Birdsong may offer more than a pleasant soundtrack on a walk. Studies have linked it to improved mood and lower anxiety, but new research shows those effects can diminish when traffic noise is audible.
According to research highlighted by Jalopnik, a study published by the British Ecological Society found that even background traffic noise can sharply reduce the psychological benefits associated with natural soundscapes.
Here's what to know
In the experiment, participants listened to nine recordings made with different combinations of birdsong and traffic noise. The University of Surrey team collected reaction reports online from more than 1,500 people, and a separate group of 63 participants listened while wearing heart-rate monitors.
Across those soundscapes, birdsong was associated with psychological benefits regardless of how loud or complex the natural sounds were. But those gains declined once traffic noise became noticeable, and the heart-rate monitor group also showed stress responses after traffic noise was added.
The results aligned with earlier research, including a 2022 study published in Scientific Reports that found birdsong can benefit mood, cognition, and anxiety.
More background
Noise pollution has been linked to problems such as hearing loss, anxiety, poor sleep, and memory trouble, and the Surrey study shows that even low levels of traffic noise may affect stress in ways people do not always recognize.
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The stress response appeared even when traffic noise remained below the daytime limit set by the World Health Organization.
Roads, air traffic, shipping, and off-road vehicle use have made silence hard to find in many parts of the world. By some estimates, noise pollution in Europe costs about one million healthy life years every decade.
The study adds to a growing body of evidence that indicates protecting access to nature is not only about preserving trees and open space but also about protecting the sounds, and the silence, that make those places restorative.
Where can I learn more?
Articles below look at birdsong and bird-watching as mood boosters along with the health and learning effects of traffic noise.
• On TikTok, a woman's birdsong comfort ritual has resonated with people managing anxiety.
• Scientists warn that traffic noise exposure may carry risks comparable to secondhand smoke.
• Among birders, time spent listening outdoors is increasingly tied to calmer moods.
• In New York City, traffic noise near schools has been linked to learning concerns.
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