City life is a crucial component of the modern lifestyle. It is estimated that by 2050, 68% of the world’s population will live in urban areas. At the moment, this percentage is about 55%.

There are certainly many opportunities and benefits that arise from living in the city. More job opportunities, people to meet, things to do in your free time…but is modern city life really that good for us?

Countless studies show the harmful effects of the urban environment on human mental and physical health. Pollution, lack of greenery, constant noise and hectic lifestyle are doing their disastrous job gradually but efficiently.

Now, imagine a person whose senses are sharper than the average person’s. How will all this make them feel? If city life is somewhat toxic for most people, it is absolutely toxic for those with hypersensitive brains.

Why empaths and hypersensitive people suffer in cities
Every day, we are surrounded by so many things that we are not even aware of. After years of living in the city, we’ve stopped noticing the street noise, the stiffness of the air, and the prevalence of synthetic over natural.

It is only when you return to nature that you see the amazing difference between your well-being in the urban environment and the well-being of nature.

I recently spent a weekend at a jungle resort. Just three nights in natural surroundings did wonders. Suddenly I began to feel energized and inspired, my sleep quality improved dramatically, and my dreams became unimaginably vivid.

That’s when I realized how stressful, destructive, and toxic city life can be for a highly sensitive or empathetic person. If you fall into one of these two categories, let’s take a look at the specific ways the city makes you feel bored, restless, and tired for no reason.

It should be noted that the phenomena described below affect all people whether they are aware of them or not, but those with highly sensitive brains and empathetic natures are simply more susceptible to them.

5 Reasons City Life Is Toxic For Empaths And Highly Sensitive People

1. The never-ending hype
   The first thing you notice when you go to the countryside is the calm. You only hear the sounds of nature, which are pleasing to the ear and the soul, in contrast to the background noise of the city. We get so used to this constant mix of car sounds, human voices, and other chaotic noises that we don’t pay attention to them anymore.

But for a highly sensitive person, this irritating existence is not only more intense but also draining. Being in silence for some time each day is a vital need of a highly sensitive brain as it is constantly overburdened by environmental stimuli.

Now, it is not an easy task if you live in an urban area. You must have a good insolation at home in order to cut through all this street noise.

2. Sensory rhythm
   Sensitive people know that it’s not just noise that drains their energy. It is also the rhythm of the big city where busy people rush about in the streets all day long.

It creates an atmosphere of endless stress and anxiety, and suddenly you find yourself feeling overwhelmed and anxious for no apparent reason. This is because as an empath or a highly sensitive person, you pick up a lot of stimuli from the surrounding environment, including the emotional states of others.

So their anxiety becomes yours, even when you have no reason to feel stressed. It is no coincidence that many studies point to a higher prevalence of mental disorders in urban areas.

3. Lack of greenery and natural materials
   Another neglected effect of city life is the lack of contact with nature. Well, it depends on which city you live in – some urban centers have lots of green spaces and beautiful parks. But one thing is clear – with increasing urbanization, humans are moving away from normal spaces.

In the world of concrete and asphalt, it is very easy to lose any connection with nature. We rarely consider the influence of the materials used in modern construction.

Yes, this material is very comfortable, but completely lifeless. Living in a modern multi-storey building is a completely different experience than living in a natural wooden or stone house.

Every empath and highly sensitive person knows how refreshing it can be to be in touch with nature. It feels like home, and you finally know you belong somewhere, as opposed to the devastating feeling of being cut off from everyone in the crowded city.

Spending some time in nature helps us recharge and feel good again. Sometimes just two days of camping can be more invigorating than a month in the fanciest hotel.

For this reason, most empaths and highly sensitive people are not interested in luxurious lifestyles and are more likely to dream of a simple life somewhere in the countryside.

In fact, studies confirm how important it is for humans to stay in touch with nature. However, it is very difficult to maintain this connection in the city.

4. Lots of people
   If you’re an empath, you know that spending just half an hour in a crowded place can be overwhelming. It is because you are sensitive to the energies and emotions of others even when you are not interacting with them but are simply around them.

Now, imagine a bustling city center in a densely populated metropolitan area, and you’ll get the empathy definition of hell. Crowds of restless, tense, angry people rushing into work they hate, feeling annoyed with each other, frustrated with life…

In the city, having too many people around you can disturb your peace of mind.

5. Electromagnetic radiation
   How many devices are we constantly surrounded by in the city (even when we’re not using them)? Today, you can hardly find a person who would live without a smartphone, computer and Wi-Fi. All the fruits of technological progress create an invisible field of electromagnetic radiation.

The effects of electromagnetic radiation on human health remains a controversial topic in the scientific literature. However, some studies show that exposure to low-frequency electromagnetic fields negatively affects human nerve functions, leading to sleep and mood disturbances.

Remember that we are talking about people who are highly sensitive to all kinds of stimuli from the environment, including various types of pollution and radiation. It is not surprising that this person is more susceptible to the potentially negative influence of electromagnetic fields.