Chirping Bird Sound Helps Relax and Reduce Stress

Many people find it difficult to relax in nature, due to their busy lifestyle. Playing recordings of birdsong, rainfall, ocean waves and other nature sounds provides an easy way to reap some of the benefits of being in nature.

Multiple studies have found listening to the sound of birds chirping produces a positive effect and relieves stress and anxiety. An integrative Medicine Research has found that by listening to birdsong helps reduce heart rate and blood pressure among the patients undergoing a medical procedure. Other research has revealed a decrease in stress hormone cortisol and an increase in relaxation related brainwaves in response to bird sounds.

Morning Birdsong May be especially Beneficial

Few research indicates that listening to morning bird chorus might have greater stress-relieving effects than listening to birdsong recorded at other times of day. For example, a 2021 study measured blood pressure, a heart rat3e, and cortisol levels in people after they listened to morning birdsong or no sound upon waking up. The results revealed significantly greater reducion in the stress markers in the morning birdsong group.

Bird Species with lower Pitched Songs may Work best

Experts believe that lower pitched birdsongs might have greater relaxing qualities. This is because the lower frequencies are closer to human speech as well as music, thus enabling the sounds to better capture attention and shift brain activity towards a more relaxed state. For example, songs by mourning doves, great tits, and common blackbirds tend to be lower in pitch compared to those of songbirds like finches and warblers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mary Sagaya

[email protected]