Spending time in nature has long been linked to better mental health, but scientists are still learning exactly why.
A new study from North Carolina State University suggests that both what we see and what we hear can make a big difference to how we feel. The research was published in the journal Environmental Conservation.
Many people live in busy cities filled with traffic, construction, and other loud noises. At the same time, parks and natural areas often offer birdsong, trees, and quieter surroundings.
Researchers wanted to know how these different sights and sounds work together to influence stress and emotional well-being.
The study asked volunteers to wear noise-canceling headphones while sitting in one of two places.
One location was a reclaimed nature trail surrounded by greenery, while the other was a busy urban area dominated by roads and buildings. The participants listened to either recordings of birds singing or recordings of traffic, and the combinations were randomly assigned.
After each session, participants answered questions about their emotions, stress levels, and how refreshed they felt. Feeling mentally refreshed after spending time somewhere is known as restorativeness and is often used by scientists to measure how well an environment helps people recover from mental fatigue.
The results were clear. People sitting in the natural setting while listening to birdsong experienced the biggest improvements. Positive feelings increased, negative emotions fell, stress levels dropped, and participants reported feeling much more refreshed.
The opposite pattern appeared when people sat in the busy city environment while listening to traffic noise. They reported more negative feelings and less mental recovery. When the surroundings and sounds did not match, such as hearing birds in the city or traffic in nature, the effects were more moderate.
Lead author Professor Nils Peterson said the findings show that natural sights and sounds work together to support mental health. The study also suggests that cities may become healthier places if planners include more green spaces, trees, and natural soundscapes instead of allowing traffic noise to dominate.
Previous research has also found that spending time in parks, forests, or near water can improve mood, reduce stress hormones, and increase attention. Birdsong, flowing water, and rustling leaves may help the brain relax because they signal a safe and calming environment.
This study strengthens the growing evidence that nature can play an important role in mental well-being.
However, the research measured people’s immediate reactions after short visits, so it does not show whether the benefits last over months or years.
Future studies involving larger groups and different natural settings will help scientists understand how cities can best use nature to improve public health.
If you care about mental health, please read studies that vegetarian diet may increase your depression risk, and Vitamin D could help reduce depression symptoms.
For more health information, please see recent studies about why pizza is a very addictive food, and MIND diet could improve cognitive health in older people.
Source: North Carolina State University.
