The power of silence and boredom: Unlocking the superconscious mind

In our hyper-connected world and the ever-present fear of switching off (FOSO), silence — and boredom — are often viewed as unproductive voids to fill with constant notifications and distractions.

Yet, research shows that "boredom" and silence hold immense power.

They build mental clarity and creativity, helping us access what some call the "superconscious" mind — a higher state of insight and intuition.

By embracing "doing nothing," we allow the brain to shift from constant external stimulation to internal processing, fostering breakthroughs and emotional renewal.

'Inviting the inner voice'

Turns out that sitting in quiet solitude for 30-60 minutes, without devices, invites the "inner voice" to emerge, solving problems and sparking innovation.

The mental pathway triggered by boredom begins with discomfort from understimulation, reducing activity in attention networks focused on external tasks.

Benefits of boredom

This activates the default mode network (DMN), a brain system that engages during mind-wandering and introspection.

The DMN integrates past experiences, simulates futures, and generates novel ideas, leading to superconscious-like epiphanies. Essentially, boredom forces the mind inward, where creativity flourishes.Research supports this.

In a PsyPost article published in July 2025, Michelle Kennedy and Daniel Hermens challenged the common belief that boredom is a negative state we should avoid.

Instead, they asked whether boredom might be reframed as something beneficial—and whether learning to embrace it could support mental health.

The authors described the brain as a network of interconnected regions working together to support different functions, likening it to a city where suburbs (brain regions) are linked by roads (neural pathways) that allow information to flow efficiently.

When we engage in an activity such as watching a movie, the brain’s attention network becomes active, helping us focus on relevant stimuli while filtering out distractions.

However, as boredom sets in and our interest fades, activity in the attention network declines, reflecting a reduced ability to maintain focus.

Similarly, activity in the frontoparietal, or executive control, network decreases as we struggle to stay engaged with uninteresting content.

Boredom and introspection

At the same time, as DMN becomes more active, it shifts our attention inward toward self-reflection and internal thoughts.

This process — known as "introspection" — is a key function of the default mode network and may represent a natural strategy for coping with boredom.

This dynamic interaction between brain networks involves several important regions.

The insula, a hub for sensory and emotional processing, shows increased activity when we detect internal signals such as the feeling of boredom—an ability referred to as interoception.

The amygdala, often described as the brain’s alarm system, processes the negative emotions associated with boredom, while the ventromedial prefrontal cortex motivates us to seek alternative, more stimulating activities.

The problem with overstimulation

Modern life exposes us to constant information overload and chronic stress. Many adults lead fast-paced, overscheduled lives, balancing work, family responsibilities, and, for parents, children’s school and extracurricular activities.

In the rare moments of downtime, we often turn to screens — organising, updating, or scrolling — to remain occupied. In doing so, adults inadvertently model the expectation of constant stimulation for younger generations.

This relentless pace can place significant strain on the nervous system. Chronic exposure to stressors keeps the sympathetic nervous system —the system responsible for the fight-or-flight response — activated for extended periods.

Over time, this can lead to “allostatic overload,” a state in which the nervous system becomes overwhelmed and remains in heightened arousal, increasing vulnerability to anxiety.

Could boredom be good for us?

In small doses, boredom may act as a necessary counterbalance to our overstimulated world. Unlike prolonged boredom, which can be linked to depression, brief periods of boredom may offer meaningful benefits for mental health and emotional regulation.

Allowing ourselves to be occasionally bored can:

• Enhance creativity and support the development of mental “flow”

• Foster independent thinking and encourage exploration of personal interests

• Strengthen self-esteem and emotional regulation by helping us sit with our feelings

• Reduce reliance on digital devices and interrupt cycles of instant gratification

• Calm the nervous system by lowering sensory input and easing anxiety.

Embracing the pause

Anxiety rates are rising globally, particularly among young people. While many factors contribute to this trend, constant busyness and overstimulation play a significant role.

By filling every moment, we may be denying our brains and bodies the rest they need to reset and recover.

Embracing moments of pause allows space for creativity, emotional balance, and nervous system regulation. In learning to tolerate—and even value — boredom, we may discover a powerful tool for wellbeing.

Earlier, a 2022 study found that mundane, boredom-inducing tasks boosted creativity in subsequent idea-generation exercises, as boredom primes the brain for novel thinking.

Another experiment showed that blocking mobile internet for two weeks reduced smartphone use while improving sustained attention, mental health, and well-being, suggesting ditching phones clears space for superconscious activation.

Randomised controlled trial

Moreover, results of a randomised trial published in Spinger Nature Link in February 2024 revealed that reducing screen time to under two hours daily for three weeks decreased depressive symptoms and stress, enhancing cognitive pathways for insight.

In total, 111 out of 125 healthy students, significant group differences were found post-intervention for depressive symptoms. Screen time increased rapidly after the "intervention" and at follow-up, the values were once again approaching the initial level. The study highlights mental health improvements through smartphone screen time reduction.

Three weeks of screen time reduction showed small-to-medium effect sizes on depressive symptoms, stress, sleep quality, and well-being.

The results suggest a causal relationship, rather than a merely correlative one, between daily smartphone screen time and mental health.

TIPS:

• By eliminating boredom entirely, we may be depriving ourselves of a simple, natural way to reset the nervous system.

• Embracing silence and boredom isn't laziness — it's a deliberate practice for mental rejuvenation.

• Start small: ditch your phone for a quiet walk.

• Over time, this cultivates resilience, purpose, and untapped potential.