Have you noticed how loud life can be sometimes?
The world has become much louder than before. Ambulances are six times louder than they were 100 years ago. Noise pollution is real, and it doubles every three decades. All these noises cause more stress, and can also increase your risk of stroke, depression, heart disease, and hearing loss.
With the holidays coming up, you will probably be around lots of loud conversations with friends and family. This can become too much, too stressful, and too exhausting at times. If you are ever feeling overwhelmed, try using the Japanese practice called Ma. Stop and listen to the silence between sentences, and pause. Pausing stops the world for us, and can bring focus, clarity, and peace. This practice can also be called meditation!
Silence benefits our brains in many ways. It can help us with decision making, memory, awareness, and more. Some people choose to listen to silence, or white noise, because it calms them and helps them fall asleep.
Meditation is a great way to practice silence. Next time you are going on a walk, instead of blasting music through your headphones, try walking in silence and see how you feel. Hopefully you feel more cool, calm, and collected.
Sources:
Comaford, Christine. Your Brain on Silence. Forbes Magazine, https://www.forbes.com/sites/christinecomaford/2022/12/10/your-brain-on-silence/?sh=719dcd193d88.
