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Do you like silence?

(131 Posts)
Stillness Wed 13-Aug-25 10:55:31

I was just wondering how many of you do things with no background noise simultaneously? So perhaps crafts, or cooking, or housework etc…with no radio, music or tv …or anything else going on.
When I was younger, there wasn’t much silence, with family and a busy life etc. Now, there could easily be, but in an odd way, I really want it and yet I’m frightened of it. I do live a quietish life but I think I’m worried that if I get used to it, the external world will eventually become too much, leading to me being intolerant of any noise at all…if that makes sense..

Jaxjacky Wed 13-Aug-25 10:59:14

The only reason I don’t like silence is because it highlights my tinnitus, so the radio is usually on in the background.

Stillness Wed 13-Aug-25 11:03:20

Jaxjacky, yes I can have that sometimes and I understand how it can help. Although there is a school of thought that it’s the product of an overstimulated nervous system so maybe we should be doing the opposite!

Jaxjacky Wed 13-Aug-25 11:04:52

I can tie mine back to some necessary medications Stillness unfortunately.

Oreo Wed 13-Aug-25 11:05:00

Yes I do like silence and think it helps with creativity and also just thoughts in general.
We live in an increasingly noisy world.

AGAA4 Wed 13-Aug-25 11:10:59

I love silence. Lucky to live in a rural area where it's quiet most of the time.
I can enjoy going to a bustling city where there is constant noise but like to get back to my quietness.

Retread Wed 13-Aug-25 11:12:25

I love silence 🔕. The stiller, the better.

On another note, I went into "The Hive" sculpture/installation at Kew recently, it emulates the buzz sound inside a beehive. My mind went absolutely quiet! It was bliss. It has something to do with specific kilohertz, will look it up now.

Georgesgran Wed 13-Aug-25 11:12:32

I like silence sometimes, but if I’m working in the kitchen I’ll ask Alexa to play something. Always have music in my car, unless I’ve a passenger.
On balance, I prefer a little background noise.

dragonfly46 Wed 13-Aug-25 11:13:35

I too love silence. I hate any background noise but on the other hand I do not like the silence you get snorkelling or wearing noise cancelling headphones - they make me feel cut off from the world.

ClicketyClick Wed 13-Aug-25 11:14:20

I'm still getting used to wearing hearing aids so normal every day noises,which I haven't heard for a long time, such as traffic, the washing machine spinning even DH just scraping his plate is enough to drive me insane. So grateful that I can remove my hearing aids for a bit of silent relief now and then. I'm very grateful though that I can now hear the grandchildren.

Retread Wed 13-Aug-25 11:18:48

It is 432 Hz.

Listening to music tuned to 432 Hz is believed to offer a variety of health and wellness benefits. While some of these benefits are only supported by anecdotal evidence, others have been the subject of scientific studies.

Charleygirl5 Wed 13-Aug-25 11:21:00

I live not far from Heathrow, and one would expect it to be very noisy here, but it is like living on a field in the middle of nowhere.

I cannot stand background noise, so if I go out for a meal, I loathe music playing in the background because it is usually too loud.

I spend a lot of my time alone, in silence, which is not everybody's cup of tea.

Bea65 Wed 13-Aug-25 11:29:05

Silence is good to meditate /pray/nap/sleep .otherwise I like a bit of background noise.. I'm actually listening to my fridge freeze hum while typing this .have such an exciting life ..wink

cornergran Wed 13-Aug-25 11:31:23

An only child I lived in a remote farm for the first five years if my life. Just the sounds of nature - or of me being summoned out of a tree for a meal! Family life was noisy, as was a lot of my working life. I never minded. Now I much prefer quiet, it’s a struggle to concentrate with background noise, although there is never silence as tinnitus keeps me company. Mr C doesn’t like a lot of noise at home, he likes peace to read. I do like to clean the kitchen to music, otherwise it’s very quiet here.

yogitree Wed 13-Aug-25 11:34:32

I love and NEED silence. I hate sudden, high pitched or loud noises. Even background music can aggravate me. I have my ideas on why I'm like this; brought up as an only child (with strict parents who didn't allow squealing and loud noises and certain health conditions I have. Sounds like you have some real concerns going on Stillness. I think if I lived alone, I would take it too far - just now I retreat to the solitude (and control) of my room. For me, it's a bit of a control issue too.

hollysteers Wed 13-Aug-25 11:35:27

As a young woman, I had to have music on constantly. Now I prefer silence, apart from having my radio on low at night to sleep. Tinnitus sufferer here too.
Classic FM/Radio 3 when driving and I found recently that classical music when painting gave me more impetus.

ViceVersa Wed 13-Aug-25 11:47:56

I also love and need silence. Sometimes I just have to shut myself away from the world and feel the silence. Often that's after my GS has been with us - I love him to bits, but he literally does not stop talking from the moment he wakes up until he goes to sleep, so once he goes, I need that silence to reset. I'm an only child too - so I was often surrounded by silence.

spottybook Wed 13-Aug-25 12:01:32

I love silence and can't stand background noise or music.

silverlining48 Wed 13-Aug-25 12:08:03

It’s silent here at the moment and all I can hear is the rushing, whooshing and whistling of my tinnitus which is why I have my radio on all day and a lot of the night too. It’s something to focus on when the tinnitus fades a bit, until I turn the radio off, like now.
So r4 is back on now and all is right with my world

JenniferEccles Wed 13-Aug-25 12:11:09

I’m so pleased I’m not the only one who not only loves but needs silence.
Noise causes me so much anxiety, and I know I react badly to it because I am always the one to ask for the. ‘music’ to be turned down in restaurants when we are having a meal and trying to chat to family or friends.

I’m not an anxious person but noise of any kind is the one thing which distresses me to the point of needing to escape it.

I have been the same all my life but it’s getting worse the older I get.

Babs03 Wed 13-Aug-25 12:13:54

I love silence but don’t mind the bustling noise of a big city, as long as is just for a short break.

Beechnut Wed 13-Aug-25 12:14:40

I like silence. It’s not often I have music on at home but it’s always on in the car quietly unless I have my HA in.

Greyduster Wed 13-Aug-25 12:19:12

I’m another who suffers with tinnitus, but I find if I’m concentrating on something, I can tune it out. This morning I’ve been drawing and didn’t notice it. I don’t mind silence; it’s a case of not having to these days. If it gets me down I put a bit of Bach on my phone and let it soak into me! There’s currently no noise around me at all - even the birds aren’t singing; it’s too hot!

GrannyGravy13 Wed 13-Aug-25 12:53:47

I love silence, unfortunately DH has to have music or TV on at all times 🤬

If he has been out and I am sitting enjoying the quiet his first words are do you want the radio on my reply is always if I wanted it on I would have put it on 🤬

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Wed 13-Aug-25 13:03:28

Depends on my mood, how agitated or anxious I am. Sometimes quiet background music soothes. Other times peace and quiet suits me more. When I’m happy I like to hear music.