Why You Need Quiet Time

Taking time for silence restores the nervous system, helps sustain energy, and conditions our minds to be more adaptive and responsive. For example, silence is associated with the development of new cells in the hippocampus, the key brain region associated with learning and memory. 

But cultivating silence isn’t just about getting respite from the distractions of office chatter or tweets.

Real sustained silence, the kind that facilitates clear and creative thinking, quiets inner chatter as well as outer. Try going on a media fast, sitting silently for 2 minutes during the middle of your workday, or taking a long walk in the woods — with no phone. The world is getting louder, but silence is still accessible.