Nature Sounds Nature Music
However, the presence of natural sounds alongside noise in some instances can improve the perception of soundscape quality, promoting calmness and reductions in annoyance . Prominent, persistent natural sounds may confer additional health benefits by masking noise. Researchers compared the soothing effects of listening to sounds from a natural environment versus an artificial one and found that natural sounds produced more relaxation and stimulated the parasympathetic nervous system. This is the rest and digest part of the nervous system responsible for the balance and maintenance of the body’s systems, including getting quality sleep. And for individuals that had the most substantial amounts of stress, nature sounds induced the greatest levels of relaxation. Perhaps it’s a reminder of that relaxing vacation you took, or it’s just effective in drowning out environmental noise.
Breaking ocean waves might keep you alert for the next crash of water hitting land, while a steady waterfall soothes you right to sleep. Try out different sounds for a few nights at a time, and observe how your mind and body respond to the noise. If it’s stimulating—raising your heart rate, making you tap your toes, filling you with energy or a strong emotional reaction—keep searching for the soothing sleep sounds that are right for you.
In addition to being a major motivation for visiting parks , these natural soundscapes represent important resources to be protected and enhanced for both ecological and social benefits . The health benefits of exposure to nature are well documented (for a recent overview, see ref. 9). Here, we define human health broadly, encompassing physiological outcomes (e.g., stress) and potential psychological precursors along the pathway to health outcomes [e.g., preference ]. Two psychological theories explain the mechanistic basis of the restorative effects of exposure to nature , drawing heavily from the theory of evolution . Attention Restoration Theory centers on the ability of nature to replenish attention through unconscious, cognitive processes .
For the review, the researchers looked at 18 studies investigating the health benefits of natural sound; study participants listened to recordings of outdoor sounds in laboratory settings. Participants reported less stress and improved health outcomes, like decreased pain, after listening to recordings of nature sounds. Broad anthropogenic sound categories included aircraft, motorized vehicles, people talking, domestic animals, trains, and infrastructure maintenance (e.g., grounds care). We recognize that visitor conversation, laughter, and ranger interpretive sessions are intrinsic to park values and visitor experience. Yet, voices can also be noise in the context of experiencing natural sounds .
In a small 2012 study in the Journal of Theoretical Biology , researchers found that steady pink noise reduces brain waves, which increases stable sleep. A 2017 study in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience also found a positive link between pink noise and deep sleep. This recording features continuous sounds of rainfall with faint birdsong and gentle forest rustle.
The nervous system prepares to fight or flee a threatening situation by releasing the hormones Amazing views of our world cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenaline. These stress hormones make a good night’s sleep very difficult. Historically, soundscapes have been investigated in the context of the deleterious effects of noise . Natural soundscapes play a central role in urban environmental sustainability because they offer reduced exposure to adverse effects of noise to which urban populations are highly exposed . Thus, research increasingly focuses on evaluating the characteristics of soundscapes by quantifying their different components to manage soundscapes as a natural resource .