How much do your senses influence the way you experience life?

By Themis Ejegreh September 2nd 2026

Our senses are pivotal to everyday life. From a young age, we learn about the different parts of our body that allow us to experience the world around us: our eyes give us sight, our ears allow us to hear, our nose allows us to smell, our mouth allows us to taste, and our hands allow us to feel through touch.

Yet, we often take our senses for granted because they happen so automatically. We do not have to think about seeing, hearing or feeling they simply happen. Imagine waking up in the morning. Before you have even consciously thought about it, your eyes have already adjusted to your surroundings. You can see whether the room is dark or light, notice if it is raining outside and take in everything around you. Your senses are already working before you have even had the chance to think about them.

So why would we think about something that feels so natural, especially when it is part of our everyday lives? Perhaps this is exactly why we take our senses for granted. When we take something for granted, we can fail to appreciate what is right in front of us. Our senses are constantly helping us experience the world, yet we rarely stop to consider just how much they influence our everyday lives.

In this article we explore the theme of our senses and what it means to us in society and how we use it to connect.

Our senses are our connection to the world

Our senses can be a connection between us and the world around us. They help us understand our surroundings and allow us to become more immersed in the experiences we have.

For example, when we go to a museum, if we are   allowed to touch the artefacts, touch can be vital as it allows  you to bring in the feeling of what you are  looking at. When we touch something, we  feel more immersed in the experience. You can see all these amazing things, but being able to touch them allows you to feel more connected to what you are experiencing. This is why I like going to places that allow you to touch rather than just see.

The same can be said for smell. When you go to a park, you can smell the fresh grass and the environment around you. You can smell where you are, and this can help you understand your surroundings and how you feel. Taste can also connect us to different experiences. When you go to different restaurants, try different foods or even different ice cream places, the taste allows you to experience something in a different way.

Our senses work automatically, but this automatic system helps us to be more grounded and connected. Instead of just seeing and hearing, using our other senses can make us more immersed in an experience. It can bring us back to the present instead of being distracted by things such as our phones.

Our senses are like a constant communication system between our body and the world. Think about people who walk barefoot outside simply so they can feel the ground beneath their feet. Although it may not always be the most hygienic thing to do, there is something about feeling the ground and the vibrations beneath your feet that creates a sense of connection. Our senses tell us where we are and what is happening around us.

This connection can become even more important when someone loses one of their senses. When someone loses their sight, for example, they may rely more on their touch and hearing to understand the world around them. Similarly, when someone loses their hearing, they can rely on other senses, such as touch. I find it interesting that people who have lost their hearing can still go to concerts because they can feel the vibrations from the music. They may not be able to hear the music in the same way, but they can still feel a connection to the experience and to the world around them.

Our senses influence what we choose

Information before consciously thinking about it. Sometimes, we do not even realise that our senses have influenced the decision we have made.

Sight can influence whether we want to try something or go somewhere. If something looks appealing, we may be more interested in it. But if something does not look nice or appealing, we may immediately think, “Oh no, that’s not for me.” We can make that decision just from looking at something.

Smell can also make us want to move towards something or away from it. When you first try something, sometimes you smell it before you taste it. Think about flowers. When you see a flower that looks beautiful, you may want to smell it. But would you want to smell something that looks very unappealing? Even if it may smell nice, the way it looks can influence whether you want to interact with it.

The same can be said for touch. Feeling something can determine whether we want to interact with it or not. When we touch something, we are able to experience it in a different way, and this can influence whether we like it or want it.

We can see this in everyday choices. When you go to a perfume store, the smell of the perfumes influences which one you want to buy. When buying flowers, you might be influenced by how they look because you like the way they will look in your house.

So, how many of our everyday choices are actually guided by our senses? You might be surprised by how many of your choices are influenced by your sight, touch and smell without you even realising it. Our senses can influence what we choose, but they can also influence what we decide not to choose.

Our senses influence our  emotions and memories 

Our senses are complex as they help us create emotions and connections. Have you ever felt something before and instantly felt relaxed? It is like feeling silk pillows — you instantly embrace the feeling. It can make you feel more grounded and present. It is also the same for our other senses.

Our senses do not just tell us what is around us; they can also influence how we feel about certain things. They can provide comfort, bring back memories and help guide us through our emotions.

Smell, in particular, can make us feel safe and comfortable or remind us of people and places. A particular caramel scent might remind you of one specific person or place. Similarly, when you smell spices from different countries, they can remind you of somewhere you have been. For example, the smell of certain spices could remind someone of their hometown or a place they have visited. It is almost like a sense of memory, where certain smells become connected to a particular moment, person or place.

Smell can also influence how comfortable we feel around someone. When someone smells nice, you may feel more comfortable around them because you recognise and associate their scent with them. In a similar way, animals can recognise people through their scent, showing how powerful smell can be in recognising someone.

A smell can bring back a memory almost instantly. You might smell something years later and suddenly remember a person, a place or a moment that you had not thought about for a long time. Our senses can therefore become connected to our memories and emotions without us consciously trying to make that connection.

Sight can also influence how we feel. When you look at nature, such as a waterfall or a beautiful landscape, you may just want to stop and stare. It can give you a sense of calmness and groundedness. You are not necessarily doing anything; you are simply taking in what you see, and that experience can influence how you feel.

Our senses therefore do more than tell us what is around us. They can influence how we feel about certain people, places and experiences. They can provide comfort, bring back memories and help us understand and guide our emotions.

Beyond the five senses: the “sixth sense”

Have you ever heard of the “sixth sense”? When we talk about the sixth sense, think about a time when your body seemed to act before your conscious mind understood why. Maybe you have had a feeling that something was happening, or your body was telling you something before your mind had made sense of it. Have you ever felt that way?

For example, you might have walked into a situation and immediately felt like something was not right. You might have thought, “No, I need to get out of this.” You may call it a gut feeling, especially when it comes to a person or a situation. That might be your sixth sense speaking to you.

You can ask yourself: is this another kind of sense, or is it our brain processing information that we are not consciously aware of? Sometimes, the feeling can seem almost magical, because it does not feel like your mind is processing something. It feels more like your body is speaking to you.

It can also happen when you are around certain people. Sometimes you realise that you relax around certain people and feel more like yourself, while around others, your body may feel uncomfortable. When you meet someone and think, “Nah, my body is telling me something. Something is not right,” that feeling can be powerful. It is not necessarily your sight, your touch or your smell. It is an outer-body feeling that you experience.

Our sixth sense can be difficult to understand because it does not always mean that something bad is going to happen. Sometimes, that feeling can put you in a bad situation, but sometimes it can also put you in a good situation and help you in the long term. It is about understanding your body and recognising what feels right and what does not.

Sometimes, that feeling may not be your sixth sense at all; it could be something else. This is why we have to understand ourselves and pay attention to what our body is telling us.

So, when it comes to the sixth sense, perhaps the real question is: how much does our body know before our mind catches up?