According to a recent research by the World Health Organization, noise pollution has been found to be one of triggers leading to heart disease. Are you aware that in the U.K. alone, 101,000 people died of coronary heart disease in 2006? The study suggests that 3,030 of these heart deaths were caused by chronic noise exposure.
Do you know noise pollution is classified as intrusive noise that distracts and disrupts regular functioning? In the cities, airplanes and cars are the major contributors of noise pollution. But, don’t be under the misconception that noise pollution is a problem of the big cities alone. Even in the suburbs noise pollution can be found in the form of lawn mowers, leaf blowers, and home/office construction.
As per the WHO guidelines, continual night-time exposure of 50 decibels or above is the noise threshold for cardiovascular problems.
Not just heart disease, the WHO study also suggests that noise pollution is also the cause of disturbed sleep, tinnitus, and severe irritation among people.
Research in recent years has shown that exposure to constant noise can cause an increase of the stress hormones like adrenaline, noradrenalin, and cortisol in the body. Stress, as we know can cause heart failure, immunity problems, hypertension, and strokes.
Ellen Mason, a cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said:
Our world is undoubtedly getting busier and noisier. Some people find noise pollution more stressful to live with than others do. Noise cannot directly kill us, but it may add to our stress. Occasionally, stressful events can trigger a heart attack in someone with underlying heart disease. We know that stressed people are more likely to eat unhealthily, exercise less and smoke more, and these can increase the risk of developing heart disease in the first place.
So, if you want to increase your longevity and quality of life, reduce your noise exposure by doing a few simple things, like, honking less while driving, installing dual-paned windows, and last but not the least by switching off the TV and not keep it constantly running.
via:guardian
