Depressed minds may heal faster when listening to birds

The findings, published in Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, add to growing evidence that the sounds of nature play a meaningful role in emotional recovery and stress regulation. Previous research often grouped birdsong with other sounds of nature, such as running water or rustling leaves, making it difficult to isolate its effects. The Zhejiang team sought to address that gap.

Researchers recruited 187 university students, dividing them into four groups based on their depressive symptom levels and the type of intervention they received: listening to birdsong or participating in a guided mindful breathing exercise. The study followed a structured design, including three six-minute stages: a baseline rest, a sadness induction through emotional film clips, and the intervention phase.

Throughout the experiment, participants’ heart rate variability was continuously monitored using electrocardiogram signals, providing insight into how their nervous systems responded to emotional stress and recovery. They also reported how pleasant, intense, and controllable their emotions felt after each stage.

Both birdsong and mindfulness exercises were found to significantly reduce feelings of sadness. Participants in both groups reported feeling calmer, more positive, and more in control after the six-minute sessions. The mindful breathing exercise slightly outperformed birdsong in improving overall emotional pleasantness, but the physiological data told a more complex story.

For participants without depressive symptoms, mindful breathing better stabilized heart rate fluctuations, a sign of emotional regulation. However, for those with depressive symptoms, listening to birdsong had a stronger effect on stabilizing their physiological responses. Researchers believe this may be because birdsong requires less mental effort, making it easier for people struggling with depression, who often find cognitive tasks more demanding, to benefit from the experience.

The researchers note that the study was conducted in a controlled laboratory setting with a relatively homogenous sample of university students. Future studies could explore whether similar effects are found in broader age groups and cultural contexts, as well as the potential long-term benefits of repeated exposure.

Further investigation into specific features of birdsong, such as pitch, rhythm, and complexity, could also help pinpoint what makes certain sounds more effective in promoting calm and resilience.

Earlier, Kazinform News Agency reported that the researchers discovered nutrient linked to depression.