A Sound and Emotion Awareness Activity for Schools and Workplaces
What is often referred to as “noise pollution” can trigger a stress response.
Repeated exposure to a loud and monotonous sound can start to fray your nerves and negatively impact your mental health. Conversely, some sounds can be soothing to the soul and tamp down anxiety.
What the studies say about sound and mental health
“Despite being a nascent research area, an increasing body of compelling research and conclusive findings confirms that exposure to noise, particularly from sources such as traffic, can potentially impact the central nervous system.”
“These harms of noise increase the susceptibility to mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, suicide, and behavioral problems in children and adolescents.“
Hahad, O., Kuntic, M., Al-Kindi, S. et al. Noise and mental health: evidence, mechanisms, and consequences. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol (2024).
So how can we recognize how sound affects us and learn to use it to support good mental health?
I’ve used this sound game to illustrate this point many times. And it always gets laughs and promotes connection and belonging, a foundation of a healthy wellness culture.
It’s very simple and at the end of this post, I have a free download with copyright-free sound effects in a PowerPoint presentation you can use to demonstrate the concept in your workplace or school.
See Mental Health Workplace Wellness Programs from Mental Health Awareness Education.
After each sound effect or music clip, or after all three (your choice), ask the group/class how each sound made them feel. Because the sound effects delay the loading of the page, I have them in a popup window where you can play each sound. You will stay on this page.
Sound 1
Click Here and then Click Play to Hear Sound 1 (It will open on this page)
Sound 2
Click Here and then Click Play to Hear Sound 2 (It will open on this page)
Sound 3
Click Here and then Click Play to Hear Sound 3 (It will open on this page)
To access the videos of these sounds and use them in a virtual meeting, you can go to this playlist on YouTube.
Questions you can ask include:
- Did you notice any difference between how they felt after the calming sound (Sound 2) vs. the jarring sound (Sound 1)?
- How did laughing with the group/class feel after Sound 3?
- How do you feel now?
- What can you learn from this? If you are feeling anxious, what might you listen to? How might sound contribute to one’s overall mood?questions and discussion starters in the download
Discuss how sounds elicit an emotional response and discuss ways to introduce a calming sound to offset the mental wear and tear of the jarring sounds of our environment.
Get the Sound Game Activity
Get rules, discussion questions, three sounds for the game, and sound libraries with copyright-free sound effects in case you want to replace any of them.
AnneMoss Rogers is a leading wellness and suicide education expert and one of the top mental health speakers and suicide prevention speakers. Known for her powerful, motivational keynotes, AnneMoss combines her personal story of loss with proven strategies to help organizations build a wellness culture that drives results and saves lives. She speaks at conferences, workplaces, K-12 schools, and universities, delivering impactful presentations that inspire change and promote mental health awareness.
AnneMoss does this work in memory of her son, Charles, who struggled with anxiety, depression, and addiction, and died by suicide at age 20 in 2015.