Report: Excessive Noise Linked to Premature Heart Deaths

New research from the World Health Organization has found long-term exposure to excessive noise causes heart disease that prematurely kills thousands of people around the world each year, according to The Guardian (Aug. 23, 2007):

The research is part of a long-term study of the health effects of noise in Europe, which began in 2003.

In addition to the heart disease link, it found that 2% of Europeans suffer severe disturbed sleep because of noise pollution and 15% can suffer severe annoyance.

Chronic exposure to loud traffic noise causes 3% of tinnitus cases, in which people constantly hear a noise in their ears.

Research published in recent years has shown that noise can increase the levels of stress hormones such as cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenalin in the body, even during sleep. The longer these hormones stay in circulation around the bloodstream, the more likely they are to cause life-threatening physiological problems.

High stress levels can lead to heart failure, strokes, high blood pressure and immune problems.

"All this is happening imperceptibly. Even when you think you are used to the noise, these physiological changes are still happening," according to one researcher cited in the Guardian story.