| Noise is a nuisance; there is no doubt about it. But | | | | contribution of noise to other physical disorders. A |
| more than that, it can cause health problems. For | | | | five-year study of two manufacturing firms in the |
| this reason, many are working at reducing the | | | | United States found that workers in noisy plant |
| amount of noise in our everyday environment by | | | | areas showed greater numbers of diagnosed |
| creating new laws and regulations. | | | | medical problems, including respiratory ailments, |
| How does noise affect our health? The first and | | | | than did workers in quieter areas of the plants. |
| most noticeable affects are hearing loss. Hearing | | | | From a study done with animals, researchers |
| loss is easy to connect with noise because it is | | | | concluded that noise may be a risk factor in |
| observable and measurable. | | | | lowering people's resistance to disease and |
| Hearing loss is often gradual and the first | | | | infection. |
| awareness of the damage unfortunately comes | | | | To prevent aggravation of existing disease, |
| once it has started. One first notices hearing loss | | | | doctors and health researchers agree that there |
| when they are unable to hear particular words | | | | is an absolute requirement for rest and relaxation |
| during conversation and then speech on a | | | | at regular intervals to maintain adequate mental |
| telephone. Unfortunately, this recognition comes | | | | and physical health. |
| too late to recover what is lost. By then, the | | | | Sleep is a restorative time of life, and a good |
| ability to hear the high frequency sounds of, for | | | | night's sleep is probably crucial to good health. But |
| example, a flute or piccolo or even the soft | | | | everyday experience suggests that noise |
| rustling of leaves will have been permanently | | | | interferes with our sleep - in a number of ways. |
| diminished. As hearing damage continues, it can | | | | Noise can make it difficult to fall asleep, it can |
| become quite significant and handicapping. And | | | | wake us, and it can cause shifts from deeper to |
| there is no cure. Hearing aids do not restore | | | | lighter sleep stages. If the noise interference with |
| noise-damaged hearing, although they can be of | | | | sleep becomes a chronic problem, it may take its |
| limited help to some people. | | | | toll on health. |
| People with partial deafness from exposure to | | | | Human response to noise before and during sleep |
| noise do not necessarily live in a quieter world. | | | | varies widely among age groups. The elderly and |
| The many sounds still audible to them are | | | | the sick are particularly sensitive to disruptive |
| distorted in loudness, pitch, apparent location, or | | | | noise. Compared to young people, the elderly are |
| clarity. Consonants of speech, especially high | | | | more easily awakened by noise and, once awake, |
| frequency sounds such as "s" and "ch," are often | | | | have more difficulty returning to sleep. As a |
| lost or indistinguishable from other sounds. Speech | | | | group, the elderly require special protection from |
| frequently seems garbled, sounding as if the | | | | the noises that interfere with their sleep. |
| speaker has his or her "head in a barrel." When | | | | Other age groups seem to be less affected by |
| exposed to a very loud noise, people with partial | | | | noise at bedtime and while asleep. But their |
| hearing loss may experience discomfort and pain. | | | | apparent adjustment may simply be the result of |
| They also frequently suffer from tinnitus -irritating | | | | failing to remember having awakened during the |
| ringing or roaring in the head. | | | | night. Sleep researchers have observed that their |
| There is even further pain the hard-of-hearing | | | | subjects often forget and underestimate the |
| person faces: the emotional anguish caused, | | | | number of times they awaken during sleep. It |
| perhaps Unintentionally, by friends and associates | | | | may be that loud noises during the night continue |
| who become less willing to be partners in | | | | to wake or rouse us when we sleep, but that as |
| conversation or companions in other activities. | | | | we become familiar with the sounds, we return to |
| Noise also affects our bodies subconsciously. In | | | | sleep more rapidly. |
| readiness for dangerous and harmful situations, | | | | The most obvious price we pay for living in an |
| our bodies make automatic and unconscious | | | | overly noisy world is the annoyance we |
| responses to sudden or loud sounds. Of course, | | | | frequently experience. Perhaps because |
| most noise in our modern society does not signify | | | | annoyance is so commonplace, we tend to take |
| such danger. However, our bodies still react as if | | | | our daily doses of it for granted - not realizing |
| these sounds were always a threat or warning. | | | | that the irritability that sometimes surfaces can |
| In effect, the body shifts gears. Blood pressure | | | | be a symptom of potentially more serious |
| rises, heart rate and breathing speed up, muscles | | | | distress inside us. When noise becomes sufficiently |
| tense, hormones are released into the | | | | loud or unpredictable, or if the stress imposed is |
| bloodstream, and perspiration appears. These | | | | great enough, our initial annoyance can become |
| changes occur even during sleep. | | | | transformed into more extreme emotional |
| The idea that people get used to noise is a myth. | | | | responses and behavior. When this happens, our |
| Even when we think we have become | | | | tempers flare and we may "fly off the handle" at |
| accustomed to noise, biological changes still take | | | | the slightest provocation. |
| place inside us, preparing us for physical activity if | | | | Indeed, noise can strain relations between |
| necessary. | | | | individuals, cause people to be less tolerant of |
| Noise does not have to be loud to bring on these | | | | frustration and ambiguity, and make people less |
| responses. Noise below the levels usually | | | | willing to help others. Although no one would say |
| associated with hearing damage can cause regular | | | | that noise by itself brings on mental illness, there |
| and predictable changes in the body. | | | | is evidence that noise-related stress can |
| In studies dating back to the 1930s, researchers | | | | aggravate already existing emotional disorders. |
| noted that noise developed marked digestive | | | | Is noise a problem? It seems it is one we often |
| changes which were thought to lead to ulcers. | | | | don’t recognize. Fortunately it is also one that |
| Cases of ulcers in certain noisy industries have | | | | can be remedied with the proper treatment of |
| been found to be up to five times as numerous | | | | your home or work place with soundproofing. As |
| as what normally would be expected. | | | | for recreation, maybe a trip out into the country |
| Similar research has identified more clearly the | | | | will be the ticket there. |