Benefits of being quiet

Are There Health Benefits to Silence? Research Says Yes

Shhh… do you hear that? Or, rather, not hear that? It’s silence.

In our ever-noisy world full of background music, on-demand shows and podcasts, and airplanes flying overhead, many of us don’t experience a great deal of quiet.

And according to scientific evidence, that’s not such a great thing for our health.

Experts and research studies alike confirm that, especially in our loud world, time spent in silence can bring numerous health benefits.

Though an absence of sound may suggest emptiness, you may discover that dialing down the noise offers surprising fullness for body, mind, and spirit.

Here’s a look at some solid reasons to get quiet, plus real-world tips on how to do so.

Silence may help your health in several ways, including:

lowering blood pressure
improving concentration and focus
calming racing thoughts
stimulating brain growth
reducing cortisol
stimulating creativity
improving insomnia
encouraging mindfulness

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is often called the “silent” killer. That said, there’s something ironic about the fact that silence could actually help reduce blood pressure.

A 2006 study found that a 2-minute period of silence after listening to music significantly reduced subjects’ heart rate and blood pressure. Even compared to slow, relaxing music, silence resulted in greater decreases in these important measures of heart health.

Older 2003 research associated a chronically noisy environment with increases in heart rate and blood pressure.

More research is needed to determine the long-term effects of silence on cardiovascular health, but these results are promising.

There’s a reason why important exams aren’t conducted with music blaring in the background. Auditory stillness helps us focus.

Freed from the external stimulus of noise, our brains can better concentrate on the task at hand. This can have benefits for our work, education, relationships, and more.

In a 2021 study, 59 participants performed tasks that required concentration, with either silence, speech, or other noise in the background. Those who worked in silence experienced the least cognitive load and the lowest stress levels.

“Focusing on one thing at a time with one’s full attention can help promote efficiency and calmness amidst activity,” explains clinical psychologist and mindfulness educator Supriya Blair, PsyD.

“Life happens in order. When we focus on one thing at a time, we are not scattered. Our attention and energy are aligned.”

Racing thoughts are a hallmark of anxiety. Silence might seem like a wide open space for swirling thoughts to fill, but this doesn’t have to be the case.

Instead, it’s possible to allow silence to bring mental stillness.

“Learning to become quiet helps us refrain from expending unnecessary energy, endlessly participating in the hamster wheel of thoughts in our head,” says Blair.

Ultimately, mental stillness can be a gateway to mindfulness, which has proven benefits for anxiety.

“In silence, we can slow down, take time to observe the things around us, and just to be,” says Audrey Hamilton, who facilitates silent retreats with the Carmelite Friars of Boars Hill in the United Kingdom.

“This helps us pay attention and be present to the moment, whatever it is we happen to be doing.”

Quieting the mind might lead to a healthier brain.

An animal study from 2013 found that 2 hours of silence stimulated growth of new cells in the hippocampus in mice, the region of the brain related to memory and emotion.

While this doesn’t necessarily mean humans will experience the same effects, it’s an intriguing invitation for further research.

We’ve all probably experienced a sense of overwhelm at a chest-thumpingly loud concert or a noisy child’s birthday party.

This mental phenomenon has a physiological basis.

The same study that showed the effects of noise on concentration also found that people who performed their task with noise in the background had higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

“An accumulation of unpleasant noise can lead to mental stress and an excess release of cortisol,” says clinical psychologist Martine Prunty, PhD.

“When it becomes elevated, it can lead to weight gain, feelings of significant overwhelm, difficulties sleeping, and chronic diseases.”

Clearing your head with a long silence could be the key to increased creativity.

Though clinical research on the exact relationship between silence and creativity is scant, many experts have touted the benefits of mental downtime for better creative output.

Periods of downtime have been found to increase productivity and improve problem-solving.

“Learning to ‘digest’ our thoughts and quiet the mind can help make room for sparks of creativity and inspired action,” says Blair.

“Muddy water. Let stand. Becomes clear.”

-Lao Tzu

Most of us need a quiet environment for sleep.

In fact, the stress of external noise can disrupt nighttime rest to the same degree as a sleep disorder.

But the wee hours aren’t the only time when silence can prevent insomnia. Practicing quiet at times throughout the day might set you up for better rest at night.

