Health Benefits of Finding More Silence in Your Day

Since returning from the silent retreat with Sarah & Ty Powers earlier this month, I’ve been more mindful of how much “noise” I allow daily. I’ve been on a silent retreat multiple times but every time I give myself a few days of silence, I notice how spacious my mind feels and how relaxed my whole body feels. This makes me wonder if I was experiencing sensory overload in my everyday life, outside of the retreat setting.

We live in a noisy world where everywhere we go is filled with music sometimes even a yoga class. I like listening to podcasts and audiobooks for self-education but sometimes I notice when I overdo it because I feel a bit tired and unfocused afterwards. The noise is said to affect our stress levels, raising cortisol and adrenaline. According to a 2006 study in the journal called Heart, silence is more relaxing than “relaxing music”, lowing blood pressure and increasing blood circulation in the brain.

Silence is truly golden. When you relax the verbal speech, your awareness heightens in other areas especially in listening. It’s the practice of deep listening. You notice the absence of sounds and the presence of sounds. You hear birds, insects and beautiful wind chimes. You feel at one with the nature. And you’re more present when you eat your meals, with the texture and the taste of the food in your mouth.

Every time I come out of silence, I’m more mindful of what words I choose to speak because I want those words to be kind and meaningful. I don’t feel the need of having to fill up the gaps with meaningless speech and enjoy having more moments of silence without feeling awkward.

Perhaps not everyone is in the position to be able to take time away from home to attend a silent treat (especially if you’re a new mum and still breastfeeding) but there are a few things we can do every day to connect more with silence.

When you go for a nature walk, why don’t you leave your mobile at home? When you are busy listening to music or podcast while you’re walking, you’re missing out on experiencing the true beauty of Mother Nature. I experience so much more freedom and expansion every time I do this so I’d love you to experience the same.

Also, how about turning down the noise before bedtime so you and your whole family can wind down together and be fully present with each other. Switch off the screens and stay away from the blue light at nighttime. Even better if you can find 3 minutes to meditate after putting your little one to bed! Having a quiet time before going to bed helps me sleep better.

I know it’s not easy finding silence being a mum. Our little ones need us all the time, they love listening to music and singing too. But this is exactly why we need it more. Everyone deserves to have some space in their life. I find silence extremely healing and so it has become an essential part of my self-care ritual. I hope this has motivated you to turn down the noise a bit and find more quiet in your life. I’m available to facilitate a silent day retreat to a small group so if this is something you’d love to explore, get in touch with me to enquire more.