Spending Time with Birds Improves 8 Hours of Mental Well-being, Research Shows

Spending time with birds is linked to improved mental well-being that may last up to eight hours, according to current studies from King's College London.

This improvement was also seen in people who had been diagnosed with depression, the most widespread mental illness in the world, indicating a potential benefit of birdlife for people with mental health issues.

The study collected real-time reports of people's mental health along with reports of seeing birds or hearing birdsong using the smartphone application Urban Mind.

The Medical Research Council (MRC), the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration South London, and the Maudsley Biomedical Research Center, all provided funding for this project.

Birds and Birdsongs

Ryan Hammoud, a research assistant from King's College London - Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), said that the advantages of being in nature for mental health are becoming more and more clear.

The group has an innate belief that the sound of birdsong and the presence of birds will uplift our spirits. However, there hasn't been much research done to actually examine how birds affect mental health in the present and in an actual environment.

They have demonstrated for the first time, using the Urban Mind app, the connection between hearing or seeing birds and feeling good.

They are hoping that this proof will show how crucial it is to safeguard and promote bird-friendly environments, both for biodiversity and for people's mental health. Hammoud is the lead author of the research

1,292 Participants, 26,856 Assessments

The Urban Mind app, created by King's College London, together with landscape architects J&L Gibbons, as well as arts foundation Nomad Projects, was used by 1,292 participants to complete 26,856 assessments.

Globally, participants were sought out, with the majority coming from the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom.

In order for researchers to establish a relationship between the two and determine how long this relationship lasted, participants were asked three times per day whether they were able to see or hear birds, preceded by questions on their mental well-being.

Hearing or seeing birdlife was linked to improvements in mental well-being for both healthy individuals and those with depression, according to the study, which also gathered data on the diagnoses of conditions on mental health that are currently in use. Researchers found that co-occurring environmental factors, such as the presence of plants, trees, or waterways, did not account for the associations between birds and mental health, King's College London News Centre reports.

Ecosystem Services

Andrea Mechelli, a professor of Early Intervention in Mental Health at King's College London, said that the benefits of specific features of the natural environment on human physical and mental health are frequently referred to as ecosystem services. It can be challenging to demonstrate these advantages scientifically, though.

Their research offers support for the development of and funding for bird-friendly biodiverse spaces, as there is a clear connection between these factors and mental health. Additionally, the results are in favor of taking steps to increase chances for people to see birds, especially for those who are dealing with mental health issues like depression. Mechelli is the senior author of the study.

Daily Dose of Nature

Jo Gibbons, a research collaborator and a landscape architect from J & L Gibbons, noted that almost everyone paid attention to the complex melodies of the dawn chorus in the early hours of a spring morning. a multi-sensory encounter that seems to improve everyday life, no matter how we're feeling or where we are.

This fascinating study supports how much listening to and seeing birds sing can uplift one's mood. It captures fascinating proof that such a biodiverse environment is healing for mental health. Gibbons added that those daily "doses" of nature are valuable and long-lasting and that they include the sensual stimulation of birdsong, Science Daily reports.

This study was published in Scientific Reports.