Our campus is located in the bustling city of Yangon. But that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the beautiful sounds of nature. Each day we play a random selection of bird calls from around the world in our hallways and playgrounds. It creates a delightful atmosphere which both students and teachers can enjoy.
But it’s possible that listening to birds singing helps us more than we think. There is research and much anecdotal evidence that bird sounds can improve our attention, mood and productivity.
What makes birdsong so special is that it relaxes people physically but stimulates them cognitively, says Julian Treasure, author of Sound Business and chairman of noise consultancy The Sound Agency. Birdsong creates a state he calls “body relaxed, mind alert”.
An experiment at a primary school in Liverpool – run by “sonic branding” company Condiment Junkie, Glyndwr University and architects Nightingale Associates – found that playing pupils a soundscape of birdsong and other natural sounds made them more alert and better able to concentrate after their lunch break.
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