Sleep disturbance from road traffic noise - field studies on the influence of access to quietness.

• Socio-acoustic surveys were carried out within the research programme “Soundscape Support to Health” to assess sleep disturbances and other health effects of various soundscapes in residential areas. It was hypothesised that having access to a quiet side outside bedroom windows enhances recovery and decreases sleep disturbances related to noise. The dwellings in the different study sites chosen were exposed to different sound levels from road traffic noise ranging from about LAeq,22-06h 37 to 61 dB outside bedroom windows. The study involved 956 individuals. Half of them lived in dwellings with bedroom windows facing a quieter side and the other half had bedroom windows facing the most exposed side of the dwelling. A verbal category scale on frequency and degree of disturbance was used for evaluation of sleep disturbances due to road traffic noise (ability to sleep with bedroom windows slightly open, falling asleep, awakenings and sleep quality). Sleep quality was also evaluated by questions without reference to road traffic noise. The studies confirm previous findings of a relationship between sleep quality and individual factors such as state of health, psychological and physiological wellbeing and age, as well as perceived noise-induced sleep disturbances. The results show a strong relationship between sleep disturbances due to road traffic noise and demonstrate a large benefit from having access to a bedroom that faces a quiet side. The threshold for reported noise-induced sleep disturbances found in this study was a sound level outside bedroom windows 2 m from the façade LAeq,22-06 42-46 dB (windows slightly open).

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

noise sleep disturbance

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

kon (subject category)