This Ultra-Relaxing Nature Sound Is All Over TikTok

Forget the typical spa soundtracks, like rainstorms and crashing waves. The next time you want to relax, head to Spotify, look up key phrases like “birds in the forest,” and enjoy a cacophony of chirps and calls.

According to TikTok — and several scientific studies, including a 2022 paper published in Scientific Report — bird sounds have the ability to ease your anxiety in a pretty magical way. In a viral video, creator @whitneylvo said the sounds remind her of the early days of spring when the weather warms up; your mood magically improves, and you suddenly want to go outside and eat ice cream. By playing bird sounds at home, she says she can recreate this relaxing, optimistic feeling anytime she needs it.

Judging by the video’s 600,000 likes, and the countless other bird-related posts online, she isn’t the only one falling in love with the sound of robins and wrens. In her comments section, one person wrote, “When I hear birds for the first time in Chicago after an awful winter, it literally cures me” while another said, “So real. I meditate with bird sounds in the morning.”

Some mentioned that they use bird sounds as a gentle way to wake up while others said they play bird noises for their cats to help them relax, but have noticed the secondhand benefits for themselves.

Here, experts dive into the science of bird sounds — and I try it out for myself.

Why Are Bird Sounds So Relaxing?

According to Carrie Torn, LCSW, a licensed therapist in North Carolina, there are so many valid reasons why birdsong is popular on TikTok right now. “It’s like bringing a bit of the outdoors indoors,” she tells Bustle, kind of like a nature walk that doesn’t require you to leave the couch.

A bird’s little song may help regulate your nervous system, she says, by boosting your mood and grounding you to the present moment. It could also fill you with a nostalgia for simpler times, as well as a warm and fuzzy hopefulness that’s oh-so-very comforting.

A coupe of chirps will instantly remind you of spring, which is why bird noises sound extra nice in the dead of winter. One study found that a six-minute audio clip of birdsong helped lift depressive symptoms, so it’s worth a listen if you have the blues.

A bird’s song is also a welcome relief when you’ve been stressing at work or staring at a screen all day. “Hearing birds chirping can trigger a chill mode because it connects us to calmer, more natural settings,” says Torn. “It's almost like our brains go, ‘Hey, we're not in the concrete jungle anymore; it's safe to chill.’”

As a bonus, bird songs can also distract you from negative thoughts cycles, says Dr. Carla Marie Manly, a clinical psychologist and author of Joy from Fear. It’s pretty tough to feel down when you hear a robin sing or a mourning dove coo. “Their uplifting energy leads us away from anxiety and stress and into the powerful, affirming connection with nature,” she tells Bustle.

Unlike music, which can sometimes trigger big emotional reactions, Manly says bird songs are often perceived as either positive or neutral, and that’s why chirps can be the ideal background track for your day. Birdsong is helpful, too, if you live in a city with lots of outside noise, especially if that noise stresses you out.

According to Colleen Marshall, LMFT, a licensed marriage and family therapist and vice president of clinical care for therapy network Two Chairs, grating sounds like car alarms and traffic can put you on edge, whereas bird sounds feel restorative as they’re often associated with safety and a soothing natural environment.

“[Birdsong] can trigger a pleasant memory, like being on a walk in a forest or laying in the sun at the beach, and that impacts our mood, helping us to feel calmer,” she tells Bustle. “Our thoughts and emotions are tied together, so spending time with things that trigger positive memories and positive feelings, like being in nature, can help improve our overall well-being.”

Adding More Bird Sounds To Your Day

If you don’t hear any birds chirping outside right now, open up a bird-themed soundtrack on TikTok, YouTube, or Spotify and let the chirps work their magic. Torn recommends listening to birds first thing in the morning to perk up your mood, as well as throughout the day.

It might also feel right to listen on your lunch break for a quick reset. “Take a few minutes, close your eyes, and let the birds do their thing,” Torn says. “To take it a step further, try getting outside to listen to real bird songs.”

According to Manly, listening to bird noises in the evening is also an ideal way to wind down. “Especially as dark approaches, the hoot of owls and calls of nightingales — birds that naturally communicate at night — can be particularly soothing.”

Listening to Chirps And Calls

According to Marshall, playing just two minutes of birdsong a day can help improve your stress levels, so I knew I had to give it a try. She recommends listening to birds only if the sound triggers a positive reaction, and for me it definitely does.

Like @whitneylvo on TikTok, I found that the sound of birds instantly does something to my brain. I’ll think about spring, warmer air, and longer days, even if it’s 30 degrees and dark outside, and I suddenly feel like I have a new lease on life. As an east coast girl, robins, doves, and seagulls really do it for me.

I’ve been playing these bird sounds on Spotify, and I also find good ones on TikTok where there are plenty of videos from birdwatchers, bird song identifiers, and other clips that you can leave on a loop. The moment I hit play, I feel a wave of nostalgia, happiness, and relaxation take over.

Once again, it seems like TikTok is onto something. And as I sit here listening to the “Morning Birds Chirping” playlist on Spotify, I have to say I also highly recommend.

Studies referenced:

Buxton, R. (2021). A synthesis of health benefits of natural sounds and their distribution in national parks. Environmental Sciences. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2013097118.

Fattahpour, S. (2024). The impact of nature sounds on job stress, satisfaction, and productivity among emergency department staff. Avicenna. doi.org/10.5339/avi.2024.2.

Stobbe, E. (2022). Birdsongs alleviate anxiety and paranoia in healthy participants. Sci Rep. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-20841-0.

Sources:

Carrie Torn, LCSW, licensed therapist in North Carolina

Dr. Carla Marie Manly, clinical psychologist, author of Joy From Fear, host of the Imperfect Love podcast

Colleen Marshall, LMFT, licensed marriage and family therapist, VP of clinical care for Two Chairs