Thread by @NotSoLoudPVD

"A growing body of research shows that chronic #noise ... is not just annoying. It is a largely unrecognized health threat that is increasing the risk of #hypertension, stroke, and heart attacks worldwide — including for more than 100 million Americans." nytimes.com/interactive/20…

“Anyone who lives in a noisy environment, like neighborhoods near a Brooklyn highway, may feel they have adapted to the cacophony. But data shows the opposite: Prior #noise exposure primes the body to over-react, amplifying the negative effects.” #trauma nytimes.com/interactive/20…

“Researchers analyzing brain scans and health records [in MA] made a stunning discovery: Those who lived in areas with high levels of transportation #noise were more likely to have highly activated amygdalas, arterial inflammation, and — within five years — major cardiac events.”

“The associations [between #noise and adverse health effects] remained even after researchers adjusted for other environmental and behavioral factors that could contribute to poor cardiac health, like #airpollution, socioeconomic factors, and smoking.” nytimes.com/interactive/20…

“In fact, #noise may trigger immediate heart attacks: Higher levels of aircraft-noise exposure in the two hours preceding nighttime deaths have been tied to heart-related mortality.” Most health effects of noise are not as sudden, but are corrosive and exacerbate other illnesses.

“The decibel scale is logarithmic, not linear: With every 10 dB increase, the sense of loudness to the ear generally doubles. And that means regular exposure to even a few more decibels of #noise above moderate levels can trigger reactions that are harmful to health.”⚠️ @PVDMayor

Nearly a third of the U.S. population lives in areas exposed to #noise levels of at least 45 dB, according to an analysis based on models of transportation noise in 2020. Since traffic was reduced due to the pandemic, researchers suspect that current noise may be notably higher.

Some Brooklyn residents suffer indoor sound levels “consistently above the maximum levels recommended by the WHO. Nighttime noise … is particularly detrimental to health because it can fragment sleep and trigger a stress response, even if the person doesn’t recall being roused.”

The WHO recommends <40 decibels of annual average nighttime #noise outside bedrooms to prevent negative health effects, and <30 dB of nighttime noise inside bedrooms for high-quality sleep. So @HealthyPVD / @RIHEALTH / @Brown_SPH, which PVD neighborhoods are that quiet at night?

“The relationship between #noise and disease is eerily consistent: A study of more than four million people for more than a decade found that, starting at just 35 dB, the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease increased by ~3% for every 10 dB increase in road-traffic noise.”☠️