It has become common knowledge that listening to the quiet sounds of nature could have very positive effects on your health. Dozens of apps and streaming playlists nowadays are dedicated purely to recorded sounds of rivers, falling rain and gentle waves.
But has research really been done to verify this? As far as recent studies go, the answer is still yes.
What makes natural sounds work?
The answer to this question lies not in the ear, but the brain. Your ears are simply there to receive the vibrations from sound and transmit signals for the brain to then process. And across the several million years of human evolution, the brain has developed its ability to focus and filter sounds, as well as associate concepts with them.
But when it comes to relaxing, natural sounds, they have a lot of innate qualities that make them conducive to improving health. Here are just some of them.
1. Natural sounds are peaceful.
This is more evident when one is actually walking in nature. When you hear nothing but the casual, constant rustle of leaves or the faint twittering of birds, the brain is generally wired to relax. This is because, despite all technological advances, the brain is still more likely to expend energy processing sounds that don't quite fit with the rest of what they are hearing. It is one of our oldest evolutionary defense mechanisms, but it also comes with the cost of increased stress and likelier exhaustion.
2. Natural sounds are passive.
Even when you are listening to the sounds actively, your brain is not really doing as much as work. Natural sounds are mostly at a frequency that are a lot less stimulating, which is good if you want your body to simply relax and recover from a very exhausting day. The lack of stimulation is also good for getting you to move at your own pace. There is no external pressure or threat hammering at your eardrums for attention.
3. Natural sounds help with sleep and recovery.
The lack of loud auditory stimulation makes it easier for the brain to get into sleep mode. It has been proven many times that the body's ability to regenerate and repair is far more active when our brains are less so. While the reason why this happens is still a mystery, but what is clear is that the lack of constant auditory processing and stimulation means an easier time getting a needed rest.
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How natural sounds influence urban design
If there is one more thing that demonstrates the healthy benefits of nature's sounds, then it would be its polar opposite. Noise pollution (usually in urban living) is often associated with higher risks of heart disease, higher blood pressure and poorer sleeping habits.
That is why many national park designers and nature reserve experts are paying closer attention to the proximity of cities and roads. Many have found that greater distances and natural noise buffers greatly improve the quality of life in a natural environment. So if the lack of noise can help an entire ecosystem grow, then it can certainly help your health!
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