Rainfall or birdsong may feel calming to some people, but research does not show that every natural sound relaxes everyone or treats anxiety. The evidence is clearer for mood and perceived restoration than for consistent changes in physical stress markers.
What did the review find?
A systematic review and meta-analysis published on 15 April 2024 combined 15 studies with 1,285 participants. Exposure to live or recorded natural sounds was associated with lower anxiety and changes in measures including heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate. However, the studies differed substantially in their populations, sound delivery and comparison conditions, and there were too few to examine those differences through subgroup analyses. The review therefore cannot identify one ideal sound or duration. [1]
What did a 2025 experiment add?
Research published on 30 September 2025 reported two laboratory experiments: a randomized trial with 100 participants and a counterbalanced crossover trial with 30. Participants listened for thirty minutes to recorded forest or industrial urban soundscapes. Forest sounds improved mood, perceived restoration and some cognitive outcomes, but did not consistently change heart rate, blood pressure, heart-rate variability or cortisol. The session was brief and laboratory-based, so it does not show whether benefits persist in daily life. [2]
Optional listening, not a test
Choose a quiet recording that does not irritate you, such as rainfall or water, and listen for five minutes at a comfortable volume. Do not force yourself to become calm. Simply notice whether breathing feels easier, nothing changes, or the sound feels unpleasant. Stop if it does not suit you. This is an original Rouhalkown editorial experiment, not either study protocol or a treatment for anxiety.
If you would like to combine sound with movement, read our walking meditation article. For reflection on presence, distraction and meaning, explore Rouhalkown, a philosophical and reflective book in Arabic (Arabic page). These studies do not establish any benefit specific to the book.