Associations between noise sensitivity and sleep, subjectively evaluated sleep quality, annoyance, and performance after exposure to nocturnal traffic noise
TL;DR: The results suggest that alterations of subjective evaluation of sleep were determined by physical parameters of the noise but modified by individual factors like noise sensitivity.
Abstract: In order to determine the influence of noise sensitivity on sleep, subjective sleep quality, annoyance, and performance after nocturnal exposure to traffic noise, 12 women and 12 men (age range, 19-28 years) were observed during four consecutive nights over a three weeks period. After a habituation night, the participants were exposed with weekly permuted changes to air, rail and road traffic noise. Of the four nights, one was a quiet night (32 dBA), while three were noisy nights with exposure to equivalent noise levels of 39, 44, and 50 dBA in a permuted order. The traffic noise caused alterations of most of the physiological parameters, subjective evaluation of sleep, annoyance, and performance. Correlations were found between noise sensitivity and subjective sleep quality in terms of worsened restoration, decreased calmness, difficulty to fall asleep, and body movements. The results suggest that alterations of subjective evaluation of sleep were determined by physical parameters of the noise but modified by individual factors like noise sensitivity.
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TL;DR: Accumulating evidence supports the hypothesis that spontaneous BOLD fluctuations reflect processes that maintain the integrity of functional systems in the brain and suggests that neuronally mediated BOLD signal variance generally increases in light sleep.
Abstract: Descent into sleep is accompanied by disengagement of the conscious brain from the external world It follows that this process should be associated with reduced neural activity in regions of the brain known to mediate interaction with the environment We examined blood oxygen dependent (BOLD) signal functional connectivity using conventional seed-based analyses in 3 primary sensory and 3 association networks as normal young adults transitioned from wakefulness to light sleep while lying immobile in the bore of a magnetic resonance imaging scanner Functional connectivity was maintained in each network throughout all examined states of arousal Indeed, correlations within the dorsal attention network modestly but significantly increased during light sleep compared to wakefulness Moreover, our data suggest that neuronally mediated BOLD signal variance generally increases in light sleep These results do not support the view that ongoing BOLD fluctuations primarily reflect unconstrained cognition Rather, accumulating evidence supports the hypothesis that spontaneous BOLD fluctuations reflect processes that maintain the integrity of functional systems in the brain
432 citations
TL;DR: The results lend some support to the hypothesis that long-term exposure to road traffic noise increases the risk for myocardial infarction.
Abstract: Background: An association has been reported between long-term exposure to road traffic noise and the risk of myocardial infarction (MI), but the evidence is limited and inconclusive. No previous study has simultaneously analyzed the role of exposure to noise and air pollution from road traffic in the risk of MI. Methods: A population-based case-control study on MI was conducted 1992-1994 in Stockholm County. Participants answered a questionnaire and underwent a physical examination. Residential exposure to noise and air pollution from road traffic between 1970 and 1992-1994 was assessed for 3666 participants (1571 cases of MI and 2095 controls), based on residential history combined with information on traffic intensity and distance to nearby roads. Information was also obtained on factors potentially affecting the relationship between noise exposure and MI, such as noise annoyance. Results: The correlation between long-term individual exposure to noise and air pollution from traffic was high (r = 0.6). The adjusted odds ratio for MI associated with long-term road traffic noise exposure of 50 dBA or higher was 1.12 (95% confidence interval = 0.95-1.33). In a subsample, defined by excluding persons with hearing loss or exposure to noise from other sources, the corresponding odds ratio was 1.38 (1.11-1.71), with a positive exposure-response trend. No strong effect modification was apparent by sex or cardiovascular risk factors, including air pollution from road traffic. Conclusions: The results lend some support to the hypothesis that long-term exposure to road traffic noise increases the risk for MI.
292 citations
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...Current, 1–10 g/d 116 (7) 125 (6) 78 (6) 47 (7)...
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...Current, 20 g/d 217 (14) 118 (6) 72 (5) 46 (7)...
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TL;DR: In assessing sleep disturbances, the domain might benefit from additional longitudinal studies on deleterious effects of noise on mental health and general well-being, as well as methodological aspects in the study of noise and sleep.
223 citations
TL;DR: The analysis showed no relationship between neither noise exposure nor response to noise and cardiovascular problems, and showed strong links among pseudoneurological complaints, annoyance and sleeping problems, thus pointing to the importance of including information on psychosomatic disorders and mild psychological problems in future studies looking at potential health effects of noise.
190 citations
Cites background from "Associations between noise sensitiv..."
...Field and laboratory studies indicate that noise sensitivity also influence subjectively reported sleep disturbances due to noise (Aasvang et al., 2008; Belojevic et al., 1997; Marks and Griefahn, 2007; Öhrström et al., 1990)....
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TL;DR: Noise sensitivity was associated with health-related quality of life; annoyance and sleep disturbance mediated the effects of noise sensitivity on health.
