Noise annoys. New research suggests that it can also lead to an early death.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) just published a report linking chronic noise exposure (such as the constant buzz of traffic outside your bedroom window) to heart disease. The results suggest that chronic noise contributes to around 210,000 deaths annually worldwide.
How? The rumbling of traffic triggers alert mechanisms in the body, even during sleep, raising levels of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenalin. Keeping these in circulation can lead to a greater risk of stroke, heart disease and high blood pressure.
Deepak Prasher of University College London, a contributor to the study told New Scientist “All this is happening imperceptibly, and this is the key. Even when you think you’re used to noise, these physiological changes are still happening.”
This is all bad news for Londoners. Our city of some 7.5 million people creates quite a racket. The map above, from defra’s noise map of the UK, shows the area around the Nature offices (white arrow). We’re surrounded by 75 decibel roads – a similar level to Oxford Street. Fortunately for me, I sit at the back of the building overlooking the canal basin – all very tranquil.
According to the noise map of where we live, we’re in the the blessed quiet of yellow… but I’m not sure the map accounts for rush hour rat run traffic, or drunken Londoners yelling at each other at 3am (usually happy yelling – we’re south of the river, you understand).
I think it’s averaged out over the full 24 hours. So there might be specific times when it’s very noisy, and others when it’s very quiet. Or it might be constantly moderately noisy. The map doesn’t let you distinguish.