Even though you may not be aware of the adverse effects of noise pollution on your body, understanding how it affects your physical well-being is important for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Read further to learn about why these never-ending road noises should be taken seriously and what measures you can take to reduce their impact on your health.
Previous studies have shown a connection between traffic noise outside a home and hypertension. However, the evidence was lacking, and it was unclear whether air pollution was also a contributing factor.
For this new study published in JACC Advances, researchers analyzed data from more than 240,000 people aged 40 to 69 who had no hypertension at the start of the study. Road traffic noise outside their home was estimated with the Common Noise Assessment Method, a European modelling tool.
Using follow-up data over approximately eight years, researchers looked at how many people developed hypertension. It was found that people living near road traffic noise were more likely to develop hypertension, and that risk increased in tandem with noise levels. The associations stayed true when researchers adjusted for fine particles and nitrogen dioxide exposure. However, people exposed to air pollution and traffic noise had the highest hypertension risk.
“To date, this is the first large-sized prospective study directly addressing the effect of road traffic noise on the incidence of newly-diagnosed hypertension,” said Jiandong Zhang, author of the accompanying editorial comment. “The data demonstrated in this article provides a higher quality of evidence to justify the potential to modify road traffic noise and air pollution from both individual and societal levels in improving cardiovascular health.”
Researchers hope these findings support public health measures as they confirm that traffic noise harms blood pressure. Some policymaking could help alleviate the impact of road traffic noise, such as enforcing stricter noise guidelines, improving road conditions and urban design, and investing in technology for quieter vehicles.
Hearing health not only affects your quality of life through audio disadvantages, but as this study shows, it can also affect other aspects of general health. If you live in an area with traffic noise, taking steps to help reduce your blood pressure may be essential.
Supporting Heart Health
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