Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany explored how different sound environments affect mood and mental health. Their findings suggest that listening to birdsong may help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, while urban traffic noise tends to raise these feelings. The study was published in Scientific Reports and involved a diverse group of participants to understand how everyday sounds influence emotional well-being.
Across the study, 296 adults with no prior mental health diagnoses participated. They were randomly assigned to four listening conditions. In one group, participants heard a wide variety of traffic sounds. In another group, they were exposed to a lower diversity of traffic noise. A third group listened to a range of bird sounds, and a final group heard bird songs with limited variety. The sounds were played at a moderate level of 80 percent volume for six minutes, a duration chosen to reflect common exposure times in urban life.
To gauge immediate psychological responses, participants completed standardized questionnaires before and after the listening sessions. The results showed a clear association: urban traffic noise correlated with heightened feelings of depression, while bird-related sounds correlated with lower anxiety and paranoid thoughts. Interestingly, the diversity of traffic sounds amplified negative mood in those exposed to traffic noise. In contrast, the variety of bird chirping did not produce the same amplification effect, suggesting different mechanisms at work for natural sounds versus man-made noise.
The authors highlighted the potential value of birdsong as a non-pharmacological tool for managing anxiety and depressive symptoms. They suggested that incorporating natural acoustic environments into daily life or therapeutic settings might support mental health, particularly in urban areas where people are routinely exposed to traffic noise. The study underscores the importance of soundscapes in shaping emotional states and opens avenues for further research on acoustic interventions that improve well-being across diverse populations.
While these findings offer promising directions, the researchers noted that real-world settings involve many variables beyond controlled listening sessions. Factors such as personal noise tolerance, indoor versus outdoor environments, and individual associations with birds or traffic can influence outcomes. Nevertheless, the study contributes to a growing body of evidence that soundscape design can play a meaningful role in supporting mental health alongside existing treatments and lifestyle approaches.