Silence & Solitude Pt. 1: 6 Reasons to Unplug

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We are constantly bombarded with unnecessary information everyday.

There are countless reasons why unplugging can benefit you in general life and in recovery.

Getting to a place where you no longer give in to addiction when you’re alone and have free time is a huge first step. But developing a healthy lifestyle in recovery is so much more than that. It’s so easy for most of us to fill the deafening silence with never ending music, podcasts, TV and social media. We jump from task to task, taking in all that we can, because it’s easier than being alone with our thoughts. However, just because it’s easier, doesn’t mean it’s better. In reality, taking time out of your day to unplug, be present, and refocus can do wonders on your heart and soul.

The dominant narrative in our culture is that success and happiness comes from an unrelenting stream of accomplishments, social engagements, and entertainment consumption. Never stop consuming. Never stop producing. But like everything else in life, there are seasons. Resting allows us to have more energy. Being alone allows us to be more present with others. Being quiet allows us to hear more of what really matters. Here are eight reasons why finding more silence and solitude can benefit you.

Published

11/04/2022

Category

Music

Author

Ty Walker

#1

Silence & solitude improves your focus.

The number one mental and emotional benefit of silence and solitude is clarity. There’s a reason why school exams aren’t usually performed with a background soundtrack. Auditory stillness helps us focus. Without external stimulus, our brains can better concentrate on the task at hand. Silence not only gives us clarity in our education, but our work and relationships too. And with clarity comes better choices that lead to a more fulfilling life. Our culture is very task-oriented and efficiency-focused. But ironically, the more time you spend being still, the more productive you’ll become.

#2

Silence & solitude reduces stress.

We’ve all experienced a sense of overwhelm at a loud concert or party. That’s because noise raises the stress hormone, cortisol in your body. Racing and runaway thoughts are a sure sign of anxiety and stress too. It might seem like you’re creating more space for anxious thoughts by being silent and secluded, but in reality you’re doing the opposite. Instead, you can use silence and solitude to bring mental stillness into your life. Ultimately, mental stillness is the key to mindfulness, which has proven to be beneficial for fighting anxiety.

#3

Silence & solitude grows the brain.

Silence is wonderful for your brain. It gives your prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for planning, personal expression, and social interaction, a break from processing stimuli. Not only that, being still can help you tap into something called the “default mode” of your brain. This default mode allows your mind to take over and daydream, contemplate, and get lost in your thoughts. Evidence has shown that this state helps to replenish brain cells. If the brain is hardly ever at rest, it can’t restore and regenerate, and then you can’t think straight.

#4

Silence & solitude stimulates creativity.

Clearing your head with a prolonged silence and solitude could be the key to increasing your creativity. Humans are natural problem-solvers. Problem solving requires a great deal of creativity, which in turn, requires a great deal of silence. Long periods of alone time have proven to increase productivity and improve problem-solving. Taking quiet time alone helps us learn to digest our thoughts and make room for sparks of creativity and inspired actions. It gives you the chance to process everything and gives your brain time to “cook a little.”

#5

Silence & solitude improves your sleep.

It might go without saying, but most of us need a quiet environment in order to sleep. But most people don’t realize to what extent we need the quiet at bedtime. The stress from outside noise can actually disrupt nighttime rest to the same degree as a sleep disorder. However, you shouldn’t wait until your head hits the pillow to turn off the noise. Getting some quiet throughout the day can set you up for better rest at night. Silence can stimulate brain growth and relieve tension, which can result in feeling more relaxed in general, making it easier to get better sleep.

#6

Silence & solitude offers spiritual healing.

No matter your spiritual or religious perspective, silence and solitude are spiritually powerful and healing. Silence and solitude help you work through trauma and disappointment. Trauma, negative feelings, and underlying issues often rise up when you’re silent. Being still and taking time to rest gives you time to work through things you didn’t even know were an issue. This part might seem uncomfortable or scary, but it’s an important part of recovery. Changing your lifestyle and unhealthy habits can’t happen until you work through the underlying cause of your addiction.

Conclusion

Key takeaways

  • Contrary to popular belief, taking time to rest actually helps you be more productive.
  • Without outside auditory stimulus, our mind is able to better focus on the task at hand.
  • Noise raises the amount of cortisol in your brain, which is a stress hormone.
  • Silence can help you tap into the “default mode” of your brain, where you daydream and contemplate.
  • Silence helps improve productivity and problem-solving, which in-turn improves creativity.
  • The stress from noise during sleep periods impacts you to the same degree as sleeping disorders.
  • Silence and solitude helps you to process trauma, negative feelings, and unresolved issues.

Challenge

Apply to your life

Read Silence & Solitude Pt. 2 this week. Spend some time taking in all the benefits and ways to getting some silence and solitude. No matter if it’s 15 minutes or 15 hours, set time aside to be still and contemplate on ways to allow the quiet in your life more. Let us know on social media how silence and solitude is helping you in your recovery!

Conclusion

Key takeaways

  • Contrary to popular belief, taking time to rest actually helps you be more productive.
  • Without outside auditory stimulus, our mind is able to better focus on the task at hand.
  • Noise raises the amount of cortisol in your brain, which is a stress hormone.
  • Silence can help you tap into the “default mode” of your brain, where you daydream and contemplate.
  • Silence helps improve productivity and problem-solving, which in-turn improves creativity.
  • The stress from noise during sleep periods impacts you to the same degree as sleeping disorders.
  • Silence and solitude helps you to process trauma, negative feelings, and unresolved issues.

Challenge

Apply to your life

Read Silence & Solitude Pt. 2 this week. Spend some time taking in all the benefits and ways to getting some silence and solitude. No matter if it’s 15 minutes or 15 hours, set time aside to be still and contemplate on ways to allow the quiet in your life more. Let us know on social media how silence and solitude is helping you in your recovery!

Credit where credit is due

Portions of this article were originally sourced from The Piedmont Healthcare, healthline.com, and artofliving.org. If you would like to check out additional recovery articles, videos, and podcast episodes, check us out at artisticrecovery.org.

Ty Walker

Ty Walker is a contract copywriter and graphic designer with a huge heart for recovery. He has spent the last five years serving churches and recovery communities with his creative skills. Ty spends his free time writing poetry and fictional short stories as well as hiking, biking, and kayaking with his wife, Angie, and his two daughters, Winter and Ember.

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Resting allows us to have more energy. Being alone allows us to be more present with others. Being quiet allows us to hear more of what really matters.

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