil that helps anchor the mind and body during stress.
Simple ways to use them:
Diffuse 3–5 drops while working or resting
Apply diluted (with a carrier oil) to wrists, temples, or the back of the neck
Inhale directly from your palms after rubbing a drop between your hands
Aroma Freedom Technique (AFT)
Because of scent’s direct access to the emotional brain, Aroma Freedom Technique is one of the most effective ways to work through stuck emotions, limiting beliefs, and nervous system dysregulation.
AFT uses a protocol similar to EMDR therapy — combined with targeted essential oils — to help you identify and release negative emotions and thought patterns at the subconscious level.
It’s gentle, powerful, and taps into your brain’s natural wiring to create lasting change.
Inside my membership, Rooted + Rising Collective, I’ll be guiding members through group AFT sessions to help work through emotional blocks and create deeper healing.
This is a technique I’ve been using personally and professionally for almost a decade and I’m still amazed how effective it is. For an introduction into AFT, try this quick Aroma Freedom Reset when you’re feeling overwhelmed:
Eventually, there will be a library of full sessions you can access anytime inside the membership, helping you move through fear, overwhelm, stuckness, and self-sabotage gently and effectively.
If you're ready to go beyond surface-level healing and tap into the deep work that changes everything, Rooted + Rising is the place for you.
