Why Birds Are Good For Us…
Many of us take it for granted that “being out in nature” is good for us. When it comes down to daily life though, being out for a walk or sitting in a green space, enjoying the sun, the clouds, the birds, can almost feel a little self-indulgent? Perhaps you have one of those internal voices that protests, “You should be doing this…. or you really should be doing that”. Research communities around the world have some good news for you!
As scientists continue serious studies to measure what happens in our bodies and minds during nature experiences, many are focused on our interaction with birds. Birds are set apart as influential is because their engaging and energetic presence really stands out in our natural landscapes.
- On the biochemical level: Studies centered in both urban and country settings found conclusive evidence that listening to birds singing, cheeping, tweeting and chirping resulted in measurable lowering of blood pressure, enhanced immune function and a lessening of stress hormones. Cortisol, a hormone which is secreted when we are under stress, was lowered while serotonin production increased. Serotonin not only helps elevate mood and alleviate depression, but also affects digestion and memory.
- Other studies on the effect of natural sounds highlighted birdsong on cognitive function and mood. The improvement in the ability to think (cognitive function) and positive emotional effects were significant.
- Focusing on people’s ability to concentrate, an intensive research team definitively connected improved concentration, attention span and clearer thinking resulting from regular contact with the natural world. There are now groups within academia, including medical students, who are packing binoculars in with their textbooks because birdwatching breaks are included in their curriculum.
A little understanding of why this happens can make the studies more real to us. Some of the answer may be in human’s unconscious evolutionary responses. Our nervous system has 2 main parts – one activates a fight of flight response and the other restores the body to a state of calm. The fight or flight response keeps your body “switched on” and ready for action, which is good, but needs to be balanced with the restorative state of calm.
It is natural to wake up in the morning with high levels of the stress hormone, cortisol; it is nature’s way to get us up and out of bed. If we grab a cup of coffee and run out the door into the stress and tension of the day, the fight or flight portion of our nervous system continues to predominate.
The opposite effect happens when we have the opportunity to relax into nature and the sound of birdsong. This is an evolutionary response to deeply ingrained knowledge that birds are keenly attuned to their surroundings. They sing only when the environment is a safe zone, free of danger. Birdsong stimulates primal, instinctual-level signals to our nervous system and our bodies move into the calm, restorative state.
Taking it a step further: There is a research team who found parallels between beekeepers and dedicated birdwatchers. While individuals are deeply absorbed in these activities, an intense concentration occurs and with it, a sense of total involvement and feeling of mastery -comparable to what athletes feel when they are “in the zone”. This mental state of “enhanced performance” is really available to all of us, without the need to run a marathon – all you need to do is lose yourself in birdwatching. The added bonus is the joy of deep emotional and physiological connection with other living entities.
Wishing you all the best in your journeys into the world of birds and nature.