The decibel is a logarithmic unit, meaning that it allows us to measure changes in sound pressure more easily. For instance, zero decibels is equivalent to no sound pressure (since ratio is scaled).
Whisper and regular conversations tend to register at 60 decibels, while sound levels exceeding 70dB may cause permanent hearing damage over extended periods.
Noise Exposure
Noise pollution is more than an inconvenience; excessive sound waves can disrupt sleep, cause tinnitus and damage the human ear resulting in hearing loss and other health problems. Furthermore, noise pollution may contribute to high blood pressure, stress and cardiovascular disease affecting both people on land as well as marine environments.
Road traffic and air travel are two primary causes of noise pollution in the US, but recreational activities, personal music players and firearms may also contribute to noise pollution. Noise pollution may especially harm children due to potential negative consequences on brain development.
Decibels measure sound level and it’s essential to keep in mind that this scale is logarithmic. Zero decibels is the quietest sound a healthy human ear can detect while 85 decibels may lead to permanent hearing loss; according to OSHA recommendations, workers should avoid exposure for over eight hours per day to sounds at or above 85 decibels.
Unfortunately, dealing with excessive sound is much more complex than simply restricting exposure to louder music or closing your ears in restaurants. There’s a social gradient to noise pollution: wealthier households tend to have triple-pane windows and insulation which help minimize traffic roar or subway rail click-clack noise; as a result of this inequity poorer citizens often encounter dangerous levels of noise that put their health at risk and may lead to hypertension, heart attacks, depression or other health complications.
Many are unaware of the extent to which noise pollution affects their lives; however, there are simple solutions to stay informed about noise pollution issues. Most smartphones feature sound level meter apps which measure decibel levels and send notifications if the environment becomes too loud.
Learning more about the noise levels of places like your office or favorite eatery can also be useful, such as your workplace. Certain apps allow users to geotag a sound level and share research regarding risks in that location.
Noise-induced Hearing Loss
Noise-induced hearing loss is a significant health risk and quality of life issue for many. The good news is that noise-induced hearing loss is both preventable and treatable; to minimize exposure, be aware of loud sounds’ effects, understand how decibels work and avoid prolonged exposure to harmful sounds.
Loud sounds are measured in decibels (dB). Sounds that exceed 80dB can damage the inner ear, leading to hearing loss. People exposed to loud noises often experience symptoms like ringing in their ears or difficulty hearing. After exposure has stopped, these symptoms often vanish within minutes, hours, or days, leading many people to believe their ears have returned back to normal; but even if symptoms do subside post noise cessation, cells in their inner ears have likely been damaged – and without replacement efforts in place this can result in permanent hearing damage.
CDC warns that regular exposure to sounds over 85 decibels puts individuals at risk of hearing loss, as can happen in many work environments. Risk increases based on intensity, duration and proximity; for instance a hair stylist who uses her blow dryer at only 70 decibels for all-day long may still be exposed to risk due to this noise intensity and duration.
Degeneration of ribbon synapses of the cochlea makes it hard to hear high-pitched sounds or understand speech, along with other symptoms like tinnitus and hyperacusis. NIHL may have serious ramifications for public safety workers such as police officers and firefighters.
Not just our workplaces can cause hearing damage. Other sources of loud noises that could harm us include concerts, loud sporting events and playing music at high volumes through headphones or personal listening devices.
Noise-Induced Cardiovascular Disease
Long-term exposure to traffic noise increases risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), such as heart failure and atrial fibrillation. Furthermore, exposure also raises death from cardiovascular causes independently of other environmental factors like particulate matter (PM) levels or tobacco smoking. Noise may have an impact on changes in vascular tone as well as alterations to the coagulation system; exact mechanisms remain unknown but most likely occur via chronic stress reactions that disrupt sleep leading to imbalance between vasodilators and vasoconstrictors and release of inflammatory mediators & oxidative stressors.
Epidemiological evidence has long linked transportation noise pollution and other forms of noise pollution with increased rates of cardiovascular disease, while experimental work involving both humans and mice has demonstrated the fact that noise can also produce non-auditory health effects related to traditional cardiovascular risk factors like arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus and hypercholesterolemia – not to mention atherosclerosis and cerebrovascular disease.
Research has demonstrated that noise exposure triggers behavioral responses like annoyance and arousal that ultimately result in elevated stress hormone levels, an imbalance of vasoconstrictor/vasodilator chemicals in blood vessels, decreased cognitive performance deterioration and eventual cardiovascular disease development. Researchers believe noise pollution contributes to greater oxidative stress and inflammation which in turn increase stress hormone production leading to cardiovascular issues over time.
Noise may trigger an automatic “fight or flight” response in your brain that leads to reduced levels of nitric oxide (NO). NO plays an essential role in relaxing blood vessels and maintaining proper vessel tone – without it you could risk developing an array of cardiovascular diseases.
Recent research published in February in Journal of the American College of Cardiology indicated that highway and airport noise exposure is associated with an increased risk for heart attacks. Researchers reviewed records from New Jersey’s MIDAS database which maintains records on hospitalizations related to heart conditions; their results are in line with those from studies conducted across Europe, suggesting other urban areas with similar infrastructure may experience similar outcomes.
Noise-Induced Stress
Everyday noise exposure from television, hospital equipment or airplane noises triggers our brain’s “fight or flight” response. The amygdala sends a signal to the hypothalamus which in turn activates adrenal glands which secrete stress hormones into our bloodstream causing blood pressure and heart rate increases – this natural evolutionary adaptation helps us react swiftly when life-threatening situations arise; but extended exposure over time may reduce resilience resulting in chronic health issues and medical concerns.
Noise pollution is a serious public health threat with global climate change implications. Many contributors to global warming – transport, fossil fuel production and deforestation–also produce noise, while some solutions used to address it like solar power or green buildings may generate noise due to engine use.
People living near airports or busy highways, working in factories or other noisy environments or simply exposed to noise in general may be particularly susceptible to its harmful effects. Even people not engaged in these professions can still be damaged by noise exposure; noises that exceed 85 decibels (typical of heavy traffic levels) could potentially lead to hearing damage; exposure of this magnitude over an extended period can increase chances of hearing damage and eventually result in hearing damage.
Other forms of noise pollution can also have adverse health impacts. Pulsing noise from leaf blowers, loud music from bars and clubs, and brassy train whistles may lead to oxidative stress, stiffened arteries, and inflammation reactions in both the heart and other parts of the body.
Research is showing that road traffic noise levels raise the risk of heart disease with each increase of one dB; low-income communities may be particularly exposed to such noise pollution.
Reduced Noise Pollution in Local CommunitiesFortunately, noise pollution reduction can be achieved on a local level with various strategies from individual patients to city and state policies. People experiencing excessive nighttime noise can use white noise apps, wear earplugs or add soundproofing to their bedrooms in order to use white noise apps or add soundproofing measures – these measures may help mitigate oxidative stress while returning the PSNS back into its homeostasis state.
