Noice Pollution Effects Essay Example

at potentially harmful volume levels.[19] The increasing use of consumer products that generate high levels of noise, especially when used with headsets or earphones, is likely contributing to the growing occurrence of impaired hearing in younger individuals.[19, 22-24] Despite warnings from manufacturers, this type of noise remains largely unregulated.

Numerous studies in children have extensively documented the impacts of hearing loss on communication, cognition, behavior, social-emotional development, academic outcomes, and later vocational opportunities, particularly in the young.[23][25]

Leisure-time exposure is on the rise along with its negative consequences. In a recent survey, a majority of young adults revealed that they had suffered from tinnitus or impaired hearing due to being exposed to loud music at concerts or in clubs. Only a small percentage (8%) considered hearing loss to be a serious issue. However, a significant number of participants (66%) said they would be inclined to use ear protection if they were aware of the risk of permanent hearing damage, while 59% stated that they would take such measures if recommended by a medical professional.[22]

Those who work in clubs, bars, and other entertainment venues are also in danger. It is common knowledge that rock musicians often suffer from hearing loss caused by loud noises. In addition to the musicians themselves, employees of music clubs, where noise levels often exceed safety standards, are at risk.[26] Consequently, nearly 30% of students employed part-time (such as bar staff or security staff) in a university entertainment venue were discovered to have endured permanent hearing loss of over 30 dB.[27]

According to the WHO, it is recommended that exposure to sound levels exceeding 100 dB (such

as the noise made by a jackhammer or snowmobile) should be limited in both duration (4 hours) and frequency (four times per year)[1]. The threshold for experiencing pain is typically stated as 140 dB, a level easily reached by today's booming cars. In adults, impulse noise exposure (such as gunfire or other intense but brief noises) should never exceed 140 dB, while for children, the limit is 120 dB. Toys like firecrackers and cap pistols have the potential to produce sound levels high enough to cause sudden and permanent hearing loss[19]. Even a few milliseconds of exposure to sound levels greater than 165 dB are likely to result in acute damage to the cochlea[1]. It is important to counsel patients that ears do not adapt to loud noise; they become deaf, as emphasized by the League for the Hard of Hearing.

Uninterrupted sleep is an essential requirement for optimal physiological and mental functioning in individuals who are healthy.[28] One of the primary causes of disrupted sleep is environmental noise.[1, 10] If sleep disturbance becomes chronic, it can lead to changes in mood, impairment in performance, and other long-term impacts on health and well-being.[3] Recent research has mainly focused on noise originating from aircraft, roadways, and trains. It is well-established that continuous noise exceeding 30 dB disrupts sleep. In the case of intermittent noise, the likelihood of waking up increases with the frequency of noise events during the night.[1]

The main sleep disturbances include difficulty falling asleep, frequent awakenings, waking too early, and changes in sleep stages and depth, specifically a decrease in REM sleep. Aside from affecting sleep itself, noise during sleep leads

to increased blood pressure, heart rate, pulse amplitude, vasoconstriction, respiratory changes, cardiac arrhythmias, and increased body movement.[28] Different thresholds and responses may apply to each of these effects. Some effects (such as waking) decrease with repeated exposure, while others, particularly cardiovascular responses, do not.[29] The following day, secondary effects (referred to as after-effects) are measured and include fatigue, depressed mood and well-being, and decreased performance.[30] Lack of sleep and disrupted circadian rhythms have been linked to decreased alertness, which can lead to accidents, injuries, and death.[31]

Nocturnal noise has been linked to long-term psychosocial effects. Noise annoyance at night leads to an overall increase in annoyance with noise for the next 24 hours. Certain groups are particularly sensitive to this, including the elderly, shift workers, individuals susceptible to physical or mental ailments, and those with sleep disorders.[1]

Factors such as the presence of night-time noise in residential areas with low background noise levels and the combination of noise and vibration from sources like trains or heavy trucks contribute to the problem. The negative impact on health appears to be significant, particularly with low frequency sound, even at extremely low sound pressure levels.[32]

Numerous studies have confirmed that noise pollution has temporary and permanent effects on humans and other mammals through the endocrine and autonomic nervous systems. Some theories suggest that noise serves as a non-specific biological stressor, causing reactions in the body that prepare it for a fight or flight response.[1,2,6] As a result, noise can trigger responses in both the endocrine and autonomic nervous systems, which can impact the cardiovascular system and potentially increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.[1,2,6,11,33-36] These effects

have been observed when individuals are exposed to noise levels above 65 dB on a daily basis or acute exposure to levels above 80 to 85 dB.[1,3] Acute exposure to noise prompts nervous and hormonal responses, leading to temporary spikes in blood pressure, heart rate, and vasoconstriction.

Research on individuals exposed to occupational or environmental noise reveals that when exposed to sufficiently intense and prolonged noise, people experience various cardiovascular effects. These effects include an increase in heart rate and peripheral resistance, elevated blood pressure, higher blood viscosity and lipid levels, disruptions in electrolyte balance, and increased levels of epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol (3). Additionally, sudden unexpected noise triggers reflex responses. It is important to note that cardiovascular disturbances are unrelated to sleep disturbances. Even if noise does not disrupt sleep, it can still prompt autonomic responses and the release of epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol (29). These responses imply that individuals can never fully adapt to nighttime noise.

Temporary noise exposure leads to physiologic changes that can easily be reversed. However, if the noise exposure is intense, long-lasting, and unpredictable, it can cause changes that are not easily reversible. Several studies suggest a connection between environmental noise and cardiovascular disease [1,2,6,33-36]. Although the risk of developing noise-induced cardiovascular disease may be small, it is still significant for public health due to the increasing number of people at risk and the rising levels of noise exposure they experience [1,2].

Children, the elderly, and individuals with underlying depression may lack sufficient coping mechanisms, making them particularly vulnerable to the negative effects mentioned above.[1] Specifically, children residing in noisy environments often

find the noise bothersome and describe a decrease in their quality of life.[10,37]

Noise levels exceeding 80 dB are linked to heightened aggression and reduced altruistic behavior. The media commonly covers instances of violence resulting from noise-related disputes, some of which have led to harm or fatalities. These effects of noise might contribute to the depersonalization observed in today's crowded and noisy urban settings.

Research on the impact of noise pollution on cognitive task performance has extensively examined its effects. Noise pollution has been found to hinder task performance in educational and work settings, resulting in an increase in errors and a decrease in motivation.[11,41] Reading attention, problem-solving, and memory are the areas that are most significantly affected by noise pollution. Experimental studies have identified two types of memory deficits: recall of subject content and recall of incidental details, both of which are negatively affected by noise. Performance deficits can lead to errors and accidents, which can have negative implications on both health and the economy.[1]

Studies have shown that noisy homes can hinder cognitive and language development, as well as reading achievement, even if the noise levels in schools are relatively average [18]. When homes or schools are located near sources of noise like highways and airports, cognitive development can be negatively impacted [4,11]. Noise has been found to affect various aspects of learning, including reading, problem solving, motivation, school performance, and social and emotional development [3,5,10,18,42]. These findings highlight the need to pay more attention to how noise affects children's ability to learn and the learning environment, both in school and at home. Furthermore, there is concern that persistent high

levels of environmental noise can contribute to feelings of helplessness among children [11,18].

Studies have shown that noise has a negative impact on performance, especially in children. The duration of exposure to noise seems to intensify this effect. Children living in noisy environments tend to experience heightened sympathetic arousal, as indicated by increased levels of stress-related hormones and elevated resting blood pressure. This effect is more pronounced in children with lower academic achievement. Therefore, it is recommended that schools and daycare centers be situated in areas with minimal noise pollution.

The feeling of displeasure associated with any agent or condition believed to negatively affect an individual is called annoyance. This response can also be described as aversion or distress. Noise has been used in various studies as a harmful stimulus because it produces similar effects as other stressors.[2] Annoyance significantly increases when noise is combined with vibrations or low frequency components.[32] However, annoyance is just one aspect of the wide range of negative reactions caused by noise pollution. Other reactions include anger, disappointment, dissatisfaction, withdrawal, helplessness, depression, anxiety, distraction, agitation, or exhaustion. These effects are further intensified when individuals perceive a lack of control over the noise.[1,10]

The social and behavioral consequences of being exposed to noise are intricate, nuanced, and indirect. These consequences entail alterations in daily behavior, such as shutting windows and doors to block out external noises, avoiding the use of balconies, patios, and yards, and increasing the volume of radios and televisions. They also encompass modifications in social conduct, such as increased aggressiveness, unfriendliness, nonparticipation, or disengagement, as well as changes in social indicators like residential mobility, hospital

admissions, drug consumption, and accident rates. Additionally, noise exposure can result in changes in mood, with an upswing in reports of depression [1].

The belief is that noise exposure alone does not cause aggressive behavior. Nevertheless, when combined with factors such as provocation, existing anger or hostility, alcohol or other psychoactive substances, noise might activate aggressive behavior.[38] The media frequently shares instances of this type of conduct.

The annoyance caused by noise can vary depending on factors such as the time of day, the characteristics of the noise, its duration and intensity, the meaning associated with it, and the activity that was interrupted by the noise.[1] Nonacoustical factors including individual sensitivity to noise can also influence annoyance.[43] These factors include fear of the noise source, belief that third parties could reduce the noise, individual sensitivity, the sense of control over the noise, and whether or not the noise comes from an important economic activity.[1,10] Annoyance can also have indirect effects such as disrupting one's peace of mind, enjoyment of one's property, and enjoyment of solitude.

The annoyance caused by noise is more pronounced in cases where the noise has a low frequency, is accompanied by low-frequency vibrations, or contains sudden bursts of sound like gunshots [1,32]. The annoyance is even greater if the noise gradually increases over time rather than remaining constant. According to the EPA, average outdoor residential day-night sound levels should not exceed 55 dB, while acceptable average indoor levels should be below 45 dB [17]. To give some perspective, the sound produced by an average refrigerator or the ambient noise in a quiet neighborhood measures about 45 dB [17].

Sound levels above these thresholds are likely to annoy a significant number of individuals.

The consequences of annoyance include personal dissatisfaction, complaints made to authorities (although this is likely underreported), and the already mentioned negative health effects. Annoyance goes beyond just slight irritation and signifies a significant decline in quality of life, which in turn relates to a decline in health and well-being. It should be noted that annoyance does not lessen over time, even with continued exposure to noise.[12]