Mood Changing Sounds of Nature

Can you believe that a ‘chirpy’ bird can lift your mood and make you feel more chirpy?

I’m not talking about the call of a crow or the scream of Curlews, both enough to make you annoyed, especially as they flock in packs outside your window in the middle of the night! The sound of a kookaburra laughing is infectious, the fun guys, sentimental Australiana at its best and listening to a kookaburra laughing in the old gum tree, always puts a smile on my face.

Mental Health Benefits of Nature.

To quote author Ryan Hammoud of King’s College London. “There’s growing evidence on the mental health benefits of being around nature and we intuitively think that the presence of birdsong and birds would help lift our mood, however, there is little research that has investigated the impact of birds on mental health.” By using the Urban Mind App, has for the first time has shown the direct link between seeing or hearing birds and positive mood.” People were asked to use the Urban Mind App to register how they felt when they heard the birds chirping and the information showed that their mood improved when they heard birds chirping.

Bird Chatter, Tweeting and Singing.

I have friends who keep birds as pets and the happiness the birds bring from listening to their chatter is noticeable. Since reading the research on bird song, chirping,  I have taken more notice of the effect of bird sound has on my own mood when taking in the sounds of birds and it’s definitely uplifting.

A close friend, always remarked on how the absence of birds was noticeable where she lived in Hong Kong and how much she loved listening to the birds when she came home to Noosa, where there’s an abundance of birds singing. While some birds are great little characters with personality plus, their chatter, tweeting, chirping songs are great to uplift a mood, while the cooing of pigeons and sing song of other birds is more calming.

Finding Your Nature Sounds.

If the sound of birds does not resonate with you, the sound of the ocean might be a better choice for relaxation. Waves lapping on the seashore is a popular choice for soothing the mind. Sitting on a beach usually represents relaxation, warmth and sunshine. If you can’t go to the beach yourself, listening to the sound of waves can take you there and either way it’s going to have a soothing effect on your mind.

I find the sound of a tropical rain forest and the birds it attracts, lifts my mood and calms my mind. I have a great connection to ‘green therapy’ surrounded by trees, I love being in a garden and a great believer in earthing. It’s no surprise that I built a Day Spa surrounded by tropical gardens, as I am lulled to another world when immersed in or listening to sounds of the breeze through the palms and sound of bamboo crackling as it bends, running streams, rain drops on big leaves and the sound of birds who love to live in the dappled light of a rainforest makes me happy.

We know that nature provides an environment conducive to our mental and physical wellbeing and the popularity of nature sounds used as aids for sleep, meditation and calming the mind make a difference to one’s wellbeing. An enhanced mood from nature is well documented and now we have research reporting that you can feel chirpy when you listen to birds.

Nature sounds do have a profound effect on our psyche and it’s worth taking note how the sounds of nature help lift or calm your mood. We can feel wistful to the sound of the wind in trees and feel soothed by the sound of soft waves. Mood enhancement from nature is well documented and now we have research reporting that you can feel chirpy when you listen to birds.

If you can’t be immersed in nature, download some nature sounds to play as they are still very effective for your mood and wellbeing. Take time to enjoy sitting outside in a garden, park or maybe a balcony close to trees, close your eyes and tune into the sound of birds chirping to make you feel chirpy too.

Katrina – Owner ikatan Spa Noosa