How Birds Can Help Your Mental Health (You Won't Even Have To Leave The House)

Bob Frewin on Unsplash" />A singing wren bird.Sometimes, when you’re in the midst of a painful mental spiral and can’t quite face going further than outside of your front door, a good hit of fresh air can help a little.Not cure you, not fix the problems you’re facing. Just a fresh, free reprieve from the tough headspace that you’re in.It’s not a placebo effect, either. In fact, research has found that exposing your lungs to fresh air, and the scents of flowers and plants, can help to relieve stress and anxiety.As if that wasn’t reassuring enough, it turns out that the birds we hear chirping can actually be helping our mental health, too.How birdsong can benefit our mental wellbeingClinton Francis authored a study on this very subject back in 2020 and said he thinks it comes down to feeling ‘safe’ when you can hear birds. Speaking to National Geographic, the scientist said, “Imagine feeling on edge as you walk through a suspiciously quiet forest [and] you realise that all the birds have stopped singing.“That’s a cue that there may be a predator or other source of danger around. So it could be that birdsong, over our history, has been a reliable cue that the world is at ease and we can be relaxed.”Additionally, a 2022 study published in the journal Scientific Reports found that when participants reported seeing or hearing birds, they had a significantly better sense of mental well-being.This was even after the researchers accounted for the benefits of being near green and blue spaces (like seeing trees or hearing water). The mental health boost from bird encounters lingered for hours too.How to attract birds to your gardenWhile you may not have a lot of garden space or even only have a balcony or windowsill, you can attract birds to your space to hear some of their healing music.The Woodland Trust recommends the following steps:Set up bird feeders. These can be tall ones in the ground or even ones that attach to your windowIf possible, leave out water for drinking and bathingSet up nest boxes Plant bird-friendly plants: “Berry-rich trees and shrubs like rowan, hawthorn, guelder rose and holly are all great natural food sources and also help to provide shelter”Related...These Are The Major Trends Influencing Baby Names In 2025Brits Warned To Stop Feeding 'Toxic' Food To Birds (And It's Not Bread)So THAT's Why Birds Sing Louder In The Morning

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