Have you ever wondered why you come up with your best ideas while you are in the shower? Or perhaps you remembered something important from work while you were sitting on that “throne” in your bathroom? Truth is, for me, it happens all the time and I’m sure I am not alone. Having periods of silence and solitude are important for our mental health. Read more about why we should not be denying ourselves this important part of life:

When does our brain have time to process our thoughts and the events that happen during the day, or to think of someone else that might need your thoughts and prayers, or a solution to a problem you or a loved one might have? Bingo! Ding, ding, ding!…you got it, during a quiet time…(such as in the bathroom.)

Most of us need more than just “that time” to properly process, wind down and relax, organize the day and be still with our thoughts. It is not only mentally healthy for us but can also physically help you. By setting aside quiet time during the day, your thoughts are not racing to catch up and process everything right before bed, therefore giving you a better night’s sleep that will most likely come quicker. Also, your stress level will lower if you set aside more time during the day to organize your thoughts and prepare for the next portion of your day.

It sounds like common sense, right? Most everyone would agree they need more silence, but we have to remind ourselves and actively create opportunities. You are not in this alone and most people, including me, at some point in life (or everyday) are looking for ways to fill the silence instead of taking advantage of it for our health.

I want to challenge you with a few solutions to getting the proper quiet time in your day:

Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of being alone and spending some time with your own thoughts:

Self help.

You might just find that you can be a helpful therapist to yourself if you learn to listen and process your thoughts and actions of the day. I know for me, I always learn best from my mistakes, and when I make one, it can weigh heavily for a long period of time unless I take the time to deal with it, think about what I could have done better and what I can do next time if faced with a similar challenge. Our brains are wired to come up with solutions to problems, so let’s take advantage of this gift from God!

Find your spark.

Speaking of finding solutions, when you allow your mind to wonder in the quietness you might also find yourself being more creative and productive. Maybe it will spark something buried away in the back of your mind that wasn’t able to bloom due to all the social distractions and noise that fills your life. I’m pretty sure the greatest inventors of our time were not jamming to music or thumbing through social media when they came up with their fantastic ideas.

Grow strong.

Being alone in silence with your thoughts can help build your mental strength and expand your brain. When we let our thoughts freely come and go, no matter if good, bad, happy or sad, we start to understand more about ourselves, including our strengths and weaknesses, but also perhaps it will evoke empathy for others after some periods of solitude or alleviate some anxiety you have been dealing with. There is even research to suggests that silence actually grows the brain, by creating new brain cells in the hippocampus, the area of the brain connected with memory, emotion and learning. (source)

NOTE: I’ve mentioned a lot about music, tv and social media being a distraction. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying to gather them up and throw them all out. Some of those things in moderation, such as music, can be a helpful motivator and up lifter and can bring back some special memories for us. However, we need to moderate some of the distractions in our life that can hinder us from thinking clearly or searching our thoughts at all.

In Conclusion:

We all need to work on finding more quiet time to process our thoughts without distractions for our mental and physical health. Don’t let the stigma of “being alone” deter you from getting the much-needed solitary time with your thoughts. Find the balance that your brain and body needs to recharge and restore for a good night’s sleep and in preparation for the next day.

💜Julie