Have you ever been casually driving your car and then realize that the radio is off, the phone is silent, and you feel relaxed and calm? Ever been working in your office alone, in the quiet, and feel less stressed?
What about requesting silence occasionally to minimize some stress?
Life is noisy: from our households, to our offices, to our entertainment choices. Much of our personal and professional lives are filled with noise. Music, television, radio, and podcasts fill our ears. And, some of these physical noises can cause stress.
Keep in mind, our central nervous system reacts or responds to each and every sound. Hormones are released, heart rate increases or decreases, and our blood pressure changes.
A World Health Organization report called it noise pollution. Their report suggests this exposure to environmental noise has adverse effects on our health. Some studies claim noise pollution can cause distress, sleep loss, high blood pressure, hearing loss, and have a negative impact on overall health. Loud noises raise stress levels by activating the brain’s amygdala and causes the release of the stress hormone cortisol.
Some sounds are calming, like a babbling brook or the distance sounds of nature. These sounds are nice, but not readily available. Try scheduling several five-minute quiet sessions spread throughout your day. Researchers claim even two minutes of silence can be more relaxing than listening to relaxing music, noted by changes in blood pressure and blood circulation to the brain.
The key to peacefulness is to let go of both external and internal noises to minimize stress. A few times a day find a quiet place, go to a window, look out to the landscape, breathe deeply and slowly, quiet your mind, and idle down.
If you need to find a keynote speaker, plenary speaker, breakout speaker, concurrent session speaker, seminar leader, or workshop facilitator who can deliver in-person, virtually, or via prerecorded session, Kit Welchlin, M.A., CSP, CVP, is a nationally recognized professional motivational speaker and author and can be found at www.welchlin.com or www.SeminarsOnStress.com.