ITV News: ‘Being around birds ‘linked to mental well-being boost’.

October 28, 2022

The sound of the dawn chorus or a blackbird singing at dusk leaves an impression with many of us – we’ve instinctively suspected how beneficial nature can be for us, but scientists say that’s now official and that being around birds (and listening to their song) gives our mental well-being a boost.

Listen to this – who couldn’t feel a little bit better after such beautiful bird song.

https://anchor.fm/haiths/episodes/Bonus-Bird-song---Mental-well-being-boost--Morning-chorus-e1pmdle

Catching a glimpse of a goldfinch or sighting a swift in the summer gives our mental health a boost whether you realise it or not. A robin, for many, is a welcome sign of a loved one.

Spending time with nature helps our wellbeing for up to eight hours, according to scientists.

Their findings, published in the journal Scientific Reports, come from real-time reports of participants from all over the world, many having been diagnosed with depression.

Volunteers were asked three times a day whether they could see or hear birds, followed by questions on mental wellbeing, and the results found that seeing and hearing bird life was associated with improvements in mental wellbeing.

The study also discovered that the same positive results happened in healthy people with a boost in mood lasting around eight hours.

Lead author Ryan Hammond, research assistant at IoPPN, King’s College London, said: “There is growing evidence on the mental health benefits of being around nature and we intuitively think that the presence of birdsong and birds would help lift our mood”.

We love nature here at Haith’s and encourage our team members to spend time outdoors as much as possible. We have created a wildlife garden and wellness area for lunchtimes and actively take an interest in the wildlife that surrounds us, both at work and home. Many of our photos on social media and website, have been taken by employees in their own garden or local parks.

You can listen to bird song recorded locally by Haith’s Simon King here https://anchor.fm/haiths/episodes/Bonus-Bird-song---Lincolnshire-Wolds-e1pmdle - it’s gorgeous birdsong recorded in the Lincolnshire Wolds, as part of our Naturespace with Haith’s podcast.

Join us on the podcast and our journey with nature, we have regular updates from handpicked guests who love nature as much as we do.