Health News: Noise Pollution More Than Nuisance, But Proven Health Risk

[C0RI0LANUS]

This OP is cross-linked in the GD.



From Harvard Medical School:

“For half a century, US agencies such as the EPA have deemed noise pollution “a growing danger to the health and welfare of the Nation’s population.” The European Environmental Agency reports that noise ranks second only to air pollution as the environmental exposure most harmful to public health.

Recently, the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that people exposed to high aircraft noise levels could be at greater risk of poor heart function, increasing their risk of heart attack, stroke, and irregular heartbeat.

Residents living near noisy airports had 10% to 20% worse heart structure and function, compared to people who moved to get away from the aircraft noise.

Cardiologists reported people’s heart muscles had grown stiffer and thicker over time, making the organ less efficient at pumping blood, quadrupling a person's risk of heart attack or stroke.

Environmental factors such as air pollution or noise have already been linked to adverse health effects such as cardiovascular diseases and general well-being.



In 2023, the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) found that the risk to commit suicide increases for people exposed to high levels of transportation noise. Noise is a constant stressor affecting sleep, levels of stress hormones, changes in brain function, or a sense of loss of control.

The study found that exposure to transportation noise at home was linked to a higher risk of death by suicide. With every 10 dB increase of average road traffic noise at home, risk for suicides rises by 4%. An association with railway noise was also observed, although less pronounced.




Mental health disorders affect nearly one billion people worldwide and are a leading cause of suicide. Noise abatement programs, adding greenery to the urban sprawl, flying less noisier aircraft like the new Airbus C Series, relocating away from airports, and reducing automobile traffic can lower people’s exposure to excess noise, lowering their health risks.


Sources:

https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacc.2024.09.1217

https://magazine.hms.harvard.edu/articles/noise-and-health

https://www.swisstph.ch/en/news/news-detail/news/transportation-noise-increases-risk-for-suicides

[Skittles]

1. weed eaters and leaf blowers

OMFG

[C0RI0LANUS]

2. Hi Skittles: You said it. I think the Harvard study mentioned those. Here are two possible solutions to help:

From Captain Obvious:



Ta-Dah!





From Coriolanus:


(White noise generator)

[Skittles]

3. OMG

I have that EXACT noise machine, and I use earplugs too......I worked 12 hour night shift for decades and without fail once every week I worked and little sleep because of lawn care stuff, it drove me NUTS!

[C0RI0LANUS]

4. How did I know?

[Skittles]

5. *SNORT*

I am.....old enough to remember THAT too

[question everything]

6. THE MUNICH AIRPORT NOISE STUDY - EFFECTS OF CHRONIC AIRCRAFT NOISE ON CHILDREN'S PERCEPTION AND COGNITION

ABSTRACT

Before the opening of the new Munich International Airport in May 1992 and the close down of the old
airport, children at both sites were recruited into aircraft noise groups (aircraft noise at present or to
come) and matched control groups with little aircraft noise. A total of 327 children took part in one data
collection wave before and two waves after the switch over of airports.

A number of physiological and psychological tests were performed at each wave. Among the perceptual and cognitive tasks, long-term memory and mastery of a difficult German word list was impaired in the aircraft noise group at the new
airport, and was improved in the formerly noise exposed group at the old airport.

Running memory improved after the old airport was closed. At the new airport, ratings of annoyance remained at a higher
level for the experimental group, as did the signal-to-noise ratios in a listening task.

https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/wp-content/ipc/uploads/projects/TR020002/TR020002-005715-Matt.Feekings-The%20Munich%20Airport%20Noise%20Study.pdf#:

[C0RI0LANUS]

7. Hi question everything. Thanks for this. And I've been thru the new Munich Airport too. We just need peace and quiet.

[question everything]

8. The future of the former Marines Base at El Toro in Orange County, CA, was a topic of struggle for 10 years

The wealthy wanted to turn it into a mega airport and this study of Munich was one of our weapons against it.

We won. No airport.

[C0RI0LANUS]

9. One for our side! Hallelujah! Thanks for the good news and for reading my OP.