This unmistakable sound, internalized during your vacation, is linked to a sense of well-being that can be triggered by merely hearing it again. The sound of the sea also awakens positive memories, such as of past holidays. »Such sounds are incredibly awakening and have the power to take us immediately to another place,« explains Cheryl Tipp (5), sound curator of the British Library. By the way, it doesn’t always have to be birdsong but can also include sounds from other animals. »It doesn’t stay in your head and annoy you, but it doesn’t let you fall asleep or get bored either,« says Russell Jones of the creative agency Condiment Junkie (4). Natural audio like this works so well because it consists of many random sounds without a repetitive rhythm or pattern to focus on. The chorus at dawn signals the beginning of the day and stimulates us cognitively,« explains Treasure (4). The chirping of birds is therefore nature’s alarm clock. When birds stop singing, people need to worry. Over thousands of years, they have learned that when birds sing, they are safe. »People find the twittering of birds relaxing and calming. According to Julian Treasure of The Sound Agency, the sound of birds triggers physical relaxation and cognitive stimulation. This means that it will become increasingly more difficult to relax in nature – even when we make a conscious effort to do so. In the next 20 to 30 years it could even double or triple (3). Over several years, the researcher investigated American national parks and found that their noise levels increased significantly due to engine noise and air traffic (6). On the other hand, our surrounding is becoming louder and louder. On the one hand, we use headphones and block out potentially relaxing ambient sounds. Mindfulness is the keyword here – to concentrate on oneself and to eliminate external, energy-consuming disturbances.īut Kurt Fristrup, a scientist at the United States National Park Service, sees nature’s soundscape as threatened to a certain extent. The chirping of birds, as well as your own breath, can have a relaxing effect. carelessnessĮxperts therefore recommend listening to the natural soundscape while running instead of being distracted with music through headphones (1). And what’s more, relaxing sounds can even stimulate creativity and the ability to concentrate while promoting the strength and energy to solve problems. While water splashing, birdsong, and the like are perceived as rather pleasant and thus contribute to inner relaxation and stress reduction, artificial sounds often have a disharmonious effect, creating a hectic atmosphere that can distract your attention (1).Ī study by Stockholm University confirms that natural sounds can relieve psychological stress and have a relaxing effect (2). Natural sounds stimulate the brain differently than artificial sounds. This is evident when consuming such auditory stimuli. Thus a connection to nature and its sounds is anchored in our genes. So if you spend a lot of time in nature, you can also benefit from the effect of its melodies.Īnd this is exactly where our evolutionary origin lies: after all, our ancestors spent most of their time outdoors. The best thing about the sound of nature is that it’s free – while walking with your partner, family, or friends, on your way to work or to the supermarket… anytime you’re outdoors, really. And they all positively impact our well-being. How nature’s melodies contribute to our well-beingīirds chirping in the morning, the sound of the sea from a shell, splashing water in the shower, a playlist of whale songs – all these moments have one thing in common: they contain sounds of nature.
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