We all experience the five senses differently. How we see, hear, touch, taste, and smell diversifies each person’s experience with the world. How beautiful is that? If we all experienced the world in the same way, we wouldn’t have the brilliant ranges of perspectives, cultures, and preferences. The five senses comprise a large part of our identity. And friends, this is precisely why we must take extra good care of our sensory health and our sensory wellness. What is sensory wellness, you ask? We’ll get to it in more depth in a moment but our definition is as follows:

“The practice of activating and engaging our five senses with meaning, purpose, and love.”

Kala Maxym, Founder of Five Senses Tastings

You may be wondering, “why do we all experience the five senses so differently?” This is due to our Sensory Ecosystem. Essentially, this scientific structure tells us about how a person’s environment (where they grew up and what they were exposed to) determines how their five senses interact with stimuli. Want to learn more? Check out our piece on The Sensory Ecosystem.

What is Sensory Health?

Sensory health (yup, we’ll get to wellness in a minute) pertains to our five senses and relates to how we process them and how they make us feel. Inherently, there are people who experience sensory health-related issues. Some people face the difficulty of sensory overload, meaning a lack of control over heightened sensory responses. On the other hand, there are people who struggle with a lack of sensory response. This could mean weak taste buds, bad eyesight, poor hearing, and more. In short, sensory health measures how in touch you are with your five senses. 

There are a variety of different reasons for poor sensory health, including a bad diet, tobacco usage, and alcoholism. The state of your general health will almost always be a direct reflection of your sensory health. So, if you’re feeling like your sense of smell, for instance, is weak and not what it used to be, perhaps you should take a deeper look into self-care, your diet, and daily habits. The Conversation has great tips and tricks for those looking to improve their sensory health and to strengthen their five senses. Not only are the steps easy, but they also give you the results you’re looking for!

Health vs. Wellness

Health and wellness are commonly used interchangeably, but it is important to understand the difference between the two. 

So, what’s the actual difference between health and wellness? Health is about the condition and state of your body. Health has a medical connotation, whereas wellness is more concerned with lifestyle and practice. In other words, wellness is how you take care of your health–physical, emotional, and mental. As Sanford Health explains, “health refers to a state where the physical body is free from disease, while wellness refers to an overall balance of a person’s physical, social, spiritual, emotional, intellectual, environmental and occupational well-being.” 

What is Sensory Wellness?

Now, let’s talk about sensory wellness, a guiding principle for how we approach our events. As we’ve established, wellness is about how you actively practice a healthy lifestyle. So, sensory wellness is about how you maintain good sensory health. But how do we practice maintaining good sensory health? The answer is simple: partake in activities that ignite sensual joy.  

Let’s dive into our guide for practicing sensory wellness:

Our Guide to Sensory Wellness

The five senses send signals to our brain to communicate how our body reacts to certain stimuli. Hence, it is in your best interest to pay close attention to your involuntary reactions to smell, taste, sight, touch, and sound. This will strengthen your relationship with your five senses as it will allow you to understand what overstimulates your senses, what they are not quite in tune with, and, what they enjoy. 

Practicing sensory wellness improves your overall well-being. You won’t want to miss out on our tips and tricks for practicing sensory wellness in your day-to-day life. 

1. Human Interaction

One of the most precious experiences we mustn’t take for granted is human interaction. In this day and age, we’re all guilty of being a little too glued to the internet, social media, and virtual communication. Don’t get us wrong, we are all for virtual togetherness, which you can read about in one of our most recent posts HERE. But it is vital to remember the power of physical touch and in-person connections. The next time you give someone a handshake, use both hands. As our founder, Kala Maxym, reminds us, “the little extra touch is really welcoming and indicates warmth and trust.”

2. Stop and Smell the Roses!

But really… stop what you’re doing and take a deep breath for five seconds. Hold it for a few more, and then release. Remember to check in with your mind and your body. What are you seeing, smelling, touching, hearing, or tasting? Do you enjoy it? Why or why not? These check-ins will help you find joy in the little things you perhaps never noticed. Be mindful and intentional. Before you take a bite of that delicious burger, deeply inhale to soak up every scent it carries. Observe the colors. Feel the texture. Life is so much more exciting when you take a few extra moments to appreciate all it has to offer. 

3. Experiment

If you want to learn what your deepest sensory desires are, you must go out and experience the world. I’m talking about dancing, live music events, cooking classes, wine tastings; indeed anything that will get your five senses activated. Learn what relaxes you, excites you, or perhaps even overstimulates you. Further, learn where you need to strengthen your senses. The more you know, the better and we always say “try everything with everything,” especially in terms of pairings! We’d love to take that journey with you, which you can read more about on our Booking Page.

4. Check Back in With Yourself

We’ve talked about how to excite your senses, but what about triggers that overstimulate or upset your senses? Life is short, friends, so change the things you can control. Don’t like your morning coffee? Ditch it and try something else. Tired of that painting in your hallway? Give it away. Bored with your playlists? Find new ones. Your well-being is nothing short of valuable, so treat it with love and care. 

Sensory Wellness at FST

Here at Five Senses Tastings, we want to urge you all to take special care of your sensory health and wellness. If you want to challenge yourself to truly experience sensational wonders, I encourage you to spend some time with our tips and tricks. Ask yourself, “am I taking enough risks?” and “do I really take the time to listen to my senses?” Be sure to See Us in Action, as well as browse our Services. We take special pride in our Sensory Wellness Bar, which can be installed just about anywhere. Don’t be a stranger, Contact Us about how this sensory wellness guide influenced your relationship with your five senses, and stay tuned for more tips and tricks!