Why Cant You Smell Your Own House

Olfactory adaptation happens quicker than you might think. After just two breaths or so of a new, nonthreatening smell, the receptors in your nose stop alerting your brain to the odor with the same intensity. This is why we can become accustomed to smells so quickly, whether it s the scent of our perfume, our body odor, or our house. If you d really like to refocus your nose and try to smell something that has become a background scent, try doing a few jumping jacks or running up and down the stairs. Perfumers have found that increasing blood flow with some cardio seems to help their nostrils reset.