"A recent study investigated whether listening to micro-dosing sessions of biophilic soundscapes (e.g., stream flow and birdsong) during trading desk breaks could reduce acute stress among high-frequency financial traders," reports the Applied Ergonomics Bulletin.
The research, conducted via an app-based platform by the Institute of Occupational Health and the Soundscape Research Group, identified significant correlations between the frequency of listening to nature soundscapes during 3-minute micro-breaks and a reduction in self-reported physiological tension.
Traders who listened to the soundscapes during at least four breaks per day were 42% less likely to report high anxiety levels than those who took silent breaks. Furthermore, those who used active noise-cancelling headphones while listening were 58% more likely to maintain an optimal focus rating throughout their afternoon shift.
However, the researchers noted that the study relied heavily on self-report questionnaires, where participants estimated their own daily break durations and anxiety levels. This self-reporting is subject to cognitive bias, and because the study was advertised digitally, it may have attracted a self-selected sample of highly tech-literate traders.
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