Abstract: The relationship between environmental noise and health is poorly understood but of fundamental importance to public health. This study estimated the relationship between noise sensitivity, noise annoyance and health-related quality of life in a sample of adults residing close to the Auckland International Airport, New Zealand. A small sample (n = 105) completed surveys measuring noise sensitivity, noise annoyance, and quality of life. Noise sensitivity was associated with health-related quality of life; annoyance and sleep disturbance mediated the effects of noise sensitivity on health.
151 citations
Cites background from "Associations between noise sensitiv..."
...Noise sensitivity, considered a stable personality trait that is relatively invariant across noise level [17], is a strong predictor of noise annoyance [15,18,19], and has been correlated with sleep quality [3,20,21]....
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References
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TL;DR: The results demonstrate that access to quiet indoor and outdoor sections of one's dwelling supports health; it produces a lower degree and extent of annoyance and disturbed daytime relaxation, improves sleep and contributes to physiological and psychological well-being.
290 citations
"Associations between noise sensitiv..." refers background in this paper
...[9],[10],[11],[12],[13] Individuals who are repeatedly annoyed by noise in different situations characterize themselves as noise sensitive....
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...[12],[39],[40] However, the situation for night time annoyance is more complex, since this feeling results from noise experienced during consciousness, i....
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TL;DR: Noise sensitivity has relatively little influence on reactions to nonenvironmental conditions, and its relationship with noise exposure, its working mechanism, and the scope of its influence are discussed.
Abstract: This article integrates findings from the literature and new results regarding noise sensitivity. The new results are based on analyses of 28 combined datasets (N=23 038), and separate analyses of a large aircraft noise study (N=10939). Three topics regarding noise sensitivity are discussed, namely, its relationship with noise exposure, its working mechanism, and the scope of its influence. (1) A previous review found that noise sensitivity has no relationship with noise exposure. The current analyses give consistent results, and show that there is at most a very weak positive relationship. (2) It was observed earlier that noise sensitivity alters the effect of noise exposure on noise annoyance, and does not (only) have an additive effect. The current analyses confirm this, and show that the relation of the annoyance score with the noise exposure is relatively flat for nonsensitives while it is steeper for sensitives. (3) Previous studies showed that noise sensitivity also influences reactions other than noise annoyance. The current analyses of the aircraft noise study extend these results, but also indicate that noise sensitivity has relatively little influence on reactions to nonenvironmental conditions. © 2003 Acoustical Society of America.
206 citations
"Associations between noise sensitiv..." refers background in this paper
...[40],[45] If so, it can be speculated that the unfamiliar environment...
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...[12],[39],[40] However, the situation for night time annoyance is more complex, since this feeling results from noise experienced during consciousness, i....
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Journal Article•
TL;DR: A formal definition of noise sensitivity is offered, and evidence relating to it is reviewed, which reveals that noiseensitivity is not a unitary concept.
Abstract: Reaction (annoyance, dissatisfaction) to noise is itself an important health effect, as well as possibly contributing to other putative health effects of noise. Thus, factors such as noise sensitivity, which influence reaction, are of considerable importance. However, noise sensitivity is rarely clearly defined. This paper offers a formal definition of noise sensitivity, and reviews evidence relating to it. Noise sensitivity has been measured in various ways, but may be measured most directly by assessing reaction to many noise situations (other than those involving the noise source(s) which are the focus of the particular study). When noise sensitivity is measured in this way, factor analysis consistently reveals that noise sensitivity is not a unitary concept. Rather, two distinct factors appear: one related to loud noises (road traffic, lawn mower), and the other related to quieter noise situations which are nonetheless distracting (rustling papers at the movies, people talking while watching television). More research is needed to address the relationships between these factors, reaction and other health effects.
197 citations
TL;DR: Comparisons of socio-acoustic studies conducted around international airports in Amsterdam, Sydney, and London support the previous findings that noise sensitivity is an independent predictor of annoyance and adds to the prediction of noise annoyance afforded by noise exposure level by up to 26% of explained variance.
Abstract: In order to examine the role of noise sensitivity in response to environmental noise, this paper presents detailed comparisons of socio-acoustic studies conducted around international airports in Amsterdam, Sydney, and London. Earlier findings that noise sensitivity moderates the effect of noise on annoyance were examined to see if they could be replicated in each of the datasets, independent of the technique of measuring noise sensitivity. The relation between exposure to aircraft noise and noise annoyance was studied separately for groups of individuals with low, medium, and high noise sensitivity, with statistical adjustment for relevant confounders. Results support the previous findings that noise sensitivity is an independent predictor of annoyance and adds to the prediction of noise annoyance afforded by noise exposure level by up to 26% of explained variance. There is no evidence of a moderating effect, whereby the covariation between noise exposure level and annoyance is weak for people who score at the extreme high or low end of the sensitivity scale, and strong for people who score in the middle of the sensitivity scale. Generally, noise sensitivity appears to increase annoyance independently of the level of noise exposure after adjustment for relevant confounders. These findings were consistent across the three datasets.
172 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the subjective responses to noise were studied in a group of 439 persons working in offices, laboratories or industries in each person's workplace noise was measured information about responses to noises and factors that might affect annoyance were collected in questionnaires, and a distraction index was formed on the basis of a factor analysis.
161 citations