Studies found that silence can stimulate brain growth and relieve tension.
The chaotic, noisy environment in which we live today has resulted in increased stress levels and disrupted sleep routines followed by a plethora of health issues including burnout, high blood pressure, obesity, distress, and mental disorders.
When I was a child, I used to see my grandfather wake up every morning at the crack of dawn and sit in utter silence for one hour. The rest of the household stirred awake and functioned in their normal way but no one disturbed my grandfather for that one hour. When I asked him why no one talked to him in the morning, he told me that it was his Mouna Vratham, a ritual of meditative silence. Mouna Vratham is practiced in Indian Hindu tradition for ages. It not just brought him mental peace but also made him a better listener and improved his overall health parameters.
Miracles of Silence
The practice of silence is well documented in the ancient Indian texts, and now several scientific studies also agree with the mental and physical benefits of silence. Here are some of the proven miracles of silence –
Silence helps to regulate your blood pressure
The relationship between a noisy environment and improved blood pressure is well-established. People working in noisy surroundings like factories or mines, or living in noisy households tend to have increased heart rates. A recent study revealed that even 2 minutes of silence after listening to music can help reduce heart rate and blood pressure.
Silence helps to increase concentration and focus
Many studies have proved that people think more clearly and process information more concisely when they aren’t distracted by noise. Silence improves the clarity of mind, improves your awareness, enables better decision-making, and promotes productivity. Silence also reduces your cognitive load and allows your brain to wholly concentrate on one thing.
Silence can calm anxiety and distress
Racing thoughts are often a sign of anxiety and the best way to conquer these thoughts is through utter silence of the mind, body, and spirit. When all these three are in harmonious silence your heart beats slow down, your mind starts to calm and it brings mental stillness. Silence is a learned art that can help you get hold of your thoughts, emotions, and energies.
Silence can stimulate your brain growth
A 2013 study revealed that 2 hours of silence can boost your brain function. It can stimulate the growth of new cells in the hippocampus. This region of the brain is responsible for memory and emotion. Another study revealed that children exposed to more noise find it challenging to concentrate on their studies and their performance is negatively impacted. Also increased exposure to tablets, cell phones, and video games has a negative effect on your performance.
Silence can boost your creativity
Creative people often seek solitude. Studies show that silence can play a crucial role in boosting your creative juices. It increases your awareness and mindfulness which can contribute to heightened creativity. Silence also lowers your stress levels, promotes a level of calmness, increases your focus and concentration, and boosts your creative thoughts.
Silence can improve your sleep
Eight hours of uninterrupted sleep is very essential for your overall well-being. Sitting in silence for a few minutes before bedtime can help calm down your mind, reflect on yourself, reduce stress levels, and promote restful sleep. Several studies have found that practicing silence can help in treating insomnia.
Silence can promote mindfulness
Sitting in silence for a few minutes can promote mindfulness. Being mindful has a plethora of benefits. From improving your physical health parameters to boosting your mental health, mindfulness is a state of being present mentally, physically, and spiritually.
Silence can improve your relationships
These days so many people find it difficult to sustain a marriage. While they often nag about their partner’s shortcomings, they hardly work on their flaws. Spending a few moments in silence before the day breaks can help improve tolerance, listening power, empathy, calmness, and a sense of completeness. This can prove to be a big factor in saving many relationships from seeing doom.
Embracing the art of being silent
Stillness within is very important to conquer the storm outside. While it is impossible to seek complete silence in a world full of chaos, sneaking a few minutes every day can be helpful. Also, you should try to tone down the noise in your daily activities, like reducing the background noise, limiting the use of gadgets, and using noise absorbers around the house.
You can also try starting your day with 60 minutes of silence. In these 60 minutes, there should be no distractions from the outside world, switch off your devices and find a silent corner in the house. Keep a journal and a pen to note your thoughts.
In the first 30 minutes, you can focus on goal setting, the day’s goals, and short-term and long-term goals. Write these down in your journal. Spend 10 minutes to access your progress and reflect on what’s lacking. Having your goals clear will give you a purpose and direction in your life. Use the last 10 minutes to reflect on the unmet goals and brainstorm ways to achieve them.
You can also practice other things like meditation, reading, exercising, or mindfulness in your morning routine. You can end your 60 minutes with prayers or chanting. This will further calm your mind and align your energies. While silence is important, remember you must not overdo it. Spending a few minutes in silence is beneficial but bottling your emotions or not talking to your close ones is not!
