Grateful for Noiselessness

Noiselessness is the absence of unwanted sounds such as the neighbor’s barking dog, the zooming of traffic as it speeds past my house or the thumping of bass guitars and drums as the band in church down the street leads the congregation in Sunday morning praise music.

Noise. It is all around us and according to research, it activates the same fight or flight response that we would experience if we were being harassed while walking down the street. 

Silence, on the other hand, lowers our heart rate and blood pressure and may even help with our cognitive functioning. 

A 2021 study found that those who worked in silence, without background noise, showed high levels of memory and low levels of annoyance and workload perception. This particular research infers that the best environment for cognitive work is an environment with reduced noise. 

I am fortunate to have a habit of waking up at 3:00 a.m. without an alarm clock. This early hour is the quietest time of day in my house and in my neighborhood. The dogs aren’t barking, there is no traffic speeding down the street and the Sunday morning church band is not leading a congregation in praise music. 

This practice of waking up early to hear, listen and sit in silence reaps personal benefits.  For starters, when I begin the day by sitting, breathing and actively listening to the quiet, I am more likely to not only notice moments of quiet, but also create moments of silence for myself.

 I’ve become hooked, so to speak, on the beauty and power of noiselessness. The more I practice it and the more I look for it, the more I find it. 

While driving, I prefer to keep the radio off. When going out for a walk, I don’t have to carry my phone just in case someone calls or texts me. Even in having a conversation with someone, a pause does not have to be filled, instead it can be appreciated. 

Without noise, natural restoration, creativity and self-refection takes place. In the absence of barking dogs, beating drums and noisy traffic, we may experience clearer decision-making and fewer emotional temper tantrums. 

Why Bother?

Why bother being grateful for noiselessness? Bothering to be grateful for noiselessness is transforming. Being grateful for noiselessness we’ll listen, learn and allow silent moments to transform us into more appreciative, thoughtful and creative individuals.

P.S.  I wrote the story of my journey to forgiveness for those who, like me, know they need to change, but are not quite sure where to start. You can find A Heart’s Journey To Forgiveness at Redemption Press and Amazon.