Listen to nature

Whether it’s the rustle of wind through trees or the babble of a stream, listening to natural sounds can help us feel calm and even boost our ability to concentrate. Researchers at Brighton and Sussex Medical School found that playing these to people increased activity in the body associated with relaxation. Brain scans revealed an ‘outward-focus’ to attention, as opposed to listening to man-made sounds, which resulted in an ‘inward focus‘, similar to states seen in conditions such as stress, anxiety and depression. Hearing such noises also meant participants performed better in tasks requiring concentration skills. People feeling the most wound-up have the most to gain from a country walk – researchers found that those with the highest stress levels experienced the greatest bodily relaxation.