Noise Pollution: Will it Never End?
In today’s world it seems like there is constant noise. There never seems to be a moment of complete silence — and when you do get the chance, it’s almost too eerie to handle. Noise is most traditionally defined as “any sound that is considered unwanted or disturbing” (2), as it either interferes with regular activities like sleeping or conserving with others, or it disrupts the quality of a person’s day. For a lot of people, they might not consider their sound-filled lives a disturbance — especially when it’s something that has become so widely accepted. But for others, the noise can have very serious impacts on their daily lives, as well as their overall health.
The energy of sound itself travels in the form of waves and is measured in its frequency and amplitude (3). Using a Decibel Meter, researchers are able to see readings from various sound-producing objects. The amplitude of these waves measures how forceful the wave is, measuring each in decibels (dBA) of the sound pressure. Sounds that reach a level of 85 dBA or higher can permanently damage a person’s hearing (3). In an occupational setting, where workers are exposed to continuous noise between the 85–90 dBA level range, a person can experience a gradual loss of hearing and an increase in hearing sensitivity (3). Any disturbing noise can induce annoyance, which relates with higher stress levels and its symptoms — sometimes one being illness. In other cases though, noise can influence an individual’s health directly.
There have been several ties between noise level and high blood pressure and heart rate for those in the workplace setting. The findings point out that people exposed to continuous noise levels of 85 dBA or higher, on average, had a higher blood pressure compared to those who were in a quieter environment (4). According to a study published in August of 2010 by a series of researchers, after looking at the impacts of occupational noise on “3 105-blue collar workers”, they’ve found a link to a person’s resting heart rate and blood pressure. Summarizing the results, the resting heart rate of females was directly impacted both with noise intensity and with the time of day (5). In males, the resting heart rate was associated with noise intensity — but this association related to the time of day. After four hours of exposure to higher noise levels in an occupational setting, males were found to have a higher heart rate. For females, this correlation required less exposure time (5). There are some that suspect that the effects of noise on blood pressure and heart rate could be because of the psychological response of noise annoyance, though these claims have no clear evidence to act as support.
This noise annoyance however has been drawing more attention from researchers who are looking more closely into the relationship between noise and a person’s psychological health. Industrial workers who were regularly exposed to high noise levels in work settings reported symptoms like nausea, headaches, moodiness, and high levels of anxiety when asked how the work environment impacted them (4). Many surveys from various communities have found that a high percentage of people report having headaches, difficulty sleeping, and a tendency to feel more on edge when living in areas with higher noise levels (4). A survey conducted in Ryukyus, a town in Japan that borders a large U.S. airbase. The noise exposure from the aircrafts that the community experiences ranges from 75 to 95 dBA or sometimes even greater (6). The responses that the study received when looking at the relationship between noise level and mental health was that residents undergoing high levels of exposure suffered psychological effects including nervousness and depressiveness, and these responses increased with noise6. In general, research has shown some linkage between noise and psychological symptoms, however there has been no clear cause of clinical psychiatric disorders. Noise annoyance alone is the most widespread response to noise4 as it is considered an intrusion to an individual’s personal life. An example of annoyance inducing noises might be aircrafts — as the noise levels are considerably higher that they oftentimes interrupt common activities like watching television, listening to music, or conversing with others. Traffic noise is an example of a noise annoyance that is most disturbing to sleep, according to studies completed (4).
It’s easy to forget that humans are not the only species that are affected by our loud world. Our marine life is especially affected by the thousands of oil drills, sonars, shipping vessels, and so many more technologies that our society has come to depend on. Whales are the most affected by these noise-inducing pollutants as their sensitive hearing is what guides them to food and helps them to communicate with one another (1). With these intrusions in the water, it interferes with the whales’ feeding habits, their reproductive patterns, migration routes, and can potentially even cause death in some cases because of how much it can disorient and cause stress to the animal (1).
Recently, there has been more attention drawn to noise pollution. Many individuals are taking steps to protect themselves and their families from its harmful impacts by investing in ear plugs, ear muffs, or have been more conscientious about the volume of their headphones — using them to drown out loud outside volumes with softer sounds. Researchers have been stressing the importance of maintaining a sound level of 35–40 dBA in a home throughout the day, allowing the number to deafen at night so that our sleep cycles are not interrupted (2).
Though noise pollution isn’t a pollutant that we are as familiar with, there has been a considerable amount of research done that looks at its impact on our society. There is still room for speculation of some claims, however there is firm basis for others — including its impacts on an individual’s ability to focus, sleep, mental health, and physical health. Our hearing is an intricate and sensitive ability and is something that we have often taken for granted — but not anymore. As public knowledge continues to grow, we can work to prevent the negative effects that noise pollution can cause, both on our own population and our marine life.
Bibliography
What Is Noise Pollution? https://www.environmentalpollutioncenters.org/noise-pollution/ (accessed Nov 9, 2018). 1
Clean Air Act Title IV — Noise Pollution https://www.epa.gov/clean-air-act-overview/clean-air-act-title-iv-noise-pollution (accessed Nov 9, 2018). 2
How do we measure sound waves? http://www.dangerousdecibels.org/virtualexhibit/6measuringsound.html (accessed Nov 9, 2018). 3
Stansfeld; A, S.; Matheson; P, M. Noise pollution: non-auditory effects on health https://academic.oup.com/bmb/article/68/1/243/421340 (accessed Nov 9, 2018). 4
Kristal-Boneh, E.; Melamed, S.; Harari, G.; Green, M. S. Archives of Environmental Health: An International Journal2010, 50(4), 298–304. 5
A Survey On Health Effects Due To Aircraft Noise On Residents Living Around Kadena Air Base In The Ryukyus. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022460X97910117 (accessed Nov 9, 2018). 6
