Senses

Nostalgic thoughts literally give us a warm glow, a study has found. Not only do heart-warming memories make it easier for us to withstand cold temperatures, they also make us feel physically warmer.

It is thought the phenomenon can be explained by a cross-over in the brain, with a region involved in feelings also being key to how the body feels.

 'Nostalgia is experienced frequently and virtually by everyone and we know that it can maintain psychological comfort. For example, nostalgic reverie can combat loneliness. The study has shown that nostalgia serves a homeostatic function, allowing the mental simulation of previously enjoyed states, including states of bodily comfort; in this case making us feel warmer or increasing our tolerance of cold.

Music is especially evocative of emotion. Nostalgic song lyrics engage the listener in reverie and capture the bittersweet feeling of the past’s irretrievability. Some nostalgic song lyrics describe happy memories. For example, the country song, “Young,” recounts joyful experiences that typify the exuberance of youth. Not all nostalgic songs are happier than other songs; sometimes they remind us of loss. Songs such as “Those Were the Days” and “Yesterday” focus on how the passage of time inevitably brings changes in youthfulness, vigor and the carefree innocence not yet jaded by the mistakes, difficulties and painful aspects of life. But the distinctive bittersweet affect characteristic of nostalgia can transform the sense of loss into a positive appreciation of how much we have enjoyed, how much we have survived and, most importantly, how much we have loved and have been loved.

Whether the emotional tone of a song is happy or sad, nostalgic lyrics can engage the listener in reflection on who they once were and how they have arrived at their present self. Whether secular or religious, by connecting us to a shared tradition, holiday music can renew our sense of belonging to something greater than ourselves. By reminding us of events, customs, beliefs or rituals, holiday music can help us feel connected to others, even during times of stress or loneliness.

The Paper Passion perfume comes packaged in a hollowed-out book for those who love the smell of the printed page. (steidlville)What are the sounds and smells of nostalgia? With the recent rise of super-slim laptop computers and e-book readers, it might be the click-clack of a typewriter, or the musty scent of a printed book. U.K.-based publisher Steidl recently launched Paper Passion, a fragrance formulated to smell like old books. Now you, too, can carry the scent of wood pulp, ink and the gradual acidic breakdown of fibres.Steidl's founder Gerhard Steidl teamed with Wallpaper* magazine and perfumer Geza Schoen to create the scent for Paper Passion. The idea came from a discussion between Steidl and Chanel's creative director Karl Lagerfeld, according to the perfume's product page. "The smell of a freshly printed book is the best smell in the world," said Lagerfeld.

The Noisy Typer app makes your sleek Macbook keyboard sound like an old-fashioned - and very loud - typewriter, complete with the carriage return bell ring. (Theo Watson/Noisy Typer) If a printed book contains the smell of nostalgia, however, the loud click-clack of a typewriter might be its sound. The Noisy Typer app, currently available only for Macs, simulates the sound of a typewriter’s keys whenever you type on a keyboard for your iMac or Macbook.It also includes separate sounds for the backspace and space keys, as well as the recognizable bell ring when pressing the Enter key to start a new line in a word processor to simulate a carriage return.