“Silence and periods of calm stimulate brain growth and relieve tension, which can result in a higher sense of well-being, as people can then feel more relaxed generally,” says Prunty. “When this occurs, sleep quality improves.”

When you’re silent, you have an invitation to sit with the present moment.

While you may feel an impulse to fill the space with an activity, a conversation, or some music, you can consciously choose to stay with the silence.

This allows the thoughts to settle and the body to return to a parasympathetic state.

We can’t necessarily escape the world in a Cone of Silence, “Get Smart”-style. But with a bit of intention, we can bring more stillness into our everyday lives.

Try these methods of turning down the noise:

Make your vehicle a noise-free zone.
Reduce background noise.
Remove your earbuds.
Start your day before the rest of the house wakes up.
Start with small, incremental changes.

Make your vehicle a noise-free zone

When you find yourself traveling solo, try making your vehicle a sanctuary of silence.

If you have a long commute, this can be an ideal time to enjoy the quiet. Prunty suggests turning off the radio to lessen mental stimulation and taking the opportunity to be present.

Turn off background noise during household tasks

Consider: Which daily tasks could be sound-free?

If your dinner prep or morning hairstyling always seem to need a soundtrack, try taking a break here and there to tap into stillness.

Ditch the earbuds

It’s easy to keep earbuds in your ears as a sort of audio autopilot, but you might find some mental relief by taking them out.

“Simply breaking the habit of walking around with earphones stops the constant stimulation of being directly absorbed every second of the day,” says Prunty.

Start early

When kids, a spouse, or roommates add perpetual sound to your space, moments of silence can be hard to find.

If you can, try getting up before the rest of your household.

“Don’t grab a coffee and go, but maybe get up 15 minutes earlier and slowly savor that first cup,” recommends Hamilton.

Start small

For some people, silence can feel threatening or uncomfortable. If this sounds familiar, start small.

“Begin with practicing 2 minutes of silence at a time,” encourages Blair. “Watch the goings-on of the mind without latching on to a thought.”

This is the beginning of mindfulness.

Silence may offer a host of health benefits, not to mention a greater sense of ease and peace.

There’s a reason for the old saying, “Silence is golden.”

With a little practice, silence can become a nourishing part of your life.

DO NOT EDIT THIS BLOCK DIRECTLY! It is a very tricky block, and is VERY easy to break. If you have never seen the instructions, before editing you MUST WATCH THIS 90-second VIDEO.

Replace the placeholder image on the left with a 200×200 pixel photo of the author.

7 Benefits of Silence | Psych Central

Dialing down the noise may offer significant psychological and mental health advantages.

Do you welcome silence, or do you cringe at the mere idea of sitting with your thoughts?

We live in a noise-filled world, and for some, the constant background clatter helps us tune out any unwanted thoughts that may fill our minds.

For others, spending time in silence can provide a moment for some much-needed clarity. If you fill your free time with noisy activities, you may be missing out on the advantages that silence can provide.

Our lives are busy, and many of us don’t embrace silence that often. So how can silence help us?

Finding moments of silence can be difficult, but time spent in silence may offer physical and mental health benefits. Here’s what silence can do for you:

Silence can set the stage for the practice of mindfulness, which has a range of mental health benefits.

“Being mindful and aware of what is happening in the present moment can reduce anxiety, quiet racing thoughts, and calm the nervous system, says Sarah Kaufman, a licensed master social worker based in New York City.

Being mindful allows you to settle into your mind and body and sit with the present moment. If you feel the impulse to stimulate your brain, try and redirect your attention to the quiet, present moment.

Silence can help increase your self-awareness by giving you the chance to observe and accept your thoughts and feelings without judgment.

When you’re sitting in stillness and silence, you become more aware of your body and mind. This can give you a lot of information that you can compassionately question and work better to understand, explains Kaufman.

What feelings come up for you? Do you feel calm, relaxed, and peaceful? Or do you feel anxious, antsy, or bored?

These questions can help put you in touch with your feelings and emotions, helping to provide meaningful answers to your life.

Quieting the mind can boost brain growth, according to a 2013 animal study in mice. Researchers found that when mice were exposed to 2 hours of silence each day, they developed new cells in the hippocampus.

The hippocampus is the brain region that’s linked to our memory, emotions, and ability to learn.

