Noise and Health: The Overlooked Connection
A science-based overview of how exposure to noise can affect you and your family’s health.
High blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke
Chronic exposure to vehicle noise increases risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.
Source: https://www.actapharmsci.com/uploads/pdf/pdf_869.pdf
Cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease
Prolonged exposure to noise is associated with cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease.
A study in the Chicago area found that each 10 dB(A) increase in residential noise level was associated with a 36% increase in the risk for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and a 29% increase in the risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
Article: https://www.alzdiscovery.org/cognitive-vitality/blog/do-loud-noises-harm-the-brain
Original source (Paywall): https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/alz.12191
Depression
Exposure to residential road traffic noise is associated with risk of depression.
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4858388/
Diabetes
Exposure to residential road traffic noise is associated with a higher risk of Type 2 diabetes.
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3569689/
Healthy Life Years Lost
1 million to 1.6 million healthy life years are lost from traffic-related noise every year in western Europe.
(This is a measure of actual life years lost, combined with years lived with disability, which are weighted for diminished quality of life. Also known as DALYs (Disability-Adjusted Life Years).)
Noise is more than a nuisance
It disrupts sleep, increases stress, and contributes to health issues including heart disease, cognitive decline, depression and anxiety. Children, the elderly, women, people with medical conditions, PTSD, and low-income communities are often hit the hardest.
The impact reaches beyond people: Noise disrupts wildlife, stresses pets, lowers property values, and reduces quality of life in neighborhoods. It even adds to healthcare and economic costs on a broader scale.
We believe that informed communities make healthier choices. That is why this site will continue to grow, building a body of evidence-based information covering the full scope of noise’s effects on us all.
The more we understand what noise does to us, the better we can protect our health and our communities.