A new study has found that traffic noise on the road can increase mental stress and anxiety by diminishing the positive effects of natural sounds.
Previous research had shown that sounds like birds chirping and other natural noises can help regulate blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing.
In this study, British researchers played three-minute-long tapes of both natural sounds and traffic noise to participants, before and after which they assessed the benefits, harms, and effects on people’s moods.
The researchers stated that the study suggests that natural sounds can reduce mental stress and anxiety, while human-made sounds, such as traffic noise, can negate these potential positive effects. Therefore, reducing traffic in cities is essential for allowing people to experience these positive impacts.
The study was jointly conducted by the University of the West of England and the Bat Conservation Trust, with the results published in the journal PLOS ONE.
The research found that when participants were exposed to natural sounds, their mental stress and anxiety decreased, and their mood improved. However, when the tape included traffic sounds, the benefits of the natural sounds were limited.
