In the Quiet of the Moment
Twenty years ago, cell phones were an emerging business device that allowed people to stay connected on the go. Phones were big, they were heavy (compared to today’s featherweights) and they were just that, phones. Today, it seems like just about everyone has a piece of technology tucked away somewhere on their person waiting for the next phone call, text, tweet, Instagram, Facebook or whatever new methods of communication that has been launched while I write this today. Humanity is just bombarded with a cacophony of noise and stimulation from so my different sources it is enough to set one’s brain into non-stop overdrive. Our daily lives are full of commitments and activities that seem to drain away time at an alarming rate…we are constantly being bombarded by bad news online, on TV or if you still read it, the newspaper…we are subjugated to the loud thumping base from the car three blocks away that rattle every window in your home…awoken at 6am by the barking dogs left outside 24 hours a day by the neighbors…we hear jets flying overhead…and even when everything is off we hear the loud compressor on the refrigerator humming away….we are surrounded by noise…all the time. That, my friend, is unhealthy. As we go through our day, we need to give our brains and our body a respite, even if only for five little minutes, each and every day.
There has been research and studies done that show that a little bit of quiet time does the body good. What good might that be you ask? Here are some examples of the benefits of being still and taking in the quiet.
1) Being still helps to lower your blood pressure
2) Being still helps to improve your immune system
3) Quiet time allows your brain to process events of the day prompting lower stress
4) Quiet time helps improve memory
5) Having quiet time helps improve mood
6) People who have quiet time in their days tend to have better personal relationships with others
All it takes is 5 little minutes a day. It might be challenging at first to set aside five minutes a day without touching your cell phone, tablet or laptop…we (as humans) have become quite addicted to our gadgets, we feel lost without them but they and the toxicity they sometimes carry are slowly poisoning us. If your child was eating a lead Popsicle covered in mercury, you would certainly slap it out of their hands for their own safety, right? Putting technology down or turning off the TV or Radio for 5 minutes a day, (30 minutes would be better) in order to quiet the mind and be still for the benefit of your own health certainly wouldn’t hurt either. Studies have shown that noisy environments effect short term memory negatively…that is why most people turn the car radio down when they need to really concentrate…the silence helps!
How to quiet the noise? Put your tech away during meals, turn off the TV and mute the radio…don’t take tech with you to the bathroom, really, it’s ok to not be plugged into Facebook for a few minutes, you don’t have to tweet it out every time you go BM. Find a quiet spot, a happy spot or a place where you can just sit and take in the world around you with the minimal amount of interruption or disturbances. Prayer or meditation is often a great ways to calm the mind and allow your body to heal. Go to a quiet part of your local park and just sit and watch the birds dance on the wind or watch the squirrels chase each other in the greening grass. I hope this message finds a place in you daily life and that you can incorporate a little peace into your world. As always, thanks for reading and if you have any questions, please email me @ wmreid@bhcshealth.comHave a great week, take care of yourself and each other out there and remember, we’re all in this together!
Wm Reid
Best Home Care Services
325 N Eastern Ave
Connersville, IN 47331
765-827-9833
wmreid@bhcshealth.com