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Feeling overwhelmed by constant noise? Learn how to overcome noise pollution, restore peace, and curate a life-giving soundscape for your soul.
One of the worst feelings in the world is when we are trying to focus on something but distracting noise and unrelenting thoughts get in the way.
I can remember one day practicing for a song that I was going to play with a worship band. We were all on stage, but everyone was doing their own thing. Between the banging of the drums, the thud thud thud of the bass, and the off-key tuning of the guitar, the noise level in the room had got to a fever pitch. On top of all of this, several people had just come in laughing and yelling, with kids running to and fro before service began.
At that point, I snapped and said loudly, “Would everyone be quiet? We just need to practice!” (I know, yelling at everyone gets people in the mood to worship.) At that point, one of my friends looked at me and said, “Hey, are you okay? You seem a little… tense.” And the truth is, I was.
Noise can do that.
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What is Noise Pollution?
We hear a lot about light pollution and – with the recent wildfires – air pollution. We recognize the need to have a clean, pure environment because that leads to healthy, pure lives. One area of our lives that we have forgotten to pay attention to is the effect of noise on our environment.
The EPA states, “Noise pollution adversely affects the lives of millions of people. Studies have shown that there are direct links between noise and health. Problems related to noise include stress-related illnesses, high blood pressure, speech interference, hearing loss, sleep disruption, and lost productivity.”
Everything from the dull whirr of the machines in our house, to the roar of the highway outside, to the constant murmur of the TV in the background adds to the sound level in our lives.
How Noise Affects Our Brains
An article on noise pollution by the Washington Post goes on, “What we’re doing to our soundscape is littering it. It’s aural litter—acoustical litter—and, if you could see what you hear, it would look like piles and piles of McDonald’s wrappers, just thrown out the window as we go driving down the road.”
We can’t run a purifier to create a more healthy noise environment. Instead, we have to ruthlessly cut down on the noises that we have around us. This is almost counter-cultural.
We can’t rely on a machine to do the purifying process. We have to do that process ourselves. We have to curate our environment for the best noise. We can’t get rid of all noise, and we don’t want to.
We all know the positive effects certain types of music have on our health. But did you know that bird songs can be just as beneficial?
In an article by the Washington Post, people who listened to birdsong, even if it was just a recording, noted a reduction in symptoms of depression. Those who listened to the noise of traffic had their symptoms heightened.
The article describes “the “healing aspects of nature, or also the not-so-positive effects of urban surroundings.” It even goes on to discuss how time in nature “may allow us to engage in “soft fascination,” which holds our attention but also allows it to replenish.”
This may even allow us to regain attention, an idea is known as “attention restoration theory.” Studies have shown that even walking in nature helps us decrease depressive tendencies, mostly because it allows us to ‘get out of our heads’ – or as it’s described in the study, it “reduce[s] rumination and subgenual prefrontal cortex activation”.
As you can see, noise affects our brains. A growing body of studies shows that sound directly impacts mental health and focus.
- Birdsong and nature sounds reduce depression symptoms and restore attention.
- Traffic noise increases anxiety and raises blood pressure.
- Silence—yes, actual silence—gives our brains space to process and replenish attention. This is part of Attention Restoration Theory: when we experience quiet or “soft fascination” (like a walk in nature), our minds reset.
Noise isn’t neutral. It either builds us up or breaks us down.
The Spiritual Side of Noise
For Christians, noise isn’t just a health problem—it’s a spiritual one. Scripture reminds us of the importance of quiet:
- “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)
- “In quietness and trust is your strength.” (Isaiah 30:15)
- Jesus Himself often withdrew to quiet places to pray (Luke 5:16).
But today, we live in an age of constant distraction. Background TV, endless notifications, and even our own inner thoughts can drown out God’s voice.
That’s why learning to overcome noise pollution isn’t just about lowering the volume—it’s about cultivating peace in our souls.
Why We Add Noise to Our Lives
Here’s something hard but true: sometimes, we add noise on purpose.
Think about it—how often do you turn on the TV “just for background noise”? Or scroll social media to fill the silence? Sometimes we fear what the quiet will reveal, so we drown it out with artificial sound.
But filling our lives with noise doesn’t make the stress go away—it amplifies it. It’s like pouring gasoline on a fire, hoping it will burn out.
So what’s the way forward?
Ways to Overcome Noise Pollution
Noise pollution is a problem, but how do we deal with it? You can start by following the steps below.
- Assess what noises are dominating your life now.
Just take a moment to assess your environment right now. What noises do you hear? This is the quiet naptime part of the day. I hear the whoosh of the A/C and the quiet voice of my son ‘reading’ his book in his room before he goes to bed. There are occasionally noises from the highway when a semi passes through.
Not all my moments are this quiet though. It’s important to understand when we are adding noise to our life to drown out our thoughts. When we do that, we don’t succeed in making any situation in our life easier to deal with. We are only heightening the stress that our body is under.
Tip: Jot down what you hear in a journal. You can stop and jot down what you are hearing in your favorite journal. I like to use this one, a traveler’s notebook that includes refillable notebooks you can switch in and out. You can also use this journal which has nice sturdy pages to write on.
- Seek to have ‘quiet times’ as your brain breaks throughout your day.
Just like kids in school need “brain breaks,” our minds need breaks from noise.
