Previous research has found that time spent in green outdoor spaces can lower blood pressure and cortisol levels, Hammoud said. Nature - and birdsong - also reduce stress. Natural stimuli, such as birdsong, may allow us to engage in “ soft fascination,” which holds our attention but also allows it to replenish. One hypothesis on nature’s salubrious effects, known as the attention restoration theory, posits that being in nature is good for improving concentration and decreasing the mental fatigue associated with living in stressful urban environments. Previous research on the health effects of nature sounds found that they could even confer cognitive benefits, though the second study did not replicate that finding.Īdvertisement Why nature and birds may benefit usīirds help us feel more connected with nature and its health effects, Stobbe said, and the more connected we are to nature, the more we can benefit from those effects. The research shows the “healing aspects of nature, or also the not-so-positive effects of urban surroundings,” said Stobbe, an author of the second study. The ones you are seeing and hearing now are more likely to be encountered by our North American readers in their backyards.)īy contrast, listening to more or less diverse traffic noise worsened symptoms of depressive states. (This study was conducted in Europe, and the birds featured were also European. And those who listened to less diverse birdsongs (two bird species) also reported a significant decrease in feelings of anxiety and paranoia. Participants who listened to more diverse birdsongs (featuring the acoustic acrobatics of eight species) reported a decrease in depressive symptoms in addition to significant decreases in feelings of anxiety and paranoia. If a participant reported seeing or hearing birds at one point, their mental well-being was higher, on average, hours later even if they did not encounter birds at the next check-in. The benefits persisted well beyond the bird encounter. But the 26,856 assessments offered a rich data set of what is associated with mental well-being in real time in the real world.īy analyzing the data, the researchers found a significant positive association between seeing or hearing birds and improved mental well-being, even when accounting for other possible explanations such as education, occupation, or the presence of greenery and water, which have themselves been associated with positive mental health. The participants were not explicitly told that the researchers were looking at birds - the app was also collecting data about other vitals such as sleep quality, subjective assessment of air quality, and location details. In one study, researchers asked about 1,300 participants to collect information about their environment and well-being three times a day using a smartphone app called Urban Mind. It does not store any personal data.Meadowlark Being around birds is associated with better mental healthĮveryday encounters with the bird kind are associated with better mental health. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |