Being really quiet more often has more benefits than you might think.
This is silence (not)
In order to be intentionally silent, it is important to know what intentional silence is and what it is not. You may be under the impression that silently scrolling on your phone could help, but nothing could be further from the truth. On the other hand, for intentional silence you do not have to sit in a hut on a high mountain. Intentional silence is about calming your soul, your inner state of being, by giving it rest in a conscious way.
Why silence helps
The fact that silence can help you is not only tangible for yourself, but is also evident from a study conducted by the Italian doctor Luciano Bernardi in 2006. When he and his colleagues examined how the body, specifically heart rate and breathing, responds to music, they found that heart rate, blood pressure and breathing increased significantly when the music played. In short: when you have silence around you, your body experiences (more) peace.
Countless benefits
Silence is not only good for your body, but also for your brain. We list the benefits that silence can bring for you.
You learn to listen to your body. When you are in a quiet environment, your body becomes calmer. This allows you to experience more space to feel what is going on inside you at rest, and what your body really feels like. This can help you get closer to yourself and remove certain obstacles for yourself. It improves focus and concentration. It is not surprising that a busy environment makes you less able to focus and concentrate. In such a situation, your brain simply has to process an excess of stimuli. Fortunately, silence renews brain cells, which improves your focus and concentration. It can help you make the right choices. Because silence allows you to learn to listen more to your body and improves your focus and concentration, you can be better able to make the right choices. When you have peace around you, you have more space to think quietly. You become a source of peace for those around you. The fact that silence can make you a happier person is not only pleasant for yourself, but also for others. If you experience peace, it may well be that you transfer that peace to those around you. Moreover, many people experience inner peace as healing and relaxing. And what you give ultimately comes back to you. Silence can give you more energy. As a human being you have to endure many stimuli every day. By being intentionally silent, your brain gets the space to process those stimuli and then let them go. This gives your brain space to recharge, so that you have new, positive energy.
That’s how you can be quiet
As we told you before, there are different ways you can be quiet. Fortunately, because what works for someone else may not work for you and vice versa. For your inspiration, we list several ways you can be quiet.
Sit in a comfortable position, close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Sit in a comfortable position, keep your eyes open and silently return to the depths of yourself, for example by focusing on what you feel deep inside. Sit in a comfortable position and calmly tell yourself a positive affirmation, for example one in which you rid yourself of a certain fear or insecurity. Take a (forest) walk and be aware of the peace and beauty of nature. Work in a quiet room with an adult coloring book, clay or another soothing activity.
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Bron: EO, Psychology Magazine, The new twist, Sanne van Paassen
October 29, 2023
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2023-10-29 09:50:28
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