Happiful July 2020

Noise isn’t
just used as
a welcome
distraction from
intrusive sounds,
but also as a
diversion from
our own feelings
– whether we
realise it or not
them, we instinctively choose to just
keep distracting ourselves.” The fact
that all these different sounds are
available at our fingertips doesn’t
help matters either.
DROWNED OUT
The problem is the impact this can
have on our mental wellbeing.
Dr Arroll, a psychologist who
works for Healthspan and at a
private practice on Harley Street,
says that purposefully ignoring
emotions such as shame, guilt, fear
and sadness by using other forms
of distraction can have a dramatic
effect on our minds and bodies.
“Constantly ignoring our feelings
can have a negative impact on
our health in the form of anxiety,
depression, chronic fatigue,
and emotional burnout,” she
explains. “It is challenging to sit
with some emotions, but in my
view it is imperative that we do
so. It is only when we process
uncomfortable feelings, thoughts,
and experiences, that we can
arrive at a sense of acceptance and
move forward.”
There’s more, too – research has
found that the unnatural sounds
filling the air around us can
physically affect us in all sorts of
ways. In fact, in 2011 the World
Health Organisation calculated
that at least one million healthy
life-years are lost every year in
western Europe countries as a
result of traffic-related noise.
“Noise stimulates the nervous
system, which responds by raising
our levels of stress hormone,”
Joanna explains. “Constant noise
means constantly raised stress
hormone levels, making us
vulnerable to a host of illnesses,
such as cardiovascular disease
and strokes. Other physical impact
ranges from gradual hearing loss
and poor sleep, to high blood
pressure, to name just a few.”
Noise exposure has also been
connected to behavioural issues
and cognitive impairment in
children, and anxiety, poor
attention span, and short-term
memory problems in adults.
PEACE AND QUIET
And so to silence.
We can see from the studies
quoted previously that quietness
is clearly good for our physical
being, and that it also contributes
majorly to our peace of mind,
and allows us to process thoughts
and feelings that would otherwise
go ignored. But, that’s not all. A
growing number of studies in the
past decade have examined the
SILENCE INTERNAL
CHATTER
Find it difficult to quieten your
busy mind? Whether it’s your
inner critic or a long to-do
list, this noise can be just as
overwhelming as external
sounds. Follow the below
exercise as recommended by
Dr Meg to enjoy stillness in your
mind…
1 Sit comfortably and close
your eyes. Feel the sensation
of air passing in and out of
your nostrils, flowing through
the back of your throat, and
travelling down into your belly
as it lifts and dips.
2 Thoughts will continue to
stream into your consciousness
– acknowledge them and
gently nudge them into the
ether. Bring your attention to
your breath and allow it to flow
at its natural pace and depth.
3 When you’re ready, slowly
open your eyes and re-enter
the world.
effects of silence on our brain,
with some very interesting results.
“A 2013 study on mice (with
whom we share 97% of our
working DNA) found that silence
actually grows brain cells,” Joanna
explains. “Silence also helps us
access the default mode network,
our brains’ preferred state of
operation. It’s what we normally >>>
July 2020 • happiful.com • 29