New research shows that one minute of familiar, local nature sounds releases stress and boosts the mood more effectively than exotic or tropical soundscapes, suggesting there’s an element of familiarity to the health benefits we get from nature.

Nature Soundscapes Boost Mood and Focus

The research, recently published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology, was conducted by researchers from several German institutions. Scientists were attempting to test whether diversity in animal sounds had an impact on the mental health benefits.

For the study, researchers played one-minute audio clips of forests to 195 students in Germany, with clips varying in the number of animal sounds and whether they came from local or tropical forests. Participants reportedly preferred nature sounds from the local forests, rather than those from distant locations.

The students were shown two soundscapes from local German forests and recordings from tropical forests in Thailand. Listening to the local forests made participants feel happier, less stressed, more focused, and evoked stronger feelings of awe.

Interestingly, more animal sounds seemed to boost the feelings of awe only when the sounds came from local forests. Researchers also noted that complex sounds without clear animal sources sometimes appeared to reduce positive feelings.

“If people, due to illness or mobility issues, cannot go outside listening to natural bird song, or if they have little access to green space, using recorded sounds can bring them benefits,” senior study author Aletta Bonn, a professor at Friedrich Schiller University Jena, told The Epoch Times.

Though listening to nature soundscapes can be beneficial for anyone, it’s particularly helpful for those living in big cities or who have mobility or health issues that prevent them from spending extended periods of time in nature.

“Taking time during lunch time or on your way to work, school, or when going shopping to make a detour through a park or some urban greenspace to experience nature is good for your well-being,” Bonn stated. “In our study, we could show that listening to bird sounds even for one minute can be a mood booster and alleviate stress.”