Heart disease, high blood pressure, lack of sleep and impaired cognitive development in children. As much health risks that loud noises could cause, according to a new study published by Queen Mary University in London (United Kingdom). According to the authors, these noises are harmful to health due to the disruption of sleep cycles and the stress they cause.
“We have studied the impact of air pollution on public health, but we do not treat the impact of noise as seriously [sur la santé] regrets the lead author of the study, Dr. Richard L. Neitzel.
In 1974, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set an average daily noise exposure limit of 55 decibels. 55 decibels would be the equivalent of the noise of a conversation in the hall or the background noise in public, according to estimates from Purdue University (United States). But Dr. Richard L. Neitzel explains that urbanization exposes people to ever higher sound levels. The limits advised by the EPA may now be obsolete.
According to the research team, about half of Americans are exposed to a daily average of 58 decibels per day – roughly equivalent to the noise emitted by an air conditioner. They estimate that 14% of Americans could be exposed to about 65 decibels a day – the equivalent of the sound of a vacuum cleaner.
The researchers claim that the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease increases by 7 to 17% each time noise exposure increases by 10 decibels. In contrast, they suggest that reducing noise exposure by 5 decibels a day could reduce the risk of high blood pressure in 1.8% of Americans.
To protect against noise pollution damage, Dr. Neitzel advises lacing your bed away from street noise.
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