- Morning silence over coffee before the kids wake up.
- Car silence—turn off the radio for your commute.
- Evening quiet—no TV running in the background.
If your home is bustling, you might need tools like [noise-cancelling headphones](affiliate link) to carve out moments of peace.
Think of quiet not as empty space, but as a sacred pause where your brain and soul can breathe.
- Start to incorporate ‘positive’ noises in your life.
Not all sound is bad. The right kind of “noise” can be life-giving.
If you find that you are constantly hearing a noise that makes you stressed, think about how you could incorporate positive ‘noise’ in your life.
If you are at home, do you need to make time to get outside to listen to nature and maybe even a little birdsong? Or maybe if you are stuck inside a classroom or office. Can you turn on some of your favorite music to listen in the background? If you have a habit of letting the news or TV constantly run in the background, can you switch that out for something that brings peace instead of stress?
An Amazon Alexa is a great choice for a smart speaker that can bring in your favorite tunes. I recently got this affordable wireless speaker which has a great sound and is waterproof to bring outside.
- Swap background TV or news for uplifting music.
- Step outside to listen to birdsong (or play a recording if you’re indoors).
- Use a simple [smart speaker](affiliate link) to stream podcasts, sermons, or calming playlists.
What we listen to matters because it frequently determines our attitude, even if that happens subconsciously. It’s difficult to curate our environment to be more peaceful, but it is worth it. How can you begin to cut through the negative noise to allow beauty into your life?
If you are looking for some recommendations of things to listen to, check out our podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Listen here:
S3E4 – Clarifying Your Mission: Influence, Ministry, & Your Why – A More Beautiful Life Collective Podcast
In Season 3, Episode 4 of A More Beautiful Life Collective podcast, we're exploring why clarifying your “why” is the keystone to living with purpose and avoiding burnout. We unpack how hustling without direction leads to overcommitment, comparison, and exhaustion, while a God-given mission statement provides traction, focus, and freedom to say no. Learn to align gifts, burdens, and seasons with your calling, filter decisions through a simple mission, and turn everyday influence—parenting, ministry, creative work—into fruitful Kingdom impact. Perfect for Christian women seeking intentional living, faith-centered productivity, and clarity of purpose.Read the full post here: https://amorebeautifullifecollective.com/clarifying-your-mission-influence-ministry-your-why/Get the 30 Days to a Life You Love Challenge here: https://amorebeautifullifecollective.com/product/30-days-to-a-life-you-love-challenge-tracker-slow-living-printable-tracker-faith-simplicity-peace/Get the Full Life You Love Toolkit here: https://amorebeautifullifecollective.com/product/a-life-you-love-toolkit-christian-intentional-living-planner-toolkit-for-women/Get the Build a More Beautiful Life: 5 Days to Align Your Faith, Family and Work here: https://amorebeautifullifecollective.com/product/build-a-more-beautiful-life-faith-and-family-devotional-workbook-5-day-christian-pdf-to-align-faith-family-and-work/Get The Faithful 12 Goal-setting Kickstart Planner Here: https://amorebeautifullifecollective.com/product/your-12-week-year-pdf-guide/ Get Cultivate: A Faithful Framework for Aspirations, Goals & Habits here: https://amorebeautifullifecollective.com/product/cultivate-a-faithful-framework-for-aspirations-goals-habits-christian-goal-setting-workbook-faith-based-planner-printable/ …Visit our Shop to get a copy of any of the resources mentioned in this episode: I’m your host, Cayce Fletcher, and you can learn a little bit more about me here. While you’re here, would you consider leaving a comment, rating, or review? You can find our podcast, A More Beautiful Life Collective Podcast, wherever you listen to podcasts. Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, or watch on YouTube. Subscribe to the blog for access to our latest content and some freebies. I love creating and sharing resources with you. You can find all of our resources at A More Beautiful Life Collective Shop.Keep creating a life you love, and cultivating your heart for God.
Related Resources for a Quieter Life
On this blog and in my shop, I’ve created tools to help you not just survive, but thrive in today’s noisy culture:
- Digital Peace: 30 Days to Clear the Clutter and Hear God’s Voice → helps you cut through digital noise and reclaim mental space.
- Morning Pages Prompts → journaling as a way to “quiet the mind” and process your thoughts.
- Life You Love Toolkit → resources for faith, rest, and simplicity, including guides on curating habits that support peace.
- Purpose Planner → structure your days so your priorities, not distractions, get the loudest voice.
Each of these works together to help you create an environment that makes space for what matters most.
The Bigger Question: What Are You Letting Shape Your Soul?
Noise is more than sound—it’s formation. What you listen to most often shapes your mood, your focus, and even your faith.
Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:8 to think on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. The same goes for what we listen to.
If your soundscape is filled with constant distraction, negativity, or chaos, your soul will reflect that. But if you curate an environment of peace, Scripture, and encouragement, your soul will flourish.
Cutting Through the Noise
Noise pollution is a real problem—not just physically, but spiritually. But you don’t have to stay overwhelmed.
By assessing the sounds around you, creating intentional quiet, and replacing negative noise with life-giving sound, you can reclaim focus and peace.
Silence may feel uncomfortable at first, but it’s often in the quiet that God speaks most clearly.
So pause. Listen. And choose the sounds that lead you closer to Him.
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