Noise Pollution And Your Heart

The Nobel Prize Winner Robert Koch predicted in 1910 that ‘One day man will have to fight noise as fiercely as cholera and pest’.

I frequently read and reply to articles on Quora, and find that a number of people worry about the noise levels around them. 

Well, they should!!

Noise pollution is a rampant problem in India. With millions of vehicles on the roads and the constant honking for no reason whatsoever, the excessive amount of noise has become a nuisance. There is a common misconception that noise pollution only affects the ears. Recent evidence suggests that noise pollution can affect your heart. Up until now, this was an unknown fact.

Researchers from the Johannes Gutenberg University in Germany took at a look at all the studies that had evaluated the role of noise in the development of heart disease. What they found was quite alarming.

It appears that noise can affect the heart at a cellular level. The high levels of noise can induce changes in the levels of certain stress hormones and nerve functions. This stress leads to the damage of blood vessels. Not just that, the excessive noise can induce what is called ‘oxidative stress’. This leads to the formation of harmful free radicals that can damage the heart muscle and other vital tissues. Noise can also lead to disturbed sleep.

Living in a noisy neighborhood where traffic is constantly moving can lead to poor sleep which in turn can increase blood pressure. High blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease. Experts suggest that constant exposure to sound over 60 decibels can cause heart damage. To give you some perspective, the sound with which we speak at home or in an office is around 60 dB. The sound of a jackhammer is around 100 dB.

With this knowledge, it is important that the government takes steps to lower noise pollution. Honking should be banned if possible. Noise cancelling headphones may be useful if you are exposed to loud noises all the time. However, these can be quite expensive.

It might just be better to take steps to lower exposure to loud sounds. Take care!