Silence is golden, and silvery some times

Noise pollution is a modern plague. We are living in an ocean of countless stimuli and this has adverse effects on our health. Here are some of the reasons to rejoice in silence, being it for 10 minutes daily or one week of silence retreat every year. Why should we seek silence?

1. Silence relieves stress and tension. (Research from 2004 - Craig Zimring -) Two minutes of silence are more relaxing than 30 minutes of listening relaxing music. Time saving too.
2. Silence replenishes our mental resources. Continuous sensory input will deplete our attention resources, we will become distracted and mentally fatigued, struggling to focus, solve problems and being creative. The brain can restore its finite cognitive resources when we are in environments with lower levels of sensory input (the attention restoration theory).
3. In silence, we can tap into the brain's default mode network. Engaging this network helps us to make meaning out of our experiences, empathize with others, be more creative and think deeply.
4. Getting quiet can regenerate brain cells. A 2003 study (Effects of auditory stimuli and their absence on adult hippocampal neurogenesis - Kirste/Walker/Liu) found that two hours of silence led to development of new cells in hippocampus. This could be therapeutic for conditions like depression and Alzheimer's, conditions associated with decreased rates of neuron regeneration in the hippocampus.