Cognitive performance and sound in a healthy building interior
What is the connection between sound and wellness in healthy buildings?
All of the body’s senses can be used one way or another in order to alter a person’s physical and mental wellbeing but hearing is a main sense that is often targeted first because of the many benefits that can arise from minimal intervention.
A healthy building concept on the rise is that of sound wellness - using soundscapes or acoustic environments such as nature sounds. These can be played through apps or streamed via a website or software platform.
Mental health benefits of nature sounds or ‘biophilic sounds’
What is meant by a sound “working” or not can be seen through physiological and behavioral changes. For example, listening to sounds of nature (biophilic sounds) has been proven to increase mood, improve focus, promote sleep, help relaxation, and just overall ensure a boost in mental wellbeing.
Natural sounds can alter the brain connections that trigger fight or flight response and therefore calm our systems down, implicating that no perceived threats are around. The mellow birdsongs or serene waves tell the body that things are fine and there is no immediate threat which, in turn, reduces stress and the cognitive load that is associated with a heightened alertness.
Even though there are different types of nature sounds that range from rustling of trees to crashing of waves, the nature (no pun intended) of the sounds does not seem to matter but rather varies from person to person based on familiarity.
For instance, rusting trees may cause more benefits for someone who grew up surrounded by trees than they would for someone who grew up by the ocean. There appears to be a level of familiarity or nostalgia that goes into the effectiveness of certain sounds.
So even though initiatives such as Quiet Parks International are popping up and showing improvements in people’s moods it also seems that beaches and other settings will be just as effective for the right individual. There is no one size fits all solution in other words.
What type of biophilic nature sounds work best?
Studies have shown that the more variety of nature sounds are experienced at once, the more a person can feel immersed in the environment and trigger healthy patterns such as calm mood and regulated circadian rhythm. This biological clock helps us to get better acclimated to our surroundings and fall into a comfortable routine.
The more biodiversity in an audio soundscape in other words , the more likely an individual’s brain is to experience something akin to being outside in actual nature.
how does sound therapy promote mental wellbeing?
Another useful aspect of sound wellness is the role music can have, specifically with therapeutic processes. Music therapy is a newer practice that has also shown promising health and wellness benefits. The key difference between the two practices being the applications.
Sound wellness is often a means to treat the symptoms of a bad mood and music therapy is primarily seen in hospitals and other treatment facilitates to aid in reversing or correcting some undesirable behavior.
Music therapy is usually used alongside other affirmative actions in order to touch upon one of five beneficial categories: emotional, physical, spiritual, social, or cognitive. The emotional benefits can help reduce anxiety and encourage self-expression.
The physical benefits are most seen in pain reduction through distraction, relaxation, improved motor development, etc. They can also include motivational factors that reflect the task at hand by providing the energy needed in order to get things done and do them well.
Spiritual and social benefits can bring people together through shared interests or a common goal. Lastly, the cognitive aspect can advocate for better coping skills, increased sense of control, and better focused attention for the task at hand.
Whether a company or individual user wants to become better a task, improve their mood, or become more equip to deal with life’s challenges, sound wellness can apply in a multitude of different ways.
Can music positively impact task performance?
Studies have shown that music can reduce anxiety levels and decrease the time required to complete a complex task such as surgery in a hospital. Music in operating rooms can make communication moderately more difficult but is generally not considered a hazard, in fact it is a positive influence on the person carrying out the procedure.
Equally, noise (unpleasant, unwanted sound) will elevate cortisol levels, a hormone in regulating blood pressure and responding to stress. This is particularly a risk in work environments where productivity in the workplace is closely linked to indoor environmental quality factors such as generally acceptable acoustic working conditions.
REFERENCES:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6901841/