Two issues ago, I recounted my ascent of and first night on Mount Kilimanjaro [go.navc.com/Kilimanjaro-TVB]. It wasn’t too cold that night, I had no blisters yet, and the food was quite good. However, an uncomfortable quietness descended. I had no phone, music, conversations, sirens or white noise. I was left with my sleeping bag and my thoughts, and I felt miserable.
Silence — or at least as close as we can get to it in the natural world — can feel awkward and induce anxiety. That’s because we rarely encounter it. We condition ourselves to live in distraction by filling our moments with sound, perhaps to drown out unwanted thoughts. Yet, moments of silence can bring clarity, creativity, and improved physical and mental health, which can benefit our profession and the families we serve.
Why We Need Silence
It’s no secret we endure substantial physical, mental and emotional stress in our demanding profession. Although many strategies, initiatives and even medications help alleviate the tension, the most effective solutions sometimes are the simple micromoment habits we practice.
I previously noted that introverts, who constitute the majority of veterinary professionals, often feel undervalued or uncomfortable in specific work environments and in situations intended for extroverts. Nevertheless, discovering and embracing silence might be a domain in which introverts excel particularly well.
We often overlook the significance of incorporating moments of silence into our daily wellness routines. Silent moments enhance self-awareness and mindfulness. These quiet periods are essential for alleviating anxiety and intrusive thoughts while physically calming our nervous system. They also make us more aware of our body language, posture and facial expressions. Taking 30 seconds to breathe in silence can assist us inside the exam room, when we craft a response to a client’s negative review, and as we plan a surgical approach.
While many studies have examined the effects of silence on the human body, I want to emphasize two notable ones. First, a 2013 study involving mice was particularly intriguing [bit.ly/3QnoQtp]. When the mice were exposed to two hours of silence each day, they generated cells in their hippocampus, the brain region responsible for memory formation, emotion regulation, and learning capacity and motivation. While the brain can ultimately benefit from extended silence, a two-hour duration might not seem practical in a veterinary professional’s daily routine.
An earlier study from 2006 [bit.ly/3XcuUZp] investigated a much shorter timeframe (two minutes) and found that silence can be more calming than relaxing music, based on positive physiological changes in blood pressure and circulation within the brain. Additionally, silence can enhance creativity and decision-making.
A 2014 study [bit.ly/4i0MlUK] examined individuals under periods of solitude and silence, known as incubation periods. The researchers found that while many subjects’ minds tended to wander and struggled to concentrate on a specific idea, the unconscious processes remained active in the brain, resulting in creative solutions. This approach could be practical for problem-solving and addressing medical and financial challenges in your hospital or when an entrepreneur’s next big Shark Tank idea emerges.
Furthermore, effective and efficient decision-making is crucial for anyone in a leadership role. Five minutes of silence helps by reducing the amygdala’s stress response and releasing serotonin, endorphins and oxytocin. These three hormones calm the mind and promote well-being, leading to happiness.
Five minutes of silence has become an effective personal strategy for me before I make significant decisions or engage in discussions requiring clarity and self-awareness.
Ultimately, silence can improve concentration. A 2021 study [bit.ly/4hKGHpZ] investigated how 59 people completed tasks. They were divided into three groups:
- Silent environments
- Listening to human speech
- Exposed to various types of background noise
The study revealed that while the group in a noisy environment had the highest cortisol levels, those engaged in silent tasks experienced the lowest cognitive load and least stress. Chronic increases in cortisol have consistently been linked to weight gain, anxiety, difficulty sleeping and numerous chronic diseases.
In a profession notorious for its multitasking tendencies, evidence-based recommendations underscore the efficiency and effectiveness of focusing on a single task within a quiet environment.
Where to Discover Silence
True silence is found only in anechoic chambers equipped with sound-absorbing foam cones on the walls, ceiling and floor. U.S. chambers are in Minneapolis, Southern California, Massachusetts and Maryland.
