intensifies: NYC noise pollution exacts a heavy price
In the bustling city of New York, noise pollution often goes unnoticed, yet it poses a significant threat to the well-being of its residents. Long-term exposure to high environmental noise levels has significant adverse effects on human health, including hearing loss, sleep disturbances, cardiovascular issues, depression, cognitive decline, premature births, and poor academic performance.
Hearing Loss
Chronic noise exposure, especially from traffic and industrial sources, can cause permanent hearing damage and conditions like tinnitus. This is known as Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). Tinnitus, a permanent ringing in the ear, affects three out of 20 study participants and is increasingly prevalent.
Sleep Disturbances
Noise disrupts sleep quality and circadian rhythms, leading to insomnia, fatigue, and reduced restorative sleep. Poor sleep from noise exposure is linked to downstream health problems, including impaired cognitive function and higher stress.
Cardiovascular Issues
Long-term noise exposure raises stress hormone levels, which increases the risk of hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart attacks, and strokes. Noise pollution is considered a major environmental risk factor for cardiovascular diseases among urban populations.
Depression and Anxiety
Studies show that traffic and environmental noise, particularly levels above 53 decibels, correlate with increased diagnoses of depression and anxiety in children, adolescents, and young adults. Noise contributes to mental health problems by inducing stress and disrupting emotional regulation.
Cognitive Decline
Chronic noise exposure impacts cognitive performance and may contribute to cognitive impairment and neurological diseases through mechanisms linked to stress and sleep disruption.
Premature Births and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes
Noise exposure during pregnancy is associated with adverse outcomes, including premature births, likely mediated by increased maternal stress and disrupted physiological function.
Additional physiological effects include elevated oxidative stress, inflammation, activation of the sympathetic nervous system and endocrine responses, and metabolic disturbances, which further compound risk for chronic diseases.
Addressing the Issue
While New York City has a noise code that regulates sound from vehicles, construction, businesses, and recreation, and has installed cameras with sensors to penalize violators, the issue remains underestimated. According to Richard Neitzel, one-in-four Americans are exposed to noise levels that could potentially harm their hearing over the long term. In the city, nine-in-ten New Yorkers are at risk of hearing loss due to daily exposure to noise levels exceeding 70 decibels.
Prevention and Awareness
Education plays a crucial role in preventing noise-related health issues. There is a push to educate the younger generations on how they don't have to have loud noise at concerts, as it can be cumulative. Among young people aged 18 to 25, the primary source of excess noise exposure comes from headphones. Audiologist Michele DiStefano stated that the effects of noise on well-being have not been studied well enough.
Individual measures to reduce noise exposure include using noise-cancelling headphones, biking instead of using the subway, and using high-density soundproof foam, double thick curtains, and earplugs for sleeping. For those living with PTSD, like US Marines veteran Mulligan, reducing noise levels during daily commutes can significantly improve their quality of life.
The first national study on noise, led by Richard Neitzel, involves 200,000 volunteers wearing smart watches to track sound levels. This study aims to shed light on the extent and impact of noise pollution on public health.
In conclusion, environmental noise pollution is a significant but often underestimated public health threat with broad-ranging impacts on auditory and non-auditory health systems. Targeted mitigation strategies, awareness campaigns, and research are needed to reduce exposure and protect vulnerable populations.
[1] World Health Organization. (2018). Environmental noise guidelines for the European Union. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240015511
[2] American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2020). Noise-induced hearing loss. Retrieved from https://www.asha.org/public/hearing/Noise-Induced-Hearing-Loss/
[3] European Academy of Audiology. (2018). Noise Induced Hearing Loss: A Review of the Evidence. Retrieved from https://www.ea-audiology.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Noise-Induced-Hearing-Loss-A-Review-of-the-Evidence.pdf
[4] National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. (2019). Noise-Induced Hearing Loss. Retrieved from https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/noise-induced-hearing-loss
[5] World Health Organization. (2011). Burden of disease from environmental noise. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241564190
