Impact of Soundscapes on Mental Well-Being and Physiological Stress: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Soundscapes represent the acoustic environment perceived by humans, a phenomenon that holds significant implications for psychological and physiological health. While urban noise is a known stressor, natural soundscapes are theorized to provide restorative benefits through mechanisms which replenish cognitive resources subserving mental well-being. This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesized evidence from peer-reviewed literature to examine how diverse acoustic environments impact mental well-being and physiological markers. A comprehensive search across scholarly databases identified ten studies spanning urban, natural, and virtual reality settings. The evidence was evaluated for certainty and risk of bias to ensure the current literature was synthesized rigorously. Qualitative findings indicated that natural soundscapes (e.g., birdsong, water sound) consistently facilitate faster stress recovery, lower heart rate, and reduced skin conductance compared to anthropogenic noise. Neuroimaging data further suggested that exposure to natural sounds correlates with decreased activity in brain regions associated with stress regulation. Quantitative findings confirmed a positive effect of pleasant soundscapes on health outcomes, though significant heterogeneity was observed across studies, likely reflecting diverse methodologies and environmental contexts. Individual differences, including noise sensitivity and personality traits, were found to moderate these effects. These results support Restorative Environment Theory and suggest that integration of natural acoustic environments into urban planning and healthcare design may mitigate the negative impacts of noise pollution. Future research should prioritize longitudinal designs to evaluate the chronic health effects of sustained soundscape exposure.