Silence And Rest: Two Things Your Mind Needs
Silence and rest are two precious goods on the verge of extinction. They are a luxury, a gift that we sometimes give ourselves when our schedule and our obligations allow it. However, these two dimensions, far from rising like a whim, are in reality two basic needs for our well-being, and especially for our mental balance.
Ovid said that any form of life where rest does not exist quickly disappears. In reality our famous Roman poet was not far from the truth, because beyond what one can think, the lack of rest and the fact of living in a stressful environment and full of stimuli, undermine our health and erode our quality of life.
Much of us thrive in scenarios where there is a constant cacophony in the background. The traffic, the conversations, the working machines, the planes, the trains, the televisions and even that constant whirr of the processor of our computers. All this contributes to a state of incessant hyperactivity, capable of altering our mood, generating irritation, fatigue, loss of concentration …
The curious thing about all of this is that people get used to this kind of reality. We tell ourselves that this is how it is, that it is the mark of today’s society and that we must assume it. In this accelerated and hyperconnected world, even deprived of sleep, we have made silence and rest two luxury rooms that are not within everyone’s reach.
Silence and rest, two nutrients for the brain
Death from overwork does exist. Thus, and although it is not currently the subject of any nomenclature in Spanish, other countries accustomed to this type of reality have long since given it a name. In Japan it is karoshi , in China it is guolaosi and in Korea it is gwarosa . For these populations where the way of life is above all associated with industrial, commercial and productivity, silence and rest are not only a luxury, it is something that is becoming increasingly rare.
Lack of sleep and stress do not directly kill. What they are really doing in these countries is increasing suicide rates. The exhaustion is so high and the mood so desperate that many people see no solution to their personal reality and go for the saddest option. On the other hand, if we go to the western world, the x-ray on this subject varies slightly.
In Europe and America, no data links work overload to suicide, but to cardiovascular disease, with high rates of depression, anxiety, stress, insomnia… Thus, according to experts in the field like the Dr Michael Roizen, director of the Cleveland Wellness Clinic, “ rest is our least valued health habit today ”.
Our brain needs calm and silence
We know that the persistent noise, the incessant noise of our cities, degrades our health and our mood. For example, in a study published in 1975 in the journal Environment and Behavior , it was found that children who studied in Manhattan neighborhoods close to subway lines were almost a year behind in school. The data is undoubtedly significant.
However, in addition to external noise, there is also this other type of whispering which also affects our well-being. We talk about the obsessive noise of our thoughts, our worries, our goals to be achieved, our “ homework ” and our “ must ”. This noise is also unhealthy and robs us of our calm.
Silence and rest arise as these two vital antidotes capable of modulating our brain so that it finds harmony, and so that the mind finds itself and harmonizes with its authentic being.
Sleep, another luxury that we do without more and more
Many of us would have a hard time making the connection between insomnia and drunkenness. However, a study published by Dr. David Geffen of the University of Los Angeles, California, tells us that for the brain, not sleeping has the same effect as alcohol. Our neurons stop communicating effectively, there are failures, concentration problems, performance problems, mood is altered, irritability appears, depression …
The psychological effects of sleep deprivation are immense and to this day we continue to overlook this aspect. We do it with our way of life, with our electronic devices and the blue light from these screens that stimulate the brain and prevent us from falling asleep.
In addition, our work and the worries that we carry on the pillow, deprive us of this restorative rest so necessary for physical and brain health. Silence and rest are two words that are becoming a business for many companies, so much so that on the market we find sleeping masks that monitor our brain waves and REM states, capsules to make naps, spas and sleep centers that seek to take us to the arms of Morpheus in minutes.
Let’s avoid these extremes and realize something very simple: rest is life; in a world of ceaseless exterior and interior noise, silence is health. Let’s keep this in mind .
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