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Stress and Noise PollutionIt's long been known that stress and noise pollution are linked. The very origin of the word "Noise" comes from the Latin "noxia", which means harm or injure. Early studies showed that noise causes changes in blood pressure, sleep patterns and digestion, which are all signs of stress on the body. Studies have been looking at the relationship between stress and noise pollution for many decades. The UK and Japan enacted national laws in 1960 and 1967 respectively, and the Noise Control Act of 1972[1] were the direct result of early scientific studies showing the extreme havoc noise causes on us. However stress and noise pollution is even far worse than was originally thought as science now shows the noise raises stress levels to the point of causing heart and immune system problems and can alter brain chemistry in harmful ways. NOISE POLLUTION TRIGGERS THE STRESS RESPONSE Sound pollution triggers the body’s stress response and the high levels of stress hormones that go with it. Noise has also been linked with musculoskeletal problems, as a Cornell University study on office noise found. Noise pollution can also impact sleep quality by preventing sleep and disrupting sleep cycles, another stressor on us. And, perhaps most significantly, because chronic stress can lower your immunity to all disease, noise pollution is a general threat to health and wellness. STRESS AND NOISE POLLUTION IN THE NEWS The European Commission, which governs the European Union (E.U.), now considers living near an airport to be a risk factor for coronary heart disease and stroke, as increased blood pressure from noise pollution can trigger these more serious maladies. The E.U. estimates that 20 percent of Europe’s population -- or about 80 million people -- are exposed to airport noise levels it considers unhealthy and unacceptable. AIRPORT NOISE SERIOUSLY AFFECTS CHILDREN Airport noise can also have negative effects on children’s health and development. A 1980 study examining the impact of airport noise on children’s health found higher blood pressure in kids living near Los Angeles’ LAX airport than in those living farther away. A 1995 German study found a link between chronic noise exposure at Munich’s International Airport and elevated nervous system activity and cardiovascular levels in children living nearby. And a 2005 study published in the prestigious British medical journal, The Lancet, found that kids living near airports in Britain, Holland and Spain lagged behind their classmates in reading by two months for every five decibel increase above average noise levels in their surroundings. The study also associated aircraft noise with lowered reading comprehension, even after socio-economic differences were considered. Work in a noisy environment? Learn more about how even low level noise can affect your health and work performance (here's a good study to show your boss) control stress and noise pollution. SAFEGUARD YOUR HEALTH FROM SOUND POLLUTION - buy thermal window panes ENJOY DAILY QUIET TIME AND NOISE FREE VACATION SPOTS Here's an inspiring article on the world's top ten quietest vacation destinations.
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