Birdsong has a positive impact on mood, calming and lowering blood pressure naturally. But everything is nullified by traffic noise, which causes anxiety and stress. This is now demonstrated by a study led by the University of the West of England (United Kingdom). And it makes us reflect a lot on what we are doing to ourselves too
Artificial sounds such as vehicular traffic can nullify the positive impact of natural soundson people’s stress and anxiety, making us nervous and irritable: research led by University of the West of England (UK) makes us think a lot about what we are doing to ourselves too.
Previous research had already scientifically proven that natural sounds, such as birdsong, can lower blood pressureheart and breathing rates, as well as stress and anxiety.
Unfortunately, however, all these beneficial effects can be completely eliminated canceled out by anthropogenic soundssuch as traffic or aircraft noise, with negative effects on human health and well-being.
In the new study, 68 student volunteers listened to three 3-minute sounds: the first, natural, recorded at dawn in West Sussex (UK), then the same soundscape combined with road traffic sounds at 32 km/h, finally still the same in traffic but at 65 km/h. General mood and anxiety were assessed before and after using predefined scales.
The results showed that listening to natural sounds reduced self-reported levels of stress and anxiety and improved mood recovery after some stressor. But all these benefits were limited when traffic sounds were included. Natural sound alone was also associated with lower levels of stress and anxietywith the highest ones reported after listening to sound that included traffic, especially heavy traffic.
The authors therefore conclude that the reduction of traffic speed in urban areas it could affect human health and well-being not only through its impacts on safety, but also through its effect on natural sounds.
Our study demonstrates that listening to natural sounds can reduce stress and anxiety and that anthropogenic sounds such as traffic noise can mask potential positive impacts – conclude the authors – Reduce traffic speed in cities it is therefore an important step for people to experience the positive effects of nature on their health and well-being
The results, perhaps intuitive, but never scientifically demonstrated before, really make you think. And they should push humans to act.
The work was published on PLOS ONE.
Sources: EurekAlert / PLOS ONE
