Feeling Down? LISTEN TO BIRDSONG
Feeling anxious or depressed? Under stress and bugged by negative thoughts? Listen to birdsong. Studies show that birds’ melodic songs is a salve for the soul. To get this benefit, it’s best to spend time in nature.
Nature is therapeutic in many ways. Getting outdoors keeps your body active. Spending time in the forest lowers your stress, heart rate, and blood pressure. Gazing at vivid wildflowers in peak bloom can elicit awe, a distinct sense of wonder that makes you – and the problems swirling inside your head – feel like a small piece of something immeasurably vast.
And listening to birds sing? Science says it soothes your brain. National Geographic, in a recent article (15 May 2025), highlighted research which shows how birdsong bolsters our mental health.
In a 2022 study in the journal Scientific Reports, 1,300 people logged information about their environment and how they were feeling 3 times a day for 2 weeks. When they reported seeing or hearing birds, they had a significantly better sense of mental well-being. The mental health boost from bird encounters lingered for hours.
Another 2022 study published in the same journal highlighted the contrast between listening to the sounds of nature versus urban environments. Among 295 participants, those who listened to 6 minutes of birdsong through headphones reported feeling less depressed, anxious, and paranoid.
And the more vibrant the birdsong, the better: Reduced depression was specifically linked to hearing a variety of species singing together compared to those who only listened to the songs of 2 species. Participants who were subjected to 6 minutes of traffic noise, unsurprisingly, felt more depressed.
Why Birdsong Soothes Our Brains
Many experts believe birdsong signals safety. If all the birds stop singing, the forest will be suspiciously quiet – a cue that there may be a predator or danger around. Birdsong is thus reassuring, a reliable sign that the world is at ease so we need not be on edge and can relax.
Tuning into birds is also a form of mindfulness, because it roots you in the present moment, says Cindy Frantz, social and environmental psychologist and chair of psychology at Oberlin College and Conservatory.
Being in community with nature delights your senses with what scientists have dubbed “soft fascination”, meaning it captures your attention but doesn’t overload it. The sights, smells, and sounds of the outdoors are starkly delicate compared to flashing lights and blaring horns.
Watching tree buds unravel, soaking in the smell after rain, hearing the gentle coo of a mourning dove: “Maybe it just makes us feel like we’re actually living,” says Clinton Francis, an associate professor who researches avian and evolutionary ecology at California Polytechnic State University’s biological sciences department.
Recordings of birdsong can also benefit your mental health, but experts say nothing compares to experiencing the real thing. So the next time you’re hit by the blues and want to restore your spirit, head out to nature and pay attention to birds’ playful chirps, buzzy whistles, and whimsical calls.