Use scent as a in dream notifier?

[ModestMouse]

Has anyone read any research on using scent as a dream notifier/reminder during REM? #1 I'm not even sure if you can smell in your dream. But I do know that scent is one of the number one memory recall senses. So I was thinking of doing an experiment like peel an orange during the day and think about dreaming and remind yourself to check if you're dreaming. Then during REM have someone peel an orange right under your nose. I know it sounds kind of crazy but I think it might work. Thoughts?

[Seeker]

That is an interesting idea. I am pretty sure that your sense of smell is active during sleep as I seem to remember having certain smells integrate themselves into dreams. Give it a try and see what happens. BTW, who do you plan on keeping awake all night to wait until you enter REM? Perhaps you could rig up something like the timed disinfectant dispensers in restrooms?

[ModestMouse]

Well my wife for some reason doesn't want to stay up all night and watch me for REM! I plan on trying some WILD's this weekend & I can usually tell when she's in REM -- twitching, etc. So I may try it on her. Problem is she's not interested in LD'n at all. But we'll see if she'll do it for science.

[h0ju]

just get one of those programmable airfresheners and pick a smell to do a RC for then program that smell to be released during your rem cycles.

[Kenomica]

hmmm, I believe all this smell stuff. I seem to have this weird thing about "smelling memories" I can smell something and go "wow it smells like that time when _____"

[imj]

Hi, I went to buy a small airfreshener after reading this post. It 's the new Wisp from Glade which puffs after every 10s and can be adjusted to fewer seconds. I plan to hook it up to a timer circuit but first I want to try it on all night cause it isn't easy to hook it up,LOL. I sure hope this works. Thanks for sharing this idea.

[ModestMouse]

I'm not sure that an air freshener would even be strong enough. Something very strong smelling like an orange peel or even better some essential oil that you hardly ever smell would be ideal i think. The hard part is timing and delivering the payload.