WHO Regional Office for Europe.

Annoyance from road traffic noise: a review

Nocturnal road traffic noise: A review on its assessment and consequences on sleep and health.

“White Paper” on Sleep and Aging

The influence of white noise on sleep in subjects exposed to ICU noise

Results of a number of studies on the effects of various types of noise on the sleep of subjects of both sexes and a wide range of age groups are reviewed to develop a tentative criterion for assessing these effects. Available data suggest that reasonably accurate predictions of sleep disruption may be made if the interfering noise is specified in units (EPNdB or EdBA) which account for its spectral characteristics and duration. When EPNdB units are used as the measure of noise intensity, the correlation coefficient between intensity and the probability of no sleep disturbance is -0.86. Because of the paucity of data on the long-term results of frequent behavioral wakings or arousals, it is suggested that disturbance of sleep be defined as an electroencephalographic change of one or more sleep stages.

Noise and sleep: a literature review and a proposed criterion for assessing effect.

California law requires noise abatement for classrooms in which noise levels from a freeway exceed 50 dBA. In contrast, the Federal Highway Administration's criterion level is L10 = 55 dBA. This discrepancy reflects, in part, a lack of hard data regarding how noise from external sources affects the educational process. About 100 classrooms in 15 schools comparable with respect to certain socioeconomic variables but at different distances from freeways were studied. Noise levels inside the third and sixth grade classrooms with and without children were measured. In addition, teachers' voice levels and certain indications of classroom performance were obtained during three days of observation in each classroom. The Los Angeles Unified School District and the California Department of Education provided scores for each classroom on standardized tests of academic achievement in reading and mathematics. Preliminary analysis of the data indicates that achievement in reading and mathematics is poorer as noise lev...

Effects of freeway noise on academic achievement of elementary school children

Only a limited amount of specific data are available regarding the relative effectiveness of A‐ versus C‐weightings in predicting the effects of noise on sleep or of noise on children in classrooms. These data will be reviewed, but suggest that with respect to sleep the results are equivocal. In the classroom, the single study available [Lukas, DuPree, and Swing, in press] suggests the C‐weighted noise levels are more highly correlated (negatively) wth academic achievement that are A‐weighted levels.

Jerome S. Lukas

Papers

Noise and sleep: a literature review and a proposed criterion for assessing effect.

Effects of freeway noise on academic achievement of elementary school children

Frequency weighting to assess sleep and classroom environments