Scientific Research on Silence

Silence brings significant benefits to our overall health, for example in terms of stressFrom a clinical point of view, stress is a physiological and... More reduction, improved sleep, enhanced mental clarity, boosted creativity, better concentrationWhat concentration really is and why it’s so hard to maint... More, increased awareness, emotional well-being, and protection against the harmful effects of noise pollution. Let’s review the major scientific studies on silence, a fundamental ingredient for our psychophysical well-being.

An Overview of Major Studies

Some scientific studies suggest that silence is involved in neural genesis, while others confirm a correlation with brain changes, particularly in the uncinate fasciculus, which connects the limbic systemThe limbic system is a key region of the brain, responsible ... More to the prefrontal cortexThe prefrontal cortex plays a fundamental role in numerous p... More, involved in many functions such as learningThe term learning—with the synonyms to learn, assimilate, ... More, memoryMemory is a fundamental cognitive function that consists in ... More, language, and socio-emotional processing. Further research suggests that a silent pause can reduce blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing rate.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a German study analyzed the relevance of nature and silence as resources to cope with the emergency. The research highlighted the benefits that can be derived from intentionally chosen moments of silence and quiet, as well as the role of silence for personal growth and well-being. Also during the pandemic, research by the Patrizio Paoletti Foundation demonstrated the positive impact of the Practice of Silence Device in the prison context, on three dimensions of rehabilitation: copingCoping is the ability to face and manage stress, challenges,... More, emotion regulation, and future planning.

Additional studies show the positive effects of seated and silent meditation on well-being and of silence in therapeutic and educational settings, with significant increases in relaxation, improved mood, positive alterations in time perceptionTime perception is one of the most fascinating phenomena of ... More, self-perception, and orientation toward the present moment. An interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary study, from a theoretical-scientific and practical-applicative perspective, is necessary to progressively shed more light on the topic.

The Timeline of Silence Research

1975 – Quiet Environments Improve Reading Skills

Students in classrooms exposed to daily noise pollution develop reading skills more slowly—by up to a year—compared to students in quieter classrooms.

• Bronzaft, A. L., & McCarthy, D. P. (1975). The effect of elevated train noise on reading ability. Environment and behavior, 7(4), 517-528.

1988 – Silence and Meditation Regulate Blood Pressure

A quiet and meditative environment is associated with lower blood pressure.

• Timio, M., Verdecchia, P., Venanzi, S., Gentili, S., Ronconi, M., Francucci, B., … & Bichisao, E. (1988). Age and blood pressure changes. A 20-year follow-up study in nuns in a secluded order. Hypertension, 12(4), 457-461.

2004 – Silence Improves Sleep

Creating a quiet environment improves sleep quality.

• Cmiel, C. A., Karr, D. M., Gasser, D. M., Oliphant, L. M., & Neveau, A. J. (2004). Noise Control: A Nursing Team’s Approach to Sleep Promotion: Respecting the silence creates a healthier environment for your patients. AJN The American Journal of Nursing, 104(2), 40-48.

2006 – Silence Modulates Respiratory and Heart Rate and Activates the Cerebral Cortex

A silent pause after music reduces respiratory rate, heart rate, and blood pressure. During silence, anticipation and imagination activate the auditory cortex.

• Bernardi, L., Porta, C., & Sleight, P. (2006). Cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and respiratory changes induced by different types of music in musicians and non-musicians: the importance of silence. Heart, 92(4), 445-452.
• King, A. J. (2006). Auditory neuroscienceThe human brain is one of the most complex and fascinating s... More: activating the cortex without sound. Current Biology, 16(11), R410-R411.
• Voisin, J., Bidet-Caulet, A., Bertrand, O., & Fonlupt, P. (2006). Listening in silence activates auditory areas: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study. Journal of Neuroscience, 26(1), 273-278.

2010 – Silence Neurons Exist

Neuroanatomical research identifies a specific set of neurons for listening to silence, distinct from those for sound.

• Scholl, B., Gao, X., & Wehr, M. (2010). Nonoverlapping sets of synapsesA synapse is a term used in neuroscience to describe the fun... More drive on responses and off responses in auditory cortex. Neuron, 65(3), 412-421.

2015 – Silence Promotes Neuronal Growth

In an in vivo study, silence enhances neuronal growth in the hippocampusThe hippocampus is a part of the brain located in the inner ... More.

