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Exploring the connection: How sound environments influence stress levels

The human brain is a marvel. It has taken us into space. Discovered vaccines. Created music, art, and inventions. And at the same time, another process is happening every second of your waking life. This process is about survival. However, the survival function can cause problems in our modern life where speech and talk sometimes pose a real issue.

A brief background on sound environment and its impact on humans

Imagine the world about 50,000 years ago. Humans lived a nomadic life on the savannah. Dangers lurked in every direction, and our sight and hearing needed to be in top condition for survival. Today, in an office environment, much has changed. The direct life-threatening dangers are gone. But the hearing, hardwired to detect threats, warnings, and anomalies, doesn’t care. And here, human speech is the biggest enemy.

How different sounds affect stress levels

The brain has the ability to filter out a lot of irrelevant sounds, like monotonous hums and noise from ventilation and office machines. But when a colleague starts talking, you listen whether you want to or not. Speech triggers the conscious part of the brain. This is of course a great feature when you’re having an active dialogue. But it’s terrible when two other colleagues are talking about something that doesn’t concern you, or that phone call when a colleague talks about a problem with a client or with their partner about picking up from preschool. Your sense of hearing takes in everything and interrupts whatever you’re doing.

Focused work suffers the most

Creative, collective work functions better in “talkative” environments compared to focused individual work, which is particularly affected by disturbances and interruptions. Some people are more sensitive than others, and research shows it takes 10-15 minutes to restart after an interruption. A poor sound environment thus creates direct negative consequences by making you stressed, leading to errors and mistakes that affect not only you but also the entire workplace’s efficiency. No one is immune to the effects of speech, and the little filter you have works even worse when you’re tired or sick. Human speech becomes a negative spiral.

Techniques to improve the sound environment

Do we all have to shut down our open spaces and mixed work environments now? No, thankfully there are solutions. By using sound absorbers and reducing visual clutter, your existing office environment can largely remain the same. If you’re looking for inspiration, we recommend you take a look at our wide range of sound absorbers.

Want to know more about the benefits of a balanced sound environment?

Every workplace has its unique characteristics and conditions. If you want, we can visit your workplace and look at the solutions that would best suit you. Contact us with your questions and thoughts, we are here for you.