Exploring the Impact of Nature Sounds and Video Game Music on EEG-Measured Brainwave Activity in Adolescents: A Pilot Study

ABSTRACT Introduction In today’s society, children are often exposed to many different types of stimuli, such as nature sounds and artificial ones. These sounds can have calming and relaxing effects or can create engaging environments with elevated excitement. As relaxation plays a vital role in mental health, finding effective methods to promote this is essential. This exploratory pilot feasibility study aims to measure alpha and beta brainwave activity to investigate the impact of different sound stimuli on the relaxation levels of adolescents. Methods Four volunteers (age range: 9–15 years) participated in two trials with the tested variables: nature sounds and video game music. The procedure involved wearing an electroencephalogram (EEG) cap for approximately 30 minutes while listening to nature sounds (5 minutes) and video game music (5 minutes), followed by a 10-minute break, then switching to the opposite sound pattern and repeating the listening session for the same amount of time. Throughout the experiment, the EEG cap measured brain activity (primarily alpha waves) before and after implementing the independent variables (sound stimuli) to assess the levels of relaxation. Results Before listening, the EEG showed moderate alpha waves with some beta activity, indicating mild alertness. After exposure to nature sounds, all of the participants’ alpha waves became more stable and increased, while beta brainwave activity decreased, reflecting neural patterns often associated with relaxation rather than directly indicating emotional calmness. In contrast, after listening to video game music, two participants’ alpha waves showed a reduction compared to normal waves without stimulation, while beta waves remained active, and all brainwaves were generally more engaged, indicating sustained neural engagement. For one of the four participants (age 13), their alpha waves were highly reduced, and their beta waves were stimulated, showing higher alertness than the other participants. All participants reported feeling more relaxed while listening to nature sounds and more alert and excited while listening to video game music. Conclusion This exploratory pilot feasibility study demonstrated the influence of sound on relaxation in adolescents, suggesting that nature sounds were associated with brainwave patterns consistent with greater calmness. However, the findings are limited by the small sample size and single-session design, highlighting the need for follow-up studies. Findings should be considered preliminary and hypothesis-generating.