Commuting poses new health risks, study says

Road traffic produces proven noise pollution global health risk in our increasingly industrialized world. Existing research He has connected with everything sleep disturbances and decrease work performanceto high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases. Now the scientists University of the West of England In Bristol, UK, a relationship between man-made sounds has been identified and amplified stress and anxiety. They even showed that traffic noise is drowning soothing and pleasant effects of nature sounds. Their findings were published in the journal Nov. 27 PLOS One.

The study involved nearly 70 people, who were asked to watch a one-minute “stress video” before rating their mood, stress, anxiety and hedonic toneor pleasure They then listened to a three-minute audio clip and re-evaluated their feelings. Each participant completed the experiment three times, responding to the following sounds after watching a video:

1. Nature soundscape with birdsong recorded at sunrise in West Sussex, UK
2. Same soundscape with 20 mph traffic noise recorded during morning rush hour in Bath, UK
3. Same soundscape with 40 mph traffic noise recorded during morning rush hour in Bath, UK

Compared to their initial stress-induced emotions, study subjects reported increased pleasure and reduced stress and anxiety after listening to the three soundscapes. How much their mood improved, however, depends on the audio clip.

Only nature’s soundscape was associated with lower average levels of stress and anxiety, the study’s authors note. previous research natural noise as a balm for mental fatigue. However, participants’ stress and anxiety increased when 20 mph traffic sounds were added, and increased again with 40 mph traffic sounds. Pleasure, which the researchers considered a marker of positive mood, increased when people only listened to nature sounds, but decreased after the 40 mph recording.

“Our study shows that listening to natural soundscapes reduces stress and anxiety, and that anthropogenic sounds, such as traffic noise, may mask potential positive effects,” the authors said in a news release about their study. “Reducing the speed of traffic in cities is therefore an important step towards allowing more people to experience the positive effects of nature on health and well-being.”

In addition to highlighting the negative effects of urban development and expansion on environmental conservation, the study urges policymakers to include green spaces to promote the mental and physical health of city dwellers.

The lack of demographic diversity is among the limitations of the study; most of the subjects were white, British women living and working in urban areas. They were between 18 and 42 years old. The researchers noted that future research should examine how people’s sociocultural backgrounds influence their responses to soundscapes, and whether more biodiverse soundscapes further improve mood. participants were diagnosed with or were taking drugs prescribed for psychiatric conditions such as anxiety and depression were excluded, the study did not measure how people with mood disorders might react to nature and traffic soundscapes.

How to tune in to the sounds of nature

Although it may be less in rural areas, it is difficult to completely escape road traffic noise. However, whether you’re aware of the racket’s effect on your mood or welcome it as soothing background noise, there are everyday ways to reap the mental health benefits of nature sounds:

• Listen to recordings of nature sounds. Perhaps the quickest fix for city dwellers. You can listen to it for a few minutes here and there during work breaks, or play noises throughout the night create a peaceful sleeping environment.
• Take a bath in the forest. They don’t have to be in a real forest; maybe you can go spirited walks from your nearest park.
• Exercise outside. Weather friendlyswap the treadmill for the pavement or try your hand at outdoor yoga.
• Bring your hobbies outside. Even as winter approaches, consider listening to nature while reading, journaling, drawing, painting, knitting, and more.
• Do a grounding exercise about nature. It might sound familiar 5-4-3-2-1 technique for dealing with anxietyin which you name five things you see, four you can touch, three you can hear, two you can smell, and one you can taste. For #3, try to choose nature sounds instead of traffic noises, such as a gust of wind against a window or leaves blowing from the sidewalk.
• Meditate in nature. If you can’t practice outdoors, put on your headphones and immerse yourself in the guided nature meditation.

If you need immediate mental health help, get in touch 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

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