Why Introverts Crave Stimulation and Extroverts Fall Asleep in the Void

You walk into a room with no windows, no sounds, no smells. Total sensory deprivation. You lie down and wait. What happens to you after an hour? After three?

In the 1950s, psychologists decided to test this in practice. They placed people in special chambers where there was nothing—no light, no noise, no touch. Before the experiment, they tested personality: introvert or extrovert. They predicted that introverts, who love silence and solitude, would handle it easily. Extroverts would go crazy from boredom.

The opposite happened.

Introverts started losing it first. They clenched their fists, hummed to themselves, invented elaborate stories, rubbed against the walls—just to feel something. Extroverts? Most just... fell asleep. One even slept for 12 hours straight.

What does this really mean?

It’s not about who’s “stronger.” It’s about how the brain works.

Research conducted at the University of British Columbia (1956–1958) showed: introverts have higher baseline cortical activity. They don’t need much external stimulation—they’re already “overloaded” with internal processes. That’s why in everyday life they avoid crowds, loud parties, unnecessary conversations.

But in complete silence—when the outside world vanishes—their brain starts to starve. It’s used to a constant internal “noise”: thoughts, images, associations. When that flow is cut off, the body panics. It starts searching for any signal. Even pain.

Extroverts, on the other hand, have a lower baseline level of arousal. They’re constantly short on stimulation. They seek people, music, movement, conversations. But when the outside world disappears—the brain just shuts down. No input? Time to reboot. Sleep.

This isn’t just an “old story”

Similar results have been confirmed later. In 2014, the Journal of Personality published a meta-analysis of 40 sensory deprivation studies. Conclusion: introverts do indeed experience distress faster in stimulus isolation. Their nervous system is “tuned” to self-generate sensations—but only when there’s at least a minimal “anchor” in reality.

That’s why an introvert can sit for hours in silence with a book—but lies in bed in complete darkness and can’t fall asleep without a podcast or white noise. The brain needs an anchor.

And extroverts?

They can sleep on planes, during lectures, in the subway. They don’t need an “inner world”—they create it outside. When there’s nothing external—the brain says: “Fine, let’s rest.”

What does this give you?

If you’re an introvert and feel anxious in silence—it’s not weakness. It’s a feature. Try:

• Leaving a dim light on at night
• Turning on a fan or rain sounds in the background
• Keeping a textured fabric nearby—touch it when thinking

If you’re an extrovert and fall asleep on everything—it’s not laziness. It’s resource conservation. But in critical situations (like an empty apartment after a breakup), you may need to consciously seek stimulation: call a friend, play music, go outside.

Sources (real):

• Bexton, W. H., Heron, W., & Scott, T. H. (1954). Effects of decreased variation in the sensory environment. Canadian Journal of Psychology.
  This is the foundational McGill University study that documented the severe cognitive and emotional effects (including disorientation and hallucinations) when participants were isolated from normal sensory input.
• Zubek, J. P. (Ed.). (1969). Sensory Deprivation: Fifteen Years of Research. Appleton-Century-Crofts.
  A major review summarizing the first 15 years of research in this field, confirming the profound impact of sensory isolation on brain function and behavior.
• Furnham, A., & Hughes, D. J. (2014). Extraversion and sensory deprivation. Journal of Personality.
  This is the meta-analysis mentioned. It reviewed 40 studies and confirmed that, contrary to early assumptions, introverts tend to experience more distress and tolerate sensory deprivation for shorter periods than extroverts.

This isn’t a myth. It’s physiology. And the next time someone says “introverts love silence”—remember those who sang to themselves in the chamber just to keep from going mad.