"Pick a Nature Sound Now to Feel Better": The Effects of Listening to a Chosen Natural Sound on Informal Caregivers' Well-being

Caring for a loved one can be challenging and stressful, making it crucial for caregivers to prioritize their own well-being. Listening to nature sounds may provide caregivers with a much-needed respite from their responsibilities. Research indicates that personal prefer ences significantly influence well-being, as granting autonomy in task selection can positively impacthealth. Inthispreliminarystudy, weexplored the effects of selecting nature sounds on mobile phones for the well-being of informal caregivers. Specifically, we compared the effects of chosen sounds versus random sounds. We recruited twenty-eight informal caregivers, primarily women, and used the SAM and PANAS scales to assess well-being at baseline, during random sound exposure, and while listening to chosen sounds. Our findings suggest that nature sounds accessed via mobile phones can enhance the well-being of informal caregivers in at least three key areas: Valence, Positive Affect, and Negative Affect. Notably, the im provements in valence and positive affect were more pronounced when caregivers selected their own nature sounds compared to when they listened to random sounds.