Environmental Noise and Sleep Disturbance

Eventually, everyone’s sleep suffers from the many different sources of excessive outdoor noise.  But did you ever consider what happens when you lose sleep night after night?

How much does a noisy night’s sleep affect your health, and is there anything that can be done to minimize such sleep disturbance?

Effects On The Body Because of Sound Pollution

• Feeling tired all the time
• Dependence on sleeping medication
• Irritability especially when hearing unfamiliar sounds or constant noise
• Sensitivity to noise levels and frequencies
• Higher levels of stress
• Shows signs of neuroticism¹
• Constant waking during the night
• Diminished work performance
• Impaired reaction times
• Accident prone
• Cardiovascular problems
• Increased blood pressure
• Higher risk of headaches, stroke, heart attack, or death
• Possibility of death due to chronic noise
• More likely to become an extrovert
• Trouble with memory and concentration
• Immune system problems and illnesses

A Sound-Absorptive Wall Is Much Better Than A Sound-Reflective Wall

In the 1970’s and 1980’s, reducing the noise of new highway construction became a front-burner issue.

Many in the construction and scientific communities felt that a solid concrete or brick wall was the best way to combat the offensive sounds.

Now, contractors and construction crews are using innovative sound barrier solutions that use sound-absorptive materials that eliminate sound instead of reflecting it back into the environment.

Why We Need Sound-Absorptive Barriers

Science has shown that reflective noise bounces back into the environment at varying frequencies², and that it can be more annoying than the original sound in some cases.

For example, at just 90 feet away from the highway, the sound levels are at 75 decibels. Imagine how far away from the highway the sound remains offensive and disturbs residents sleep.

Sound Reflecting Barriers Make Bedtime Worse

Sleeping recommendations by the World Health Organization³ say that people need to sleep in bedrooms with sound levels less than 40 decibels.

When living near the highway or high construction areas residents have to endure the noise levels the community leadership allows.In areas with unregulated noise policies, these levels can cause serious health issues and even hearing loss⁴.

Absorptive technologies now make excessive noise easier to moderate, improving everyday life for workers and residents.

Advantages Sound-Absorptive Sound Walls

1. Full, restorative nights sleep
2. Lower blood pressure levels
3. Fewer illnesses
4. Better productivity at work
5. Increased recall and memory

Whether offensive sounds come from new construction, highways or railways, compressors, cooling units, big box or retail outlets, a properly designed sound absorbing wall can reduce excessive noise.

Sound Fighter Systems utilizes in its absorptive noise barriers can help companies stay in regulation and be good neighbors at the same time. For more information on our absorptive solutions for your commercial or industrial application, call us at 1-866-348-0833.

Resources:

¹ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2080382/

² https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ENVIRonment/noise/noise_barriers/design_construction/design/design03.cfm

³ http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/environment-and-health/noise/data-and-statistics

⁴ http://www.adc40.org/docs/WHO_Report_on_Noise_and_Disease.pdf