Not only is this sensory loss an uncomfortable symptom and a challenge to grapple with, but it also poses a variety of mental health concerns. Unfortunately, as a result of COVID-19, more individuals have lost their sense of smell, taste, or both this past year than perhaps any time in history. Without smell and taste, 40% of our sensory input is lost. Our senses of smell and taste are also closely linked 95% of the time when an individual experiences a loss of taste it’s caused by a loss of smell. If we lose one or more of our senses, however, life can feel a bit more dull and drab. the smell of freshly baked brownies can prompt you to remember how you used to bake brownies with your grandmother). From the sight of a distant sunset over emerald waters, to the feeling of embracing a loved one, the smell of hot brownies wafting from the kitchen, to tasting the multitude of flavors at Thanksgiving, we fundamentally rely on our senses to engage with our environment.Ĭertain scents and flavors can even comfort us they have the ability to boost dopamine levels and uplift our mood because they connect us with happy memories (i.e.
Our five senses - sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste - connect us with the world.