Unless an anechoic chamber is on your bucket list, you will unlikely have the privilege of hearing your heartbeat without a stethoscope. The good news is we don’t need an anechoic chamber to enjoy the benefits of silence, but we can start small.
Here are five practical ways to incorporate silence into your daily routine.
1. SACRED PAUSES
I love the idea of minimeditations, as described by Australian health and wellness journalist Meena Azzollini. She recommends them before goal-oriented tasks. Start by finding a quiet place to sit (your car, an empty exam room or even a restroom) and closing your eyes. Take three deep breaths and visualize letting go of a thought or worry with each breath. At the same time, focus on a tense area of your body and concentrate on relaxing it. This step takes only a few minutes and can improve your physical and mental state.
2. DIGITAL DETOX
Many people I meet, whether at work or in everyday life, default to distraction through social media on their mobile devices when stressed. However, the algorithm that drives social media’s popularity pulls us further from the self-awareness necessary to engage with our emotions, struggles and fears. Consider setting aside nondigital periods throughout the day to allow those feelings to surface. It doesn’t mean you must explore them immediately; instead, revisit them when time permits. Our minds need inner quiet and breaks from constant stimulation.
3. EARLY RISING
Waking up five minutes earlier might seem like an unachievable feat, especially for those of us who are poor sleepers or have young children needing our nighttime attention. However, those five minutes could boost your happy hormones. What a wonderful start to the day!
4. NATURAL SOUNDS
I used to enjoy in-car karaoke, but embracing silence as I drive provides me with precious moments for mental resets, deep breaths and reflection. If singing at the top of your lungs relieves your stress and you’re reluctant to give it up, consider alternatives. Leave your earbuds at home when you walk your dogs. Mute the podcasts when you work out. End your streaming service 10 minutes earlier to allow for a minimeditation. Select your moment and savor the silence.
5. THE SPHERE OF SILENCE
Anyone comfortable with the first four steps and ready to commit more time to silence can consider the sphere of silence routine. This advanced practice, which involves an hour of meditative silence, originated in the Hindu tradition of India but is mirrored in similar forms across all religions. The routine consists of three timed segments: 30, 20 and 10 minutes. Committing to it one hour a day for three weeks yields optimal effects.
The segments break down this way:
- Turn off all your digital devices and place them out of sight. Have a journal and pen within arm’s reach. The first 30 minutes are for setting goals. Start with 10 minutes of recording short-, medium- and long-term goals. During the next 10 minutes, assess the progress on your goals from the previous day. In the final 10 minutes, note any unmet goals and the reasons.
- The next 20 minutes are devoted to learning and growth. You might catch up on a leadership book, read a practice management blog or practice a foreign language. The only rule is that this segment is for engaging in activities that teach you something new under a growth mindset.
- The last 10 minutes are for mindfulness. Think of it as a brain cooldown. It’s a focused time to be present and self-aware of your emotions, deal with any anger that arises, and choose an optimistic outlook for the next 24 hours.
While I’ve mastered five minutes of the sphere of silence, I’m far from doing it for three weeks straight. Implementing small changes became disproportionately more challenging.
For leaders, prioritizing silent moments will lead to calmer, more creative and more effective teams. It’s an invaluable investment.
QUICK TIPS
Periods of silence can be difficult to accept in conversations, but they can enhance your relationships with clients and colleagues. Try this:
- Wait two or three seconds to respond after someone finishes speaking. The delayed reaction demonstrates active listening rather than simply waiting for the person to stop talking before you speak.
- Avoid using fillers such as “Umm,” “Ehhh” and “Like.”
- Silence can salvage a conversation. Don’t fill frustrating pauses with filler words. Breathe and wait, letting awkward moments dissipate.
- Remember that silence serves a purpose in conversation. It fosters intimacy and adds texture.
- Know how to break the silence. If you encounter a long pause with a client (30 to 45 seconds), consider saying something like, “It seems I may have said something that made you uncomfortable. Should we table this until you’ve had more time to think?”