Effects of environmental noise on sleep

Abstract

This paper summarizes the findings from the past 3 year's research on the effects of environmental noise on sleep and identifies key future research goals. The past 3 years have seen continued interest in both short term effects of noise on sleep (arousals, awakenings), as well as epidemiological studies focusing on long term health impacts of nocturnal noise exposure. This research corroborated findings that noise events induce arousals at relatively low exposure levels, and independent of the noise source (air, road, and rail traffic, neighbors, church bells) and the environment (home, laboratory, hospital). New epidemiological studies support already existing evidence that night-time noise is likely associated with cardiovascular disease and stroke in the elderly. These studies collectively also suggest that nocturnal noise exposure may be more relevant for the genesis of cardiovascular disease than daytime noise exposure. Relative to noise policy, new effect-oriented noise protection concepts, and rating methods based on limiting awakening reactions were introduced. The publications of WHO's ''Night Noise Guidelines for Europe'' and ''Burden of Disease from Environmental Noise'' both stress the importance of nocturnal noise exposure for health and well-being. However, studies demonstrating a causal pathway that directly link noise (at ecological levels) and disturbed sleep with cardiovascular disease and/or other long term health outcomes are still missing. These studies, as well as the quantification of the impact of emerging noise sources (e.g., high speed rail, wind turbines) have been identified as the most relevant issues that should be addressed in the field on the effects of noise on sleep in the near future.

Improving Traffic Noise Simulations Using Space Syntax: Preliminary Results from Two Roadway Systems

“…It is a common cause of various types of psychosocial and health-related impairments (9)(10)(11)(12). In Europe, road traffic noise constitutes the dominant source of noise annoyance (13).…”

Analysis of Psychoacoustic and Vibration-Related Parameters to Track the Reasons for Health Complaints after the Introduction of New Tramways

“…Due to the very low background sound levels at most locations we conducted an additional C-weighted analysis of the background to peak noise ratios. The observed ratios at all locations were very high for an urban area ( Figure 7) and can result in relevant autonomous cardiovascular reactions during sleep [38,52,56]. The analysis indicated also a clear difference between "old" and "new" trams ( Figure 6), which was not distinguishable with the A-weighted approach and further supports not to use A-weighting for this environmental health risk assessment.…”

“…Typically, the overall traffic noise decreases and silence is interrupted by passing trams, especially in quieter suburban areas. In addition, sleep research has found these socalled shoulder hours (10:00 p.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.) to be sensitive times for noise exposure and subsequent interference with the sleep and restoration process [38][39][40]. Eventually, noise and vibrations show potential for mutual interactive effects on annoyance and sleep disturbance [24,[41][42][43][44][45][46].…”

Environmental Noise Exposure and Its Effect on Population Health

“…Získava si však stále väčšiu pozornosť, pretože je považovaný za najnepríjemnejší a najrušivejší hluk, a práve preto je najčastejšie uvádzaným dôvodom proti rozširovaniu letísk. V roku 2006, bola svetová populácia vystavená leteckému hluku s 55 L dn a očakáva-me nárast vo výške 0,7 až 1,6 % ročne (9).…”