Importance of Quietness

Most days, I am drowning [blank] noise. As a work-from-home mother, I am stuck in the middle of a busy household with two dogs, two teenagers and a husband who works from the next room. It's a cacophony of Zoom calls, phone notifications, video games, music and barking, and that's [blank] my neighbor starts up his leaf blower. Is it any wonder I long for some silence? The World Health Organization backs me up - it says that our world is too noisy and that this [blank] harming our health. Of course, for centuries we have known the importance of quietness: in many religions, silence is promoted as a vital healing process. But my noisy surroundings got me wondering what benefits there are [blank] seeking silence in the modern age. Figuring out what peace and quiet does for our mental and physical health is the ambition of a group of neuroscientists and health professionals who are beginning to unravel benefits. By getting to grips [blank] their research, I discover that a little silence may be vital to offset the detrimental effects of our noisy world.