Peace and Quiet: The Benefits of Silence

These days, it seems like the world is go go go with school work seemingly never ending and the pressures to get into college. Not to mention, the ongoing crisis of the pandemic. Throughout the day it’s the hustle in the morning to get to school to be met with noisy hallways and the monotonous voices of teachers. After a long day of school you just want to get home. You weave through the noisy streets of rush hour traffic to the sounds of honking and yelling. You might try to escape through music but the whirr of the car engine never provides the quiet environment you want so you turn the volume on high. When you do reach home perhaps you’re met with a barking dog or a blaring sound from the tv or siblings talking loudly in the background. Can’t you just get some peace and quiet?

 

After a long day what you and your brain needs are a moment of mindfulness where you can turn down the noise from the outside world and tune in to yourself. Silence does this by bringing you into the present moment by making you more aware of your surroundings. The calmness of silence helps to help you reflect on the moment and put yourself at ease. This moment of self reflection through silence actually activates your brain and benefits your health. In “An Ode to Silence: Why You Need It in Your Life”, by the Cleveland Clinic from 2020, the article says benefits of silence include lowering your blood pressure, decreasing heart rate, steadying breathing, reducing muscle tension, and increasing focus and cognition. All of these health benefits are present just by taking time in your day to embrace silence.

To some, silence may be difficult and how much you can take may vary depending on how introverted or extroverted you are. In general, “Americans tend to struggle with stillness”. “In America, FOMO (fear of missing out) runs deep. Americans often use external stimuli — like devices or social media — to distract themselves from personal thoughts or feelings that are uncomfortable. Culturally, we tend to be less adept at managing boredom through creative pursuits or a meditation practice.  But spacing out creates opportunities to rest, relax and recharge.” Giving ourselves time to relax in silence aids to deeper thoughts, increased creativity, better communication skills, and even stronger relationships. The next time you get up for school, take a minute to lay in silence with no distractions or as you’re heading to school look out the window of the bus or car instead of using your phone.

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Sources:

• https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-you-need-more-silence-in-your-life/