The Sound of Silence

I used to think it was just me.  I need absolute silence to think and to center myself. That’s why I get to my office before staff and clients arrive so I can take care of important tasks.  The silence gives me peace and helps me regenerate so I can be fully energized all day.  I just read about a study by Duke University’s Imke Kirste who found that 2 hours of silence per day prompted cell development in the hippocampus region of the brain.  So what’s all this chatter about silence?

Back in 1859, Florence Nightingale (British nurse and social reformer) wrote that “Unnecessary noise is the most cruel absence of care that can be inflicted on sick or well.”  Every sound can be a source of alarm, distress, and sleep deprivation for recovering patients. And, “sudden noises” can cause death among sick children. Recent research actually supports Nightingale’s zealous claims. Epidemiologists discovered correlations between high blood pressure and chronic noise sources like highways and airports.  People who live in consistently loud environments often have elevated levels of stress hormones (cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenaline).

According to the European Heart Journal, long-term exposure to high levels of noise dramatically boosts heart risk.  Men exposed to prolonged noise have a 50% higher risk of having a heart attack, and in women, the risk is much greater, almost 300%! And the psychological strain experienced by people exposed to constant noise includes distraction, lack of focus, and slower mental processes. That might explain why so many children, teens, and adults have difficulty staying on task.  Hmmm.

Kirste even suggests that silence may be used in therapeutic treatment for dementia and depression.  Because both dementia and depression are associated with decreasing rates of neurogenesis in the hippocampus, maybe a few hours of silence can help in this realm too.  Could the over stimulation and constant noise from watching TV from the crack of dawn until they pass out at the end of the day be the cause of depression? I know people have the TV on 24/7.

So, it might help you, your spouse, and your children if you created regular periods of silence in your home. Turn off the TVs, video games, and music for 2 hours each day. You might need to get noise-cancelling headphones if you have ambient noise issues. If creating silence in your home isn’t possible, then take regular walks in areas away from traffic. Choose restaurants that are quiet and have a calm setting. In our very busy social lives, you’ll probably have to schedule time for silence.

Sounds like silence can help heal the mind and body.

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