Masters of Health Magazine December 2022 | Page 103

Bird Songs Improve Health

by Steve Rees, Ret. RN, Harpist

A recent article in Dr. Mercola’s daily postings that attracted my attention was the review of studies that affirmed the value of wild bird songs for our physical and mental health. 

 

I believe it is important to understand the benefits of frequently connecting to Nature. In previous articles, I shared the value of quieting and the various sounds we encounter in Nature such as the wind, waves, and waterfalls. This article discusses the benefits of bird songs.

 

The melodic sound of birds chirping brings a smile to many people’s faces. It turns out these sweet melodies may yield lasting mental health benefits, according to research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London.  

The article goes on to explain the details of the research. “In the present study, we used the Urban Mind smartphone application to examine the impact of seeing or hearing birds on self-reported mental well-being in real-life contexts.

A sample of 1292 participants completed a total of 26,856 ecological momentary assessments between April 2018 and October 2021. Everyday encounters with birdlife were associated with time-lasting improvements in mental well-being.

These improvements were evident not only in healthy people but also in those with a diagnosis of depression, the most common mental illness across the world.”

Lorikeets, photo by Lady Carla Davis