Luxury Silent noise and stress is everywhere

Increasing noise pollution is a risk to health

04/25/2014

Noise is one of the most serious environmental problems of our time, which can cause numerous health problems, experts warn in the run-up to the day against noise on 30 April. „Especially the traffic noise is experienced as a strong annoyance“, but also the aircraft noise and the noise of the rail traffic disturb many people considerably, so the German society for acoustics (DEGA) in their information booklet to the day against the noise.

A considerable proportion of the population is permanently exposed to sound from a wide variety of noise sources. Moments of absolute calm are hardly conceivable for many. Even if the noise is not perceived as disturbing, according to the experts from a certain noise level inevitably from health impairments. „Even if some people say: you can not get used to noise“, explained Professor Stefan Kääb, Senior Physician at the University of Munich, to the news agency „dpa“.

Air and road traffic noise particularly disturbing
According to the statements of DEGA feels „in everyday life more than half of Germans“ Due to traffic noise, about 30 percent perceive aircraft noise as a significant impairment and about a quarter of the population feels disturbed by the rail traffic. Overall, the noise „perceived by the people as a serious impairment.“ Although significant improvements have been made at a technical level, modern aircraft, cars, trucks and buses are much quieter than previous models. However, the volume of traffic has risen continuously, as a result of which the noise from these sources has continued to increase in everyday life, reports DEGA. An assessment, which also Professor Rainer Guski, environmental psychologist of the Ruhr University Bochum, told the news agency „dpa“ confirmed. The growing traffic volume of vehicles and airplanes is decisively responsible for the fact that the subjective perceived noise pollution increases. In addition, there were fewer breaks between peaks in noise levels.

Noise pollution at the workplace is a health risk
Employees are also often exposed to permanent noise pollution at the workplace, and according to the statement of the cardiologist Professor Kääb, the noise can already cause illness below a sound pressure level of 85 decibels (dB). This applies „even if it is not perceived as disturbing“, Kääb continues. According to the expert is „Noise is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease“, as this triggers a stress reaction in the organism, which in turn leads to an increased release of hormones such as epinephrine, norepinephrine and cortisol. This raises the blood pressure, the heart rate is accelerated and the blood clotting activated, which in the long term represent a significant burden on the cardiovascular system. Experts estimate that up to 4,000 heart attacks a year in Germany are due to road traffic noise. Even with noise, which are hardly disturbing, according to the expert, the stressful stress response in the organism can be triggered.

Irreversibly threatening hearing damage
According to the information provided by DEGA „In Germany, several million people are often exposed to heavy noise at their workplace“. As irreversible bodily harm to the hearing system increases with increasing volume and duration, the relevant occupational health and safety regulations lay down limit values ​​which, for example, state that the average noise exposure level over an eight-hour shift must not exceed 80 dB (A). Otherwise, the provision of appropriate hearing protection is required. In the particularly noisy occupations workers without the hearing protection would be threatened with a noise deafness, which goes back to the death of the hair cells in the inner ear, so the announcement of the DEGA. The cells are needed to convert sound waves into electrical signals that can be transmitted to the brain. Damage to the hair cells usually takes place „slowly and hardly noticeable“ and she is irreversible. „After dying, permanent hearing damage occurs“, reports the DEGA.

Study on the effects of noise on health
Professor Guski and his team are currently working on the noise impact study NORAH („Noise-Related Annoyance, Cognition, and Health“), the „the most representative and scientifically validated description of the effects of noise from air, rail and road traffic on the health and quality of life of the affected resident population“ should deliver. In the light of their previous findings, the researchers have doubts about noise measurement by means of continuous sound levels. Because the values ​​averaged over long periods of time are extremely loud but do not do justice to short events. For example, many people living in the vicinity of airports find the noise of an aircraft, with short, very high levels of noise, extremely disturbing, even though the persistent sound levels are in a rather low range. As an example, the morning alarm clock is often used here, the continuous sound level should not bother anyone, but of which we still wake up every morning.

Measures to reduce noise demanded
The DEGA experts see an enormous need for action in view of the increasing noise and made clear that noise „both through administrative (eg legal setting of limit values) and through technical measures (reductions at the source, on the path of propagation or in the person concerned)“ can. In addition, planning approaches (for example traffic calming) are also possible. In addition, through education work within the population, each individual is sensitized to the topic, because in the end we humans are also the producers of the noise and everyone can „contribute to minimizing noise through responsible behavior“, so the conclusion of the DEGA. (Fp)