QUIET, PLEASE – WHY SILENCE IS GOLDEN FOR THE BRAIN

QUIET, PLEASE – WHY SILENCE IS GOLDEN FOR THE BRAIN

In a world full of sensory overload, silence is something many people only know from hearsay. This article looks at why unplugging from environmental noise is good medicine for headaches and migraine attacks.

Shhh: it’s the law. Why noise legislation exists

Section 117 (1) of the German Administrative Offenses Act says: 'Whoever, without a justified reason, or to an inadmissible extent, or to an extent avoidable under the circumstances, produces noise likely to cause substantial nuisance to the general public or local community, or injure the health of another person, shall be deemed to have committed an offense.' The law makes explicit reference to the fact that noise can harm our health. Noise-related damage to hearing might be your first thought, but research shows that constant exposure to noise has far-reaching impacts that go way beyond irreversible harm to the hair cells in your cochlea. Federal and state noise control laws specify quiet hours to protect us from noise. Noise you make at night and on Sundays and public holidays must not exceed room volume, the law says. Harmful noise at other times is apparently less of a concern to lawmakers. Prolonged exposure to noise can harm our health in many ways, and that's why respite from environmental noise is essential to our well-being. But why, exactly?

Why noise is a serious problem

The World Health Organization (WHO) calls noise pollution a 'modern plague'. The evidence that environmental noise has negative public health impacts is overwhelming, says the WHO. We are exposed to various forms of noise in many areas of life. Silent spaces have been quietly disappearing since the beginning of industrialization. Count the number of times you’ve experienced absolute silence in the last week. It’s probably not that many.

Noise interferes directly with sleep, concentration, communication, and recreation. The noise we cannot escape, often combined with other harmful environmental agents, has a particularly serious impact on migraine and headaches. There are clear links between noise exposure and an increased incidence and severity of migraines and tension-type headaches. (Explore the connections and mechanisms here, here, and here.)

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The amazing human brain, again: instant risk assessment

The human organism is hard-wired to screen sensory input for possible risks. Our brains scan incoming sensory information for potential threats. A sudden noise of any kind could indicate a situation that endangers our lives and the lives of the people around us. To our cave-dwelling ancestors, a sudden noise might mean that a predator is coming to kill you. These days, the danger might come from a speeding car. The same goes for sudden visual impressions and smells. Every time we encounter a new sensory stimulus, our brain needs to scan it for a possible threat that would require immediate action (run and hide, stay and fight). A truly amazing feat, when you think of all the sensory impressions that bombard us day and night. Depending on your lifestyle and where you live, an ordinary day can mean non-stop exposure to noise, rapid visual stimuli and powerful smells.

Sensory overload: when your head can't take it anymore

While the ability to screen sensory input for danger is meant to be a survival tool, it can be too much for us to cope with. A brain barraged by sensory impressions is no longer able to screen and sort all the information and reliably identify potential threats. And since modern life invariably means exposure to numerous and varied sensory input, we are overwhelmed a lot of the time. Street noise, ringing phones, flickering artificial lights, new music in every store, social media distractions, and artificial fragrances and city smells assaulting your nose – it puts the brain on permanent high alert, scanning relentlessly for danger but unable to cope with the onrush of impressions. Our body adopts a state of constant readiness to flee or respond to threats. It turns out that if we spend too much time or reside permanently in a supposed danger zone, headache events – tension-type and migraine headaches – are significantly more likely. Extensive studies show that our prefrontal cortex is in a state of permanent overload in these situations. This part of the brain is responsible for higher-order cognition, including decision-making and problem-solving. The constant state of high alert also causes our body to release huge amounts of cortisol, the natural stress hormone. Prolonged high levels of cortisol have negative effects on many bodily functions and can cause organ damage.

Silence your headache

As our surroundings, and our inner selves, become more agitated, noisy and restless, there is a growing trend to seek out silence and quiet places. Just ten minutes of absolute silence can help calm the brain. Some people take extended time away from it all. Retreats in a religious or spiritual setting have never been more popular. Periods of silence are some of the best ways to prevent headache and migraine attacks. A study by Luciano Bernardi et al, University of Pavia, Italy demonstrated that just two minutes of silence helps to lower the blood pressure, normalize breathing, and improve blood flow to the brain. Silence was found to be more effective than listening to relaxing music.

Getting the most out of preventive options

These and other studies show that integrating moments of silence into your day (and longer silent periods, if you can manage it) can make a real difference. The challenge is that sometimes there’s a limit to what we can do to change our environment. Universities are lively places where lots of people come together, and maybe we wouldn’t want it any other way. Getting information from your phone all the time has lots of positives, too. Chatting with friends in real time, always knowing what’s going on in the world. A fun night out dancing to loud music, enjoying all life has to offer – who could resist?

Many situations that stimulate the senses add spice to life, and few people would want to avoid them completely. But we can make a difference by making a deliberate effort to ‘seek out’ silence now and again. After a wild night out, how about a long weekend walk in the woods? Outdoor spaces are not completely silent, of course, but plenty of studies show that nature’s soundscape relaxes us more than the sounds of civilization. Or, on your next vacation: why not combine exploring the city with outdoor relaxation? Find out what works for you. Everybody is different. If you develop an awareness of the benefits of silence, you can take better advantage of the opportunities it offers. Your body will thank you, and you may notice the preventive effect on headache and migraine attacks sooner than you think.