Traffic Noise increases Risk of heart attack

Working on the links between traffic noise and health, a new study has found that people exposed to louder traffic sounds run a greater risk of suffering a heart attack.

By analyzing more than 50,000 participants aged between 50 and 64, Danish researchers discovered that the risk of a heart attack goes up by 12 percent for every 10-decibel increase of noise from traffic. 

To produce accurate results, the study was conducted in Copenhagen and Aarhus, two of the largest cities in Denmark, and kept track of many aspects of the participants’ health for almost a decade. 

Commenting on the outputs of the research, Dr. Mette Sorensen, the study’s lead author said, “We think traffic noise during the night is especially dangerous, because it disturbs sleep.” 

She added that most people do not realize that they are exposed to noise pollution, but when the quality of their sleep is looked into in a lab it becomes clear that their “sleep stages have been disturbed.” 

Sorensen also noted that, according to the findings of the study, almost 4 percent of all heart attacks in Denmark are related to traffic noise. 

Published in the journal PLoS ONE, the research recommends that people choose a room with low exposure to traffic noise to sleep in.