Living near an airport or busy street may not just be unpleasant, but unhealthy as well. Hypertension and a rise in blood pressure may be tied to noise, according to studies published in the European Heart Journal as well as the Environmental Health Perspectives journal.

Environmental Health Perspectives Journal

4,861 individuals who had lived at least five years near a major European airport were studied to see if there was a link between airplane noise and hypertension. The study concluded that for every 10 decibel increase in noise exposure there is a 14% rise in the risk of high blood pressure. Daily exposure to road noise, averaging over 65 decibels, was also shown to increase the risk of hypertension, oddly in women only, by more than 50%. (Song)

European Heart Journal Study

A British team studied 140 people who lived near airports in London, Athens, Milan and Stockholm. While the participants slept, their blood pressure was recorded every 15 minutes, using ambulatory blood pressure monitors, which was later analyzed in relation to noise level in the room. (Reinberg)

Researchers found that there was a direct correlation between noise and rise in blood pressure. In the case of airplane noise (at about 35 decibels), a 6.2 mmHg increase in systolic blood pressure and a 7.4 mmHg increase in diastolic pressure were recorded (a refrigerator hum is only about 40 decibels loud!). The researchers also found that the noise source did not seem to matter, as similar responses were found when the noise came from a snoring partner or road noise. The study also noted that that in the case of airplane noise, a 5 dB rise in the noise level resulted in another 0.66 mmHg rise in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. (Imperial)

“The study adds to the literature that noxious and stressful exposures have adverse cardiovascular consequences,” said Dr. Harlan M. Krumholz, professor of medicine at Yale University School of Medicine. “Whether all people are affected similarly and whether this response correlates with a higher risk of heart disease is not clear, but it seems sensible to assume that a noisy environment is not good for health,” (Reinberg)

SOURCES:

Imperial College London. “Aircraft Noise Raises Blood Pressure Even While People Are Sleeping, Says Study. ” 2-17-2008. ScienceDaily. Retrieved 8 September 2008 from http://www.sciencedaily.com¬ /releases/2008/02/080213090530.htm.

Reinberg, Steven. “Airplane Noise Boosts Blood Pressure Even During Sleep”. 2-12-2008. HeathDay. Retrieved 9-5-2008 from http://www.hon.ch/News/HSN/612605.html.

Song, Sora. “Nighttime Noise and Blood Pressure”. 2-13-08. Retrieved 9-8-08 from http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1713178,00.html