Susannah Constantine: how birdsong can improve our mental health

It’s easy to forget that our mental wellbeing is every bit as important as our physical health.  Spending time in nature can work wonders for our wellbeing and after the challenges of the last few years, there couldn’t be a more important time to understand the links between nature and mental health.

Research by Boots Hearingcare and The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) – to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week 2023 – reveals the vast majority of Britons (91%) believe that being in the presence of birds and hearing birdsong can have a positive impact on mental health and wellbeing.  Moreover, most (88%) agree that spending time outdoors enjoying the natural world is important to them.

More than two-thirds (69%) say they use free time to enjoy the garden, a local park or a nearby greenspace at least once a week, including 15% who do so every day. Indeed, there is growing evidence that the natural sounds we hear when outdoors can have a marked effect on our sense of wellbeing and a study by Kings College suggests that everyday encounters with birds boosted the mood of people with depression.

Aston spoke to TV presenter Susannah Constantine and Jon Carter, birdsong expert at RSPB.

Photo by Boris Smokrovic on Unsplash