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Noise health effects are the physical and psychological health consequences of regular exposure to consistent elevated sound levels. Noise from traffic, in particular, is considered by the World Health Organization to be one of the worst environmental stressors for humans, second only to air pollution . [ 2 ]
Noise pollution affects both health and behavior. Unwanted sound (noise) can damage physiological health and mental health. Noise pollution is associated with several health conditions, including cardiovascular disorders, hypertension, high stress levels, tinnitus, hearing loss, sleep disturbances, and other harmful effects.
Cardiovascular health: Numerous studies have linked exposure to noise pollution to heart-health effects. “We now have a pretty robust body of evidence showing that noise is related to high blood ...
Environmental noise can also convey a sense of liveliness in an area, which can be desirable. The adverse effects of noise exposure (i.e. noise pollution) could include: interference with speech or other 'desired' sounds, annoyance, sleep disturbance, anxiety, hearing damage and stress-related cardiovascular health problems. [3]
Six of the top ten noisiest cities in the U.S. are located on the East coast. Louisville ranks among the top 50 loudest places in the country.
Sound annoyance is a subjective matter and cannot be covered by law. In the Netherlands the government set up laws to protect households and other noise-sensitive buildings like hospitals and schools from noise pollution. There are different laws for different sound sources; airplanes, traffic, industry and neighbours. [13]
The risk of negative health effects from sound exposures (be it noise or music) is primarily determined by the intensity of the sound , duration of the event, and frequency of that exposure. [9] These three factors characterize the overall sound energy level that reaches a person's ears and can be used to calculate a noise dose.
Because low-income neighborhoods are often at greater risk of noise pollution, the establishment of such zoning codes is often an environmental justice issue. [25] Mixed-use areas present especially difficult conflicts that require special attention to the need to protect people from the harmful effects of noise pollution.