Silence helps keep stress under control

In one of our previous blog posts, we talked about the importance of silence. Our minds don’t get a lot of rest and more and more people are looking for the right balance when it comes to mental wellbeing. Silence can help with this.

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Immersing yourself in silence allows your mind to come to rest and gives it a much-needed energy boost, so it can recharge following periods of stress from having to deal with life’s everyday challenges. Being silent not only increases your awareness of your environment, but also of what goes on inside you. What thoughts are you having? How are you feeling?

According to some studies, silence doesn’t just do wonders for your brain but also for your body. Silence has been shown to boost your immune system, literally make your brain grow (the part that is responsible for memory) and rebalance your hormones.

All positive things, of course, but how do you introduce silence into your life? There’s no need to go rushing off to a monastery in the mountains for a 10-day silent retreat. That would probably be too much of a shock to the system. Instead, there are lots of little tricks that are both easy to apply and will help calm your mind.

For instance, you could invest in noise-cancelling headphones. Two minutes of listening to silence is more relaxing than two minutes of listening to relaxation music. Or you could take a silent walk in nature. Look around you and take in the beauty of your green surroundings, listen to the birds singing and who knows, you may even hear your own inner voice. Try to actively feel what effect this has on you.

In the morning, stay in bed five minutes longer. Focus on your breathing and feel how the air moves around your body. Think of things you are grateful for: give your mind the time to really wake up before starting your busy day.

One great place to lie in silence and tune into your body is, of course, a sauna. We ask people to respect the peace and quiet at our centre at all times so you can fully experience what heat does to your body.

Enjoying regular moments of silence not only relieves stress more easily, it also helps you cope better with feelings of stress and panic when faced with situations that trigger such feelings. When this happens, a breathing exercise or short meditation can work wonders.

Do you like silence?