An idyllic cabin in a Swedish forest where the price is silence

Höör (Sweden)A wood-burning stove, candles, warm light. Windows on all four walls and in the roof. Outside, it's all forest; dry leaves forming an endless carpet before your eyes. You can feel the dampness of a Swedish autumn, but inside, everything is warm. Mysig, they call it Swedish, which would be the equivalent of the more famous Danish hygge. This little house in the middle of one of the many forests of southern Sweden has been a highly sought-after destination this autumn. A few lucky people were able to enjoy it without paying a penny. The only price was silence.

Visit Skåne, the tourism promotion agency for Scania, carried out a promotional campaign based on the idea of silence and connection with nature as its main attraction. The participants —a few couples, traveling separately— could spend three days in the house, all expenses paid, but they had to meet one essential requirement: they had to remain silent throughout their stay. The cabin is equipped with sound level meters, and guests had to keep the noise below 45 decibels. If they exceeded the noise limit for an extended period, they had to leave the idyllic setting early.

"We want to emphasize the health benefits of spending time experiencing the calming sounds of nature. Noise pollution is a hidden danger, but silence is the antidote. When we lower our voices, we can hear the wind in the trees, the birds singing, the rhythm of recovery," says Josefine Nordgren, Brand Director of Visit Skåne.

According to a 2020 report by the European Environment Agency, 20% of the European Union's population lives in places where noise levels are harmful to health. Furthermore, 22 million people in Europe suffer from chronic noise disturbances, and 6.5 million suffer from chronic sleep disorders. The World Health Organization (WHO) advises that the average noise level recorded over 24 hours should not exceed 53 decibels.

Keeping the volume below 45 decibels is a real challenge. Basically, it means not speaking or only whispering. Especially at the beginning of your stay, you'll likely forget. "The experience was fascinating. I could see how I gradually calmed down, remaining physically still and quiet throughout my stay," explains Johanna Holm, who participated in the challenge with her sister from Germany.

The campaign, promoted on Instagram, was a success and received more than 200 applications; the furthest away came from an Egyptian couple living in Mongolia. Visit Skåne has decided to hold a second edition of the project, named Stay Quiet [is silent], in spring.

Sound level meters for noise monitoring

Participants were also required to be without their mobile phones throughout their stay. Inside the cabin, there were materials for activities to pass the time (colors for painting mandalas or stones) and for reflection, such as writing a letter to their future self in six months. Carmen Faunbäck, the owner of the house —and the person who ensured the sound level meter remained below the set limit— says that leaving the phones behind wasn't the difficult part, but rather being silent. "That's why having the decibel meters was so important; otherwise, there would always have been the option of talking a little. But because the sound was measured continuously, it created a very different level of commitment." "It wasn't about control, but about helping people stay true to their intention," she adds. She explains that they will introduce this type of silent retreat to their offer from now on.

The Stay Quiet Project is part of a broader strategy to promote quiet areas as tourist destinations. Visit Skåne has also created the "calm map," featuring 26 peaceful natural areas across the region where very low noise levels have been documented.

"Persistent noise, both environmental and digital, keeps the nervous system in a state of low but sustained alertness, which is a type of chronic stress," explains psychologist Mayte Serrat, coordinator of the planetary and environmental health working group at the Official College of Psychologists of Catalonia and a specialist in activity-based therapies. "In the long term, living surrounded by noise is linked to increased irritability, fatigue, reduced concentration, and poorer sleep quality," she adds.

Mental and physical health benefits

She emphasizes the benefits of being in nature and in quiet environments. "Silence is a natural regulator of the nervous system," she says, recommending at least several minutes of silence each day. But she adds that silent retreats or longer stays "allow you to enter deeper modes of functioning: introspection, mental clarity, creativity, and emotional processing." "When constant stimuli disappear, what is normally masked by noise emerges: our emotions, thoughts, and true needs," she summarizes.

"One person said they hadn't felt so calm since they were a child. Another expressed that they reconnected with an inner guide they had lost," recounts Carmen Faunbäck. She affirms that she clearly saw a change in people, from the moment they arrived until the moment they left: "They arrived with a very high energy level, and ended up transmitting calm: in their movements, in the way they spoke, we could perceive a deeper inner connection." Serrat corroborates this: "In calm environments, breathing slows down and becomes more efficient, which improves oxygenation, regulates sleep, and strengthens the immune system."

If contact with nature is added to the silence, the benefits multiply. Serrat points out that several studies demonstrate that natural stimuli, such as light, colors, organic sounds, the movement of the wind, and the smell of vegetation, activate biological mechanisms that reduce mental load and accumulated fatigue.

Furthermore, the psychologist says, for many people, "nature fosters a sense of belonging, spaciousness, and life perspective." "Sometimes, getting away from the noise and into open landscapes reminds us that it's not up to us," she summarizes.