I've imported a article from https://www.collective-evolution.com/2018/02/09/what-happens-to-our-brain-when-we-experience-complete-silence-peace-of-mind/ so it can be read without the clutter of ads and other junk. If you like the article, consider visiting the site.
I am amazed at the level of noise we are constantly bombarded with. It is well known that non-stop noise is a liability to the brain. What I did not know, but was not surprised to find out, is that we are terrified of silence. I dream of silence... absolute, complete, p[erfect silence. Deep space silence. But it seems that this can drive some people crazy... like banging on the door screaming "Let me out!", falling down, crying, puking levels of crazy, according to this infotainment piece.
With just a few minutes of surfing, I found a number of articles on how amazing dead silence is for the brain, including neurogenesis! It makes me wonder what's going on in the brains of those hermits in the Himalayas who do nothing but sit in silence all day, meditating, or whatever it is they do. Are they growing their brains into superbrains?
Anyway, here is that article with links as refs at the bottom.
Links in article
- [1] "Moran and colleagues", http://nautil.us/issue/16/nothingness/this-is-your-brain-on-silence
- [2] "Heart study", https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1860846/
- [3] "Children studies", http://www.apa.org/monitor/2011/07-08/silence.aspx
- [4] "Attention restoration theory", https://www.wienerzeitung.at/_em_daten/_wzo/2015/08/07/150807_1710_kaplan_s._19951.pdf
- [5] "Sensory deprivation tank", https://www.collective-evolution.com/2017/09/17/study-demonstrates-what-flotation-therapy-can-do-for-depression-stress-anxiety-more/
Oher
- WHO: noise pollution a modern plague
- Needless sounds could cause distress, sleep loss and alarm
- noise pollution can to lead to high blood pressure and heart attacks
- Higher noise levels in neonatal intensive care units led to elevated blood pressure
- 2 Minutes of silence to be more relaxing than listening to relaxing music
- Attention restoration theory
- Activating the default mode network of the brain
- 2013 study: Effects of auditory stimuli and their absence on adult hippocampal neurogenesis