Silence can be quite uncomfortable for some people
Many people want to relax in a quiet place when they want to concentrate or relax. However, experts point out that modern people are so used to external stimuli that quiet spaces can cause anxiety and fear.
What's So Fearful About Silence? | Psychology Today
'It's becoming harder and harder to escape all kinds of outside noise, and apparently the silence that comes with it can be uncomfortable,' says Francine Toder, a clinical psychologist and professor emeritus at California State University, Sacramento.
In a paper published in 2014 by Timothy D. Wilson of the University of Virginia's Department of Psychology, they conducted an experiment in which college students were left in a room for 15 minutes without books or electronic devices, but only equipped with an electric shock device. As a result, few subjects spent the time thinking, and about 67% of men and about 25% of women administered electric shocks to themselves to avoid the lack of external stimuli. Wilson said, 'In an age where we enjoy a wide range of cheap and easily accessible stimuli, we discovered that being alone and thinking alone can be an unpleasant experience. Many of the study subjects, especially men, chose to stimulate themselves, even if it was negative (mild electric shocks), rather than being deprived of external sensory stimuli.'
Psychologist Rick Hanson states in his book ' Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience Of Happiness, Love, And Wisdom' that 'people get pleasure from their senses.' Hanson gives the example of hearing the sound of quiet waves in silence as an example of a sense that gives pleasure, and that paying attention to a specific sound increases pleasure. However, Toder says, 'It is difficult for modern people to obtain silence, and silence can make them feel anxious or frightened, so I don't recommend just seeking silence.'
On the other hand, there are also studies that suggest that silence has a positive effect on the brain. In an experiment conducted by physician Luciano Bernardi in 2006 to investigate the 'effect of music on human physiological phenomena,' 12 subjects were asked to listen to six types of music and their blood pressure, blood carbon dioxide concentration, and cerebral blood flow were observed during the experiment. It was found that any type of music caused physiological changes equivalent to the body being in an awake state, and that the body was in a much more relaxed state during the two-minute interval between songs than when music was being played. Dr. Bernardi states, 'The stimulus of noise focuses the mind in one direction, and conversely, silence without stimuli may put the mind into a deeply relaxed state.'
What effect does silence have on the human body? - GIGAZINE
By Nikola Ostrun
While recognizing that silence may be uncomfortable for some people, Toder says, 'Accepting silence and focusing on your thoughts and breathing increases the likelihood of finding awareness and peace that is otherwise difficult to regain. 'According to Toder, accepting the possibility that silence may be uncomfortable can help us understand 'why we want to find stimuli that distract us from silence,' which can lead to a rich creative process in which we can organize our thoughts in silence.
In his book, Inward Traveler , Toder shows how to embrace silence and enhance creativity. When focusing on silence, it is important to take some time to relax and notice any internal noise or wandering thoughts. If it is difficult or you feel anxious or uncomfortable, let go of the silence and immerse yourself in silence again when possible. Toder says that if you can experience even a moment of peace of mind in the silence of a place without noisy sounds, such as the mountains or the sea, you will be able to embrace and relax in short periods of silence in your daily life.
in Science, Posted by log1e_dh