As Spring finally breaks through the gloom of winter here in Wisconsin, the sun’s reinvigoration, warm, fresh air, the sounds of birds, and sprouts of green remind us all how acutely we have missed the stress-reducing effects of nature. The power of nature to reduce the psychological and biological effects of stress and promote positive moods is commonly felt and understood as part of the human experience and is well studied in medicine and psychology.
“The Healing Power of Nature: Biophilic Design Applied to Healthcare Facilities” (Current Opinion in Psychology, Volume 64, 2025, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352250X25000624 ), summarizes some of the research and theories behind the use of nature in medical settings and how it significantly impacts stress reduction, as well as improved mood, immune functioning, and recovery of patients. Nature in the form of images, plants, and virtual experiences has been used. It is no far cry then, that combining the sounds and associations with nature with music listening, creates a powerful self-care tool. Here are some tips on how to harmonize nature with your music listening!
Find Themes of Nature in Song Lyrics:
Find songs and create a playlist that has preferred music that includes references to nature. You connect with mountains, water, forests, campfires, and road trips.
Find Sounds of Nature in Instrumental Music:
Search on a streaming platform for songs that include sounds of nature you find comforting (e.g. loon calls, rainfall, or bird calls) and create a relaxation playlist.
Healing Harmonies music therapists often use instruments like chimes (wind chimes), ocean drums, and rain sticks and combine them with songs about nature or calming music, as part of tailored sensory experiences. You can easily find and purchase instruments like these for yourself!
Connect Personal Associations with Nature with Your Music Listening:
Recall past experiences outdoors. Do any of them include music? Create a playlist of these songs
Take your preferred music for relaxing or for lifting your mood and listen to it outdoors (could be on a walk, on the back porch or around the campfire). Connecting preferred music with the positive associations of nature can amplify its effects in the moment and during future listening, whether you may be outside or not. It can help you reimagine the space between body and mind when you need it.
Be mindful about incorporating music into your special outdoor experiences this summer! It could be new music or old favorites. Pairing the association of these positive outdoor moments and their memories can bring back the mental images, mood, and other positive associations with the experience each time you listen
Get Intentional!
Now that you have begun to create a library of music that helps you connect with nature no matter where you are, use your streaming platform to create playlists that help you alter your mood state and focus your thoughts on positive images and experiences. Experiment with them and fine-tune them by adding or removing songs and arranging their order to curate playlists to meet specific needs. These playlists can be an accessible and powerful tool for quickly self-regulating and providing self-care, even in a pinch!