We all feel stress from time to time, but silence may help decrease stress levels by lowering cortisol adrenaline levels.

An older 2006 study found that just 2 minutes of silence can be more calming than listening to relaxing music. This was attributed to changes in blood pressure and blood circulation to the brain.

When we allow ourselves to be in silence, we allow our brains to hit the reset button and be refreshed by just slowing down, says Brent Metcalf, a licensed clinical social worker in Johnson City, Tennessee.

“This reduces stress and anxiety symptoms as well from all the chaos in our lives.”

The brain needs time to think, reflect, and rest. It needs time to file away the stuff it has already learned and make room for the new information.

If you create quiet time during the day, you’re giving your brain the time to process any new information coming in.

“Creativity is an enormous benefit of silence and stillness,” says author Maggie Dent in her book, “Saving Our Children From Our Chaotic World: Teaching Children the Magic of Silence and Stillness.”

“The zone of Inspiration needs the mind to be calm and relaxed, and the body needs to be in the background,” explains Dent. Quieting the mind can help make room for creativity.

“Silence aids concentration,” explains Dr. Elizabeth Lombardo, a psychologist in Chicago, Illinois. “One of the reasons why silence has become such an important part of everyday life is the ability to focus when the modern world and its many noises bombard your brain all at once.”

This background noise can interfere with your ability to concentrate. You may be able to focus best in a quiet environment or with little background noise, says Lombardo.

Finding moments of silence can have significant psychological and mental health advantages and give you a greater sense of peace.

With all of the constant noise you hear on a day-to-day basis, embracing silence can help stimulate your brain and help you process information. It can also help you become more self-aware and relieve stress.

Embracing silence may also help you settle into the present moment and quiet any racing thoughts. It can also help you be more creative and improve your concentration and focus.

With a bit of practice, you can reap the benefits of silence and improve your mental health and wellbeing.

Science says silence is vital for our brains

Silence is empty space. Space is the home of the awakened mind. Buddha

Noise has a powerful physical effect on our brains, causing levels of stress hormones to rise, according to Enlightened Consciousnes.

At some point, each of us begins to appreciate silence. It is comfortingly cozy and extremely efficient. It gives us inspiration and educates the mind, body and soul. nine0003

Meanwhile, the madness of the noisy world affects metabolism, inhibits oxidative processes, causes irritation and aggression.

Silence may be just what we need to restore our depleted brains and bodies.

Research shows that noise has a strong physical effect on our brains by raising stress hormone levels. Sound travels to the brain as an electrical signal through the ears.

Even when we sleep, these sound waves cause the body to respond and activate the amygdala, the part of the brain associated with memory and emotions, which leads to the release of stress hormones. Thus, living in a constantly noisy environment is always high levels of these harmful hormones. nine0003

Noise has been linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, tinnitus and sleep loss. Excessive noise can become a serious irritant to the physical senses, and today more and more people position themselves as very sensitive and unable to function in a chaotic and noisy environment.

But now science has proof not only that noise hurts, but that silence heals.

The Effect of Silence

In 2011, the World Health Organization concluded that 340 million people in Western Europe lose one million years of healthy life each year due to noise. The WHO also said that the root cause of 3,000 deaths from cardiovascular disease is due to excessive noise. nine0003

A study by Professor Gary W. Evans of Cornell University, published in Psychological Science, found that children whose school is located near an airport exhibited a stress response that actually caused them to ignore the noise. He found that children ignored both harmful airport noise and other noisier sounds such as speech.

This study provides strong evidence that noise - even at levels that do not produce sound - is stressful and harmful to humans. nine0003

Scientists have not studied silence, and discovered its benefits by accident. Silence first appeared in scientific research as a baseline against which scientists compare the effects of noise or music.

Doctor Luciano Bernardi studied the physiological effects of noise and music in 2006, making a startling discovery. When the subjects of his research were in silence between noise and music, they felt a powerful effect. The two-minute pauses turned out to be much more relaxing for the brain than the relaxing music or longer silence that was in place before the start of the experiment. nine0003

In fact, Bernardi's occasional pauses became the most important aspect of the study. One of his main results was that silence is enhanced by contrasts.

The brain recognizes and responds to silence.

Many meditation teachers and gurus are aware of this and advise frequent meditation breaks throughout the day. While we may think of silence as a lack of information, science says otherwise. The brain recognizes silence and responds to it very powerfully.

