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Skeptics

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    It's not exactly like being deaf. You won't get any sounds from most of your environment, but your body still produces sounds, some of which are quieter than normal ambient sounds, which your brain cancels out. Under these circumstances, your brain will no longer cancel them out and you will start hearing your own heartbeat, your muscles and tendons stretching, your clothes rubbing against your skin, your teeth clenching, the blood flowing in your ears, etc. Surely not everyone is going loonie under these circumstances, but I can imagine the huge discomfort which would lead to paranoia.
    – Vercas
    Commented Sep 4, 2015 at 12:11
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    I've worked in an anechoic chamber without too many issues, often for hours at a time. I have no idea what the longest stretch of time is, since I didn't track my coffee/bathroom breaks. But it was not a particularly unpleasant experience. It was certainly odd though.
    – drxzcl
    Commented Sep 4, 2015 at 14:15
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    The 1-hour record is claimed to be related to THAT specific anechoic chamber, not any anechoic chamber.
    – user28790
    Commented Sep 4, 2015 at 14:57
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    Anyone who cannot stand more than 45 minutes of total quiet has never been to a kids softplay.
    – Jamiec ♦
    Commented Sep 4, 2015 at 15:05
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    @LuciaBentivoglio - Hear hear! (no pun intended) The claim that you'll go crazy in an hour is specific to a single anechoic chamber, which is billed as the quietest room on earth. The claim may or may not be true, and it may or may not be true that the chamber in Minneapolis is the quietest room on the planet, but the "you'll go crazy" claim seems to be limited to that specific chamber, not anechoic chambers in general.
    – Wad Cheber
    Commented Sep 6, 2015 at 2:42