• Kirste, I., Nicola, Z., Kronenberg, G., Walker, T. L., Liu, R. C., & Kempermann, G. (2015). Is silence golden? Effects of auditory stimuli and their absence on adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Brain Structure and Function, 220, 1221-1228.

2016 – Silence Promotes Awareness and Adaptation

Silence as brain rest is considered adaptively, enhancing awareness and concentration.

• Vago, D. R., & Zeidan, F. (2016). The brain on silent: mind wandering, mindful awareness, and states of mental tranquility. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1373(1), 96-113.

2017 – Silence Promotes Creativity

Through calmness, silence allows latent creativity to emerge.

• Dhiman, S., & Dhiman, S. (2017). Creativity and flow: The art of mindful creativity. Holistic Leadership: A New Paradigm for Today’s Leaders, 65-95.

2019 – First ICONS International Conference on the Neurophysiology of Silence in Assisi

For the first time, multiple approaches to silence were presented, with empirical, theoretical, and review reports.

• Ben-Soussan, T. D., Srinivasan, N., Glicksohn, J., Beziau, J. Y., Carducci, F., & Berkovich-Ohana, A. (2021). Neurophysiology of silence: neuroscientific, psychological, educational and contemplative perspectives. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 675614.

2020 – Silence Alters Time Perception, Protects Against Stressful Environments, Improves Learning, and Correlates with Positive Brain Changes

Silence improves mood and promotes certain brain changes, particularly in the uncinate fasciculus, involved in learning, memory, language, and socio-emotional processing.

• Pfeifer, E., & Wittmann, M. (2020). Waiting, thinking, and feeling: variations in the perception of time during silence. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 602.
• Venditti, S., Verdone, L., Reale, A., Vetriani, V., Caserta, M., & Zampieri, M. (2020). Molecules of silence: Effects of meditationThere are many ways to define meditation, but perhaps the si... More on gene expression and epigeneticsEpigenetics is a field of biology that studies changes in ge... More. Frontiers in psychology, 11, 1767.
• Paoletti, P., & Ben-Soussan, T. D. (2020). Reflections on inner and outer silence and consciousness without contents according to the sphere model of consciousness. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 1807.
• Bao, D., & Nguyen, T. M. (2020). How silence facilitates verbal participation. English Language Teaching Educational Journal, 3(3), 188-197.
• Ben-Soussan, T. D., Marson, F., Piervincenzi, C., Glicksohn, J., De Fano, A., Amenduni, F., … & Carducci, F. (2020). Correlates of silence: Enhanced microstructural changes in the uncinate fasciculus. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 543773.

2022 – Silence as a Resource for Personal Growth and Well-Being

A German study highlights the benefits that can be derived from intentionally chosen moments of silence and quiet, as well as the role of silence for personal growth and well-being.

• Büssing, A., Recchia, D. R., & Baumann, K. (2022). Experience of nature and times of silence as a resource to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and their effects on psychological wellbeing—Findings from a continuous cross-sectional survey in Germany. Frontiers in Public Health, 10, 1020053.

2023 – Silence is Perceived as a Sound and Supports Prison Rehabilitation

A U.S. study confirms that silence is perceived as a sound, and research by the RINED Institute of the Patrizio Paoletti Foundation demonstrates the benefits of the Practice of Silence in the prison context on three dimensions of rehabilitation: coping, emotion regulation, and future planning.

• Goh, R. Z., Phillips, I. B., & Firestone, C. (2023). The perception of silence. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(29), e2301463120.
• Paoletti, P., Perasso, G., Lillo, C., Serantoni, G., Maculan, A., Vianello, F., & Di Giuseppe, T. (2023). Practice of silence to promote coping, emotion regulation, and future planning of imprisoned individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 62(7), 444-462.

Exploring the Neurophysiology of Silence

Between 2023 and 2024, three volumes on the Neurophysiology of Silence were published:

• Ben-Soussan, T. D., Glicksohn, J., & Srinivasan, N. (2023). Neurophysiology of Silence Part A: Empirical Studies. Elsevier.
• Ben-Soussan, T. D., Glicksohn, J., & Srinivasan, N. (2023). Neurophysiology of Silence Part B: Theory and Review. Elsevier.
• Ben-Soussan, T. D., Glicksohn, J., & Srinivasan, N. (2024). The Neurophysiology of Silence Part C: Creativity, Aesthetic Experience and Time. Elsevier.