What a 7-Hour Drive Taught Me About Stress + Stillness
The Beauty of Silence: Why Slowing Down Might Be the Most Productive Thing You Do
I recently had the opportunity to travel to Hickory, North Carolina, for a quick visit to learn from a large functional and integrative medical and hormone replacement therapy practice. The kind of place doing things the right way—focused on actually making people better, not just managing symptoms. That alone was energizing and affirming.
I’m not really sure why I decided two months ago it was a good idea to travel the week before Christmas, but I did—and it ended up being such an energizing experience in so many ways. With Christmas just days away—a time that’s typically loud, busy, and full of constant motion—it reminded me how powerful it can be to step out of the noise, even briefly.
This time of year seems like a strange time to think about and then write about silence - and yet, as I sat to write this in the silence of the morning before our family woke up, I realized, maybe that’s exactly why it mattered so much...
I keep finding more and more that we can find joy even in the mundane, in things like silence, in the beauty of finding unexpected peace.
Normally, I would have flown. But for some reason, this time I decided to drive. Seven hours. Just me, my car, and the open road.
Parts of the drive felt long—but honestly, most of it was pretty incredible. On to the point of what inspired me to write this morning….
Choosing Silence in a World That’s Always Loud
At some point early in the drive home, I made a decision that felt unexpectedly freeing.:
I turned off the podcast. (I started the drive armed with 7 hours of online learning).
I turned off the radio.
And I just - sat in the silence.
Sunshine. Miles of road. A sunrise in the mountains. Quiet.
What struck me was how rare true silence has become. We live in a world of constant stimulation—cell phones, notifications, emails, texts, AirPods, social media, background noise. Even when we think we’re “resting,” our brains are still processing input, and it’s constant.
And yet, in the quiet of my car yesterday morning, something shifted.
There is beauty—and surprisingly, productivity—in silence.
Why Our Best Ideas Come in the Shower
I’ve always said my most creative ideas come in the shower. And when you really think about it, that makes perfect sense. A shower might be the only time all day when we’re protected from being bombarded by communication, screens, or external demands.
(Unless, of course, you have kids and dogs who believe this is the perfect moment for a free-for-all. I love you all, but please, a moment of silence….)
When the mind finally gets a break, creativity shows up naturally. Not because we’re forcing it—but because we’ve given our nervous system permission to rest.
Cortisol, Stress, and the Cost of Constant Stimulation
I talk with my patients every week about cortisol dysregulation—and if I’m being honest, that’s most people living in 2025. Chronic stress has become so normalized that many of us don’t even recognize it anymore.
Here’s the truth:
Chronic stress fuels inflammation
Inflammation is at the root of most chronic disease
A body stuck in fight-or-flight cannot heal, sleep, or create
When we are constantly overstimulated, our bodies stay in survival mode. And when we’re in survival mode:
We can’t be creative
We struggle with meaningful connection
Sleep and recovery suffer
Hormones fall out of balance
This is why stress management isn’t “optional” in functional medicine—it’s foundational.
Slowing Down Is Not Laziness—It’s Strategy
We live in a culture that glorifies hustle. The message is clear: work harder, grind more, push through exhaustion, and success will follow.
I don’t believe that’s true.
In fact, I believe the opposite.
Slowing down—intentionally—supports better health andbetter productivity. When we give our nervous system space to regulate, everything functions more efficiently: hormones, immune system, metabolism, brain health.
Quiet time isn’t wasted time. It might be the most productive 10 minutes of your day.
Start Small: Building Stillness Into Real Life
If the idea of sitting in silence, stillness feels uncomfortable, that’s normal. We’re not used to it. Start small.
A few ideas I often recommend:
5–10 minutes of guided meditation, using an app like Calm
Sitting quietly with no input—no phone, no music, no distractions
Stacking rest with self-care, like wearing a red light mask and simply being still
Even 10 minutes can act as a powerful mental reset and help regulate cortisol in a healthy way.
Start Where You Are: Find the Quiet That’s Already There
At first, silence can feel uncomfortable, it did for me too - because we aren’t used to it.
When we talk about slowing down, this doesn’t have to mean adding another thing to your to-do list. I hear this from you and I can truly say I get it - life is a lot, for lack of saying it better. Often, it’s about noticing opportunities that already exist in your day.
That seven-hour car ride was a perfect example. I had fully planned for it to be packed with podcasts, learning, and “productive” listening—maximizing every minute. Don’t get me wrong, I did plenty of that too and it felt really good but during part of the drive, I chose to let the drive simply be the drive. No input. No multitasking. Just space.
The space gave me time to truly enjoy the beauty of nature that I was surrounded by - those North Carolina mountains are something I need to see again soon….
Those moments already exist for you, too:
A drive without turning on the radio
A few quiet minutes before the house wakes up
Sitting in your car before going into work
Letting a walk be just a walk
From there, you can build intentionally. Start with 5–10 minutes of stillness. A guided meditation using an app like Calm can be helpful, especially if true silence feels uncomfortable at first. Sometimes for me, that looks like putting on my red light mask and doing nothing else—just being still for 10 minutes. For others, it may look like prayer—quiet conversation, reflection, or simply sitting in God’s presence. I often recommend the Hallow app for guided prayer and moments of stillness, especially if your mind tends to wander or you don’t know where to begin.
It’s amazing what even a short pause can do as a mental reset and as support for healthy cortisol regulation. You don’t have to overhaul your life. You just have to stop filling every open space.
A Personal Commitment to Quiet
Don’t get me wrong—I work a lot, and care for a busy family which I wouldn’t trade for the world. I’m passionate about what I do, love what I do, and I care deeply about my work and my people.
But I’ve also become fiercely protective of quiet time.
I now build in moments of mindfulness, stillness, and rest—not because I have extra time, but because I need them to function well, think clearly, and show up fully for you, my patients and for my family, friends, and myself.
That drive to Hickory reminded me of something simple but powerful:
When we stop filling every moment with noise, we give our bodies—and our minds—the space they’ve been asking for.
Sometimes, the best thing you can do for your health, your creativity, and your productivity…
is to slow down.
At EverWell, I sincerely believe better health isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing what truly supports your body, your mind, and your spirit.
Test strategically. Rest intentionally. Live better, longer.
Feel good, do good.
With all my best wishes for a peaceful, restful holiday season for you and your family,
Erica