Increased cardiovascular risk due to noise

Noise Day: Experts inform about health risks of noise

26.04.2012

On the previous day of the noise numerous actions and information events took place all over Germany, with which the population should be made aware of existing noise problems and sensitized to the health risks of an excessive noise pollution.

Harmful noise pollution can come from different sources, whereby. Traffic and aircraft noise are among the most widespread problems. Numerous studies confirm the health risks associated with noise, especially the increased likelihood of cardiovascular disease. In this case, impairments of sleep due to excessive nocturnal noise levels have a particularly harmful effect.

Health risks due to excessive noise pollution
As part of the Day against Noise, organized by the German Society for Acoustics, experts informed about the health consequences of high levels of noise pollution throughout Germany in various events and campaigns. This year, the focus was on the "Stress from aircraft noise and the noise environment of children". With regard to the general health risks of the noise, the experts stated that even with a noise level of 80 decibels, for example due to road noise, there is an increased cardiovascular risk in the long term. Extreme noise of 120 decibels or more, as caused by the Vuvuzelas at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in Africa, can cause acute earache, according to the experts. If noise levels of 140 decibels or more are reached, there is a risk of permanent hearing damage after a short time. Extreme sound peaks such as shots or New Year's Eve hits with too little distance between the ear and the sound source even with a single action damage to the hearing with it.

Negative health consequences of aircraft noise
In addition to the acute impairment of the hearing by the noise threaten according to the experts at persistently excessive noise and consequences on the entire organism and the psyche. In addition, the noise has societal consequences, since, for example, the aircraft noise "with the individual harassment and burden on the residents and the social costs for the treatment of (noise) stress-induced diseases increase, the initiators of the day against noise. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Joint Research Center (JRC) of the EU ", the impact of traffic noise in the EU and other Western European countries alone leads to the loss of more than one million healthy years of life per calendar year, mostly as a result nocturnal sleep disorders, "according to the announcement on the associated Internet portal of the day against noise.

Too much noise in school life
With regard to children's noise environment, this year saw a great deal of action on the day of the noise, during which the adolescents were allowed to make some noise and then convey the value of lack of noise or calm. Numerous studies have shown that "noise can affect children's behavior, reduce their learning speed and impair their memory"; The initiators of the day report against noise. The level of noise pollution in everyday school life, for example, was examined in a separate study by the Federal Office for Occupational Safety and Health. The result: The normal teaching sound level is between 60 and 80 decibels. The complaints about the acoustic working conditions are proving to be "justified" in the schools, the Federal Office had declared at the conclusion of the investigation. With such a noise level, concentrated learning is made considerably more difficult. Often, however, the noise in the classrooms can be significantly reduced by a few simple structural measures, the experts explained. Thus, a reduction in the reverberation time by 50 percent can be achieved, which brings a noise reduction of six decibels. "In schools, such measures should be quickly implemented in the context of already required refurbishment work," emphasized the initiators of the day against noise. (Fp)

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