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"Nature is all around us and we're a part of it, listening to birdsong or feeling a cooling breeze on a warm day can truly lift our spirits," she added.

For the last five years, a loud hum has been a continual backdrop to birdsong and the occasional barking dog in the village of Dresden, New York state.

The mix of scents and sounds — birdsongs commingled with freeway traffic and music, the smell of wild sage and wafting barbecue smoke — all feel uniquely L.A. to me.

The roar of the highway was far below, and for most of the day, even amid birdsong and tolling bells, the main sound was of living silence.

Existing research shows that natural sounds, like birdsong, can lower blood pressure, heart, and respiratory rates, as well as self-reported stress and anxiety.