5 Minutes Of Silence: Benefits On The Brain
Sometimes 5 minutes of silence is enough to regain calm, balance and control. A brief moment of peace, away from the noise and incessant conversations and our brains can begin to work on another level. As various studies reveal, humans need silence to create new connections and brain cells.
We all sense, in some way, that reserving 5 minutes of silence for ourselves is a gesture with great therapeutic power. We say “reserve” because we are talking about temporary isolation. Several experiments have shown that subjecting humans to a state of complete and silent isolation for days or weeks has negative effects.
As humans, we are social beings and we need to interact with others. The stimuli we perceive from our surroundings are essential for life and help us to grow. Just as we need to live in an environment full of dialogue, music and the noise of socializing, our brain also needs its moments of silence. It is not a question of a simple desire, but of a physiological principle. The same happens with needs such as eating or sleeping.
We could say, without fear of making a mistake, that among the various levels of Maslow’s pyramid of needs, silence should be among the main elements.
5 minutes of silence and the brain changes
Are we really sure that 5 minutes of silence can bring so many benefits? Yes, but not because we say it or some guru of inner growth. A real study was carried out, published in the journal Brain Structure and Function . The neuroscience of silence in an era that we could define as “noisy” has an ever greater weight and relevance. Even tourism aimed at facilitating contact with this dimension is growing.
The famous “silence retreat” is already included in tour packages to visit countries such as Finland and others that offer a suitable environment to fully embrace the quiet, the absence of noises, sounds and the constant buzz typical of civilization. However, we don’t have to leave to give this gift to our brain.
Silence helps us develop new brain cells
We live in a world saturated with decibels. Television, our favorite bands that we listen to as we walk down the street, traffic, conversations, background music in shops and supermarkets, etc. We live in the city where silence does not exist. Sound shapes life and our consumption.
If only we were able to reserve 5 minutes of total silence every day, we could enjoy various benefits. One of these is that new cells would develop in the hippocampus. This area of the brain is related to memory and emotions. Another benefit is that these cells help us think more clearly and connect better with our surroundings and with ourselves.
Enhance our sensitivity and empathy
As we already know, there are many brain areas related to emotional sensitivity and empathy. One of these is the right supramarginal gyrus. When this area is damaged or has poor interconnection, our empathy is reduced. We become slower in making decisions and show less interest in those around us.
Enjoying peaceful moments or reserving 5 minutes of silence a day improves the activity of the right supramarginal gyrus of the brain. As a result, our ability to get excited and empathize increases.
Less stress helps you make better decisions
When there is an excessive amount of noise around us, the brain amygdala is activated. This little structure is like a danger sensor. Should it detect an imminent threat around us, it would spur us to flee. So, while it may be surprising, loud sounds or simple traffic noise disturb this area. In response to this there is an increase in stress and the release of cortisol, because we have to defend ourselves.
As a study published in the journal American Psychological Association reveals , silence is a great way to reduce stress. Thanks to silence, our body secretes serotonin, endorphins and oxytocin.
In addition to improving our feeling of well-being, we will feel more confident and focused, thus being able to make better decisions. Nor can we overlook its benefits with regards to our cognitive processes. The memory is strengthened, the attention rate increases, we process information faster and our consciousness “awakens”. We will feel more connected to the present and be more prepared to receive what it has in store.
Just as Friedrich Nietzsche said, “The path to great things passes through silence”. Let us allow ourselves to transit on this path more often. We learn to turn off the button of our agitated external world and take a walk in our inner universe. When we return to reality, we will never be the same again.
