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Noise pollution refers to human-created sound that is intrusive, disruptive, or potentially harmful.

Research has associated prolonged exposure to noise with elevated stress levels, sleep disruption, reduced concentration and productivity, hypertension, depression, and hearing loss. In children, studies have linked chronic noise exposure to slowed learning and impaired academic performance.

The World Health Organization, National Institutes of Health, United Nations, and numerous scientific and medical publications recognize noise pollution as a public health issue.

• Major health and environmental organizations recognize environmental noise as more than a nuisance.
• Repeated noise exposure—especially at night—can fragment sleep and reduce recovery even without fully waking a person.
• Health impacts are typically associated with chronic or repeated exposure rather than a single isolated event.
• Persistent noise can contribute to physiological stress activation linked to elevated blood pressure and cardiovascular risk.
• Chronic noise in learning environments can interfere with reading, attention, and academic performance.
• Prolonged exposure to loud sound can contribute to hearing impairment, particularly without adequate protection or source control.

Sound Measurement

A decibel (dB) is a unit used to measure sound intensity. Decibels are measured on a logarithmic scale; as a general reference, perceived loudness approximately doubles with each 10 dB increase.

Type of Sound	Decibel (dB)	General Effect
Jet Takeoff	150	Risk of Immediate Hearing Damage
Train Horn	130	Risk of Hearing Damage
Car Alarm	120	Near Pain Threshold
Leaf Blower	100	Increased Risk of Hearing Loss
Motorcycle	90	Prolonged Exposure Risk
Traffic Noise	80	Loud
Vacuum Cleaner	70	Intrusive
Conversation	50	Baseline
Whisper	30	Very Quiet
Breathing	20	Barely Audible

Actual sound levels and health effects vary based on distance, duration of exposure, and environmental conditions.

In sound measurement, the A-weighting standard (dBA) is commonly used to approximate human hearing sensitivity. C-weighting (dBC) is often used to assess lower-frequency sound energy, including sounds that may be perceived as vibration.

World Health Organization

Guidelines for Community Noise (1999)

In 1999, the World Health Organization (WHO), a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN), published a report titled Guidelines for Community Noise, which addressed noise pollution as a significant public health concern.

The report describes how noise pollution can produce both direct and cumulative adverse health effects by degrading residential, social, working, and learning environments. It was intended to provide guidance to environmental health authorities on protecting populations from the harmful effects of urban noise.

The WHO identified seven broad categories of adverse health effects associated with noise exposure:

1. Hearing impairment
2. Interference with spoken communication
3. Sleep disturbances
4. Cardiovascular disturbances
5. Disturbances in mental health
6. Impaired task performance
7. Negative social behavior and annoyance reactions

While noise pollution can affect individuals of all ages, the report identified certain populations as more vulnerable, including infants, children, individuals with mental or physical illnesses, and older adults.

Environmental Noise Guidelines (2018)

In 2018, the World Health Organization published updated Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region, synthesizing evidence from hundreds of epidemiological and experimental studies on transportation and community noise.

The guidelines conclude that long-term exposure to road traffic, rail, and aircraft noise is associated with increased risks of sleep disturbance, high annoyance, and adverse cardiovascular outcomes. The WHO emphasizes that nighttime noise is particularly harmful, as it can disrupt sleep and activate stress responses even when individuals are not consciously