Surviving noisy Britain
An article in yesterday's Guardian explained how noise pollution can cause sleep disturbance, raised blood pressure and even lead to heart disease.
Journalist Rebecca Hardy wrote that there's growing evidence of noise-related stress becoming a significant public health hazard. According to a report from the World Health Organisation, unwanted noise is causing hearing impairment including tinnitus, disturbing our sleep and triggering stress hormones which could in turn affect the immune system and metabolism.
Interestingly, a study by Cornell University in New York, found that workers in an open-plan office with constant exposure to hubbub from machinery, telephones and office chatter had higher levels of adrenaline in their urine than workers in a quiet, self-contained work station. The open-plan group were also less effective at puzzle solving than the quiet group, who slept better, had better digestion, and were less irritable.
In response to the findings, The Guardian produced a guide to surviving noisy Britain, and the Noise Association's guide can be found here. If the university study isn't enough proof of the damage noise pollution can do both physically and mentally, another poll has revealed that 22% of Londoners claim to have not experienced silence in over six months!
