This Is One Of The Most Soothing Sounds That Can Help You Feel Better Throughout The Day
As many of us search for small tweaks to our routines to make the days more exciting, music has offered a welcome relief to the sometimes-monotonous routine of 2021. While some employ various anxiety-relieving techniques, music can also offer relief while helping you feel focused. From waterfall sounds to classical melodies, the type of tunes that you choose can make a big difference in your mood. But, when it comes to feeling at peace, one type of sound outshines the rest.
Those cooing birds outside of your window may be doing more for your state of mind than you think — studies show that these chirps offer the most restorative vibrations of any nature sound, The Guardian reports. While many who have studied natural well-being are well versed in the benefits of contact with nature, simply adding these sounds to your morning even while you're indoors offers holistic recovery attributes. The Guardian reports that birdsong reduces stress and assists in focusing one's attention and feeling renewed — not a bad playlist addition after all.
Apparently, when you turn on a chorus of birdsongs — in the forest, at the ocean, or whatever location your playlist takes you to — you're likely hearing the mating calls of various species. The Guardian notes that listening to the sounds of birds has scientific evidence of improving the way that you feel, no matter the time of day. Furthermore, having birdsong playing in the background can make focusing much easier, whereas music with lyrics can take away from your ability to stay present, the BBC contends.
The reasons behind birdsongs' health benefits stem from evolution
Beyond just helping you feel focused and alert, listening to these types of sounds actually allows your body to feel safe. The BBC reports that bird-chirping melodies produce a "body relaxed, mind alert" state that many seek to create in their daily lives.
"People find birdsong relaxing and reassuring because over thousands of years they have learned when the birds sing they are safe, it's when birds stop singing that people need to worry," Julian Treasure, author of Sound Business and chairman of noise consultancy, The Sound Agency, told the BBC. "Birdsong is also nature's alarm clock, with the dawn chorus signaling the start of the day, so it stimulates us cognitively."
This simultaneous relaxing-but-alert response may help you sail through your day with less resistance and a higher level of mental prowess. Birdsong provides no rhyme or reason and no beat to focus on while you work — it simply soothes, BBC notes. Rather than redirecting your energy toward following the pattern of the music, bird songs provide a naturally random tune. The outlet reports that, when used in children's schools and hospitals, songs of birds aid in reduction of stress as well as an increase in the students' concentration levels.
Next time you're looking for music to play during work, play, sleep or meditation, turn on the bird tunes!