Unlocking wellness: The surprising health benefits of silence

Vogue writes:

"If you’re looking to crack the code to better health and wellbeing in 2025, it might be time to switch off and ssshhh."

Noise has been declared and recognised as a pollutant since 1972 by the World Health Organisation, said to interfere with: "communication, stress, sleep disturbance, cardiovascular disturbance, hypertension, disturbance in mental health, reduced task performance, negative social behaviour, and annoyance". On the flip side, the right kind of sound can be incredibly soothing (think Tibetan sound bowls and other forms of sound therapies), and silence itself can be highly therapeutic.

The health benefits of silence

One of our own team recently wrote about her experiences on a silent retreat, and the powerful impact that time had on her on a holistic level. Helping her to get back into her own body, observe her own feelings and understand her own mind better. She also noted that even if you don't go on a retreat dedicated to silence, quiet is something that so many of us need and crave but never really have. She wrote:

"A lot of people ask what you do at a spa because there’s a sense that if you’re just sitting by the pool or lounging in a sauna then you're not doing anything, and we’re all so addicted to being busy all the time. However, these things are not doing nothing. They’re essential to our wellbeing. In moments of quiet, or even silence, you have more clarity about what you're doing. A spa visit provides a gateway to mindfulness—giving yourself permission to pause, reflect, and simply be."

On a more specific note, the health benefits of silence include, but are not limited to:

Silence for stress relief 

Florence Nightingale is said to have commented, “Unnecessary noise is the most cruel absence of care that can be inflicted on sick or well.” It turns out she was onto something. There are some links between noise pollution and high blood pressure, as well as impairing hearing and overall health, while loud noises are known to raise stress levels. For example, a 2006 study published in the journal Heart found that two minutes of silence could be more relaxing than listening to ‘relaxing’ music. The findings were based on changes in blood pressure and blood circulation in the brain. 

Silence helps to restore our minds

While we might go from the office to the gym to sitting in front of the TV or hanging out with friends, it turns out our brains need a little silence every now and again. Getting away from sonic disruptions allows our brains to restore themselves rather than constantly focusing on high-order thinking, decision-making and problem-solving. One research paper found that two hours of silence each day led to the development of new cells in the hippocampus, associated with learning, memory and emotion. Basically, it gives the brain a little time to relax. 

Silence can help us sleep 

It should also perhaps come as no surprise that silence also helps to improve sleep quality, while mindfulness and meditation have also helped those who struggle with insomnia.

Time to take some time to yourself?

While silence and solitude are not mutually exclusive, there is something of a correlation between the two, and Vogue also writes that time alone has significant and often underrated wellbeing benefits.

They write: "New research from the University of Reading reveals that solitude has both significant benefits for wellbeing, while spending more hours alone is linked with reduced feelings of stress, a calmer central nervous system and increased feelings of clarity."

While lots of us associate being alone with being lonely, even the most sociable amongst us can benefit from a little peace and quiet from time to time, whether it's taking a morning walk without your phone and observing how you feel at the end, or building up to a weekend away somewhere peaceful and enjoying your own company.