In a study conducted by Christoph Randler and a team of researchers at the University of Tübingen, they found that people who enjoy a specific outdoor hobby usually live much more peaceful lives than the average person.

There’s something endearing about having a hobby that truly brings joy and calm into your life. Amid all the chaos around us, sometimes it’s good to have an old-fashioned hobby to indulge in that keeps you entertained and lets you engage with like-minded people. 

People who enjoy watching and listening to birds as a hobby usually live more peaceful lives.

Randler and his colleagues wanted to better study the relationship between well-being and the sounds in nature. They conducted an experiment in which 233 people walked through a park and found that experiencing nature and listening to natural sounds immediately relaxed them.

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In particular, watching birds and hearing their songs in a natural setting calmed participants. In order to measure the change, participants were asked to fill out questionnaires about their psychological well-being before and after a 30-minute walk in a botanical garden. Researchers also measured their blood pressure, heart rate, and cortisol levels to better understand the physiological effects of the walk on their state of mind.

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Researchers found that stress was reduced when listening to birds while walking in nature.

To gain a better understanding of how birds and their songs brought peace to study participants, researchers hung loudspeakers in the trees that played songs of rare bird species, including the golden oriole, tree pipit, garden warbler, and mistle thrush.

Participants were randomly split into five groups. The first and second groups went for a walk through the garden with the speakers on. The second group was also instructed to pay attention to birdsong.

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The third and fourth groups also walked through the garden, but they heard only natural bird songs and were instructed to pay attention to the birds around them. In all groups, blood pressure and heart rate dropped. Basically, paying attention to the birds and their songs had a major impact on stress levels.

The groups that focused specifically on the birds and their songs, as instructed, experienced even greater increases in well-being. The study found that a walk in nature is beneficial in and of itself, but the sounds of birds can further boost these benefits.

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Time spent in nature is good for overall well-being

According to Heather Eliassen of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, spending time outdoors has been linked to many physical and mental health benefits, including lower mortality. Eliassen explained that being in nature can improve sleep, lower blood pressure, and reduced risk of chronic disease.

“Green spaces can be destinations for walking or bicycling, as well as space for play, and among children, green-space exposure is linked to more playtime and less screen time,” she explained. “[Time spent outdoors] provides a combination of stimulation of different senses and a break from typical overstimulation from urban environments.”

You don’t need a huge time commitment, either. Even five minutes can make the biggest difference. And if that isn’t possible, how about just opening a window or setting up a bird feeder you can watch from a window or porch.

We can sometimes get caught up in the monotony of our routines: waking up, going to work, and immediately coming home to eat and watch TV. But even small, intentional moments with nature can really shift how we feel. You don’t need to go hiking through the forest, but as you walk to the mailbox or even just walk from the car to the door, take a moment to listen to the birds around you. Their songs could be the secret to a more peaceful and happy life.

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Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.