How do smelling salts work?

Smelling salts, particularly those containing ammonia, function by releasing a strong and potentially irritating scent that activates a specific pathway from the nose to the amygdala in the brain. This activation triggers both the fear response and a general state of arousal throughout the brain and body. Due to their potency, smelling salts are often used in situations where a rapid increase in alertness and arousal is necessary, such as reviving someone who has fainted or by athletes looking to enhance their alertness before performances. The strong scent of ammonia from the salts induces a significant "jolt" of alertness by triggering the release of adrenaline, which enhances the body's state of readiness and alertness momentarily 1.