Hot off the press - new ‘Soundscapes’ paper published
The first in a series of papers from our
SENSES project.
Listening to Nature Boosts Mood and Cognition
A new study from our team reveals that simply hearing nature can improve psychological wellbeing. In two carefully controlled laboratory experiments, participants were exposed to 30 minutes of forest or industrial sounds while researchers measured mood, cognition, and physiological markers. The results showed that forest acoustics – recorded in a UK temperate rainforest with birdsong, flowing water and rainfall – enhanced mood, restoration, and cognitive performance compared to urban industrial sounds, though no effects were found for stress or immune biomarkers. These findings suggest that the sounds of nature alone can meaningfully support mental wellbeing, offering a promising avenue for accessible, sound-based nature interventions for people with limited access to green spaces.