A study by Duke University regenerative biologist Imke Kirste found that two hours of silence a day caused cells to develop in the hippocampus, the area of the brain associated with memory formation, involving the senses.

When you are in silence, the brain can "restore" some of its cognitive abilities.

We are constantly processing a huge amount of information. Studies have shown that a lot of the load falls on our prefrontal cortex - the part of the brain responsible for decision making, problem solving and more. nine0003

When we spend time alone in silence, our brains are able to relax and let this part of the brain rest.

Researchers have found that silence helps new cells differentiate into neurons and integrate into the system, and when we get into silence, our brains process information better. We can analyze our lives and put them into perspective, which is vital for mental well-being.

Silence relieves stress and tension

While noise creates stress, silence relieves stress and tension in both the brain and the body. Silence replenishes and nourishes our cognitive resources. Noise makes us lose concentration, cognitive abilities and reduces motivation and brain function (which is confirmed by research).

However, research shows that time spent in silence can miraculously restore what was lost due to excessive noise. The ancient spiritual masters have always known this; silence heals, silence draws us deep into itself, and silence balances body and mind. Now science confirms this. nine0003

The healing benefits of nature and silence have long been known, but now we can add nourishment to our brains to our health and well-being.

The simple yet ancient experience of silence is a healing balm we absolutely need!

Quiet hour: is meditation needed in schools and what will children get from it

Psychologists, specialists in emotional intelligence say that meditation is one of the most effective methods for improving emotional self-control, reducing anxiety in children. Moreover, the practice of meditation is being actively introduced in schools in the US, the UK and other countries. We find out what meditation gives children and how it develops emotions and thinking. nine0003

06/29/2017 1377 0

10 simple habits to become smarter than

already today: 10 simple habits to become smarter than

02/22/2019 1332 0

Why study much more efficiently, in the evening, much more efficiently, than in the morning

The benefits of learning in the evening

08/14/2019 1840 0

The benefits of silence - Maximum well-being for every day

Although this is not something we will focus on, it is true that the benefits of silence They are more than we could imagine. Because every day we are surrounded by noise, whether it is new technologies, work or travel. All of these can pose serious health risks.

For this reason, for many years silence has been considered one of the precious blessings we have in our lives. We must take advantage of this, because at the same time it leaves us with the great advantages of . Several times we will be able to enjoy this silence, and from today, perhaps we will take it into account. nine0003

Index

1 Serious hazards of noise
2 The benefits of silence: say goodbye to stress
3 Prevent cardiovascular diseases
4 Anxiety decreases
000 9019 9019 6 Equal painful pain 9019 6 Before we start with the benefits of silence, let's discover its opposite with the dangers of noise. Perhaps in the vast majority of cases we are not aware of this, but it can lead to certain complications. This can cause us to have an increase in blood pressure, as well as significant stress, which will become the center of our lives. Not forgetting some cardiovascular disease or even loss of concentration and memory. So, now we know how to fix it all, or at least get on the right track.

The benefits of silence: say goodbye to stress

One of the important factors that should not be in our lives is stress. Because, as we well know, it can cause certain complications that are reflected in the body and mind. Thus, there are several treatments or solutions to this problem. One of them is within silence. Since this will calm our mind, relax and our body will be aware of it. So one of the best ways to do it is meditation . This is one of the best ways to calm down and get rid of stress. It may cost something at first, but we will notice its excellent results.

Prevent cardiovascular disease

Noise favors cortisol levels rise like blood pressure. Which can lead to a number of diseases due to both. Therefore, if everything is interconnected, the first thing to do is to try to be silent and find a place that is also there. Because, again, we need to relax so that the whole body comes back into balance, and put aside the problems that the opposite can cause. nine0003
Anxiety is reduced

Among the benefits of silence we also find that it reduces anxiety. More than anything, because we will find harmony between body and mind. This is what in many cases plays a cruel joke on us. The constant noise can make us feel a little more unsettled, and our heart rate picks up, indicating that we need to get away from it all. If we get anxiety in park we will feel much better too. nine0003

Improve sleep

In this case, we are not talking about the fact that being in silence is more conducive to relaxation, but that when we feel in a quiet place without noise and disturbance, our body tends to relax.
Learn more