Why Silence Can Feel Agitating

In the mid-2010s, researchers at the University of Virginia ran a now-famous experiment. They asked college students to sit quietly for just 6 to 15 minutes, alone with their thoughts—no phone, no book, nothing. Many participants found this so uncomfortable that they opted to give themselves mild electric shocks rather than sit still.

What’s happening here?

When the mind isn’t occupied, the brain’s default mode network (DMN) often springs into action. This network—linking regions like the medial prefrontal cortex and posterior cingulate cortex—is heavily involved in self-referential thinking: rehearsing past regrets, worrying about the future, and reinforcing a mental story of “me.”

That’s why doing nothing can feel agitating—it surfaces all the background chatter we usually keep at bay with constant activity and distraction.

But here’s where it gets interesting.

Research by Norm Farb at the University of Toronto—and others in contemplative neuroscience—has shown that when people practice being present, their brain activity shifts dramatically.

The DMN quiets down, meaning less rumination and narrative self-talk.

Activity increases in sensory and interoceptive networks—including the insula, which tracks internal bodily states like breath, heartbeat, and emotion.

This shift is sometimes described as moving from the narrative self to the experiential self—from thinking about life to directly experiencing it.

Even more remarkable: these changes aren’t just momentary, these are trainable skills. And as Richard Davidson often says, with sustained practice, they can become traits rather than fleeting states—meaning your brain learns to rest more naturally in awareness, even when you aren’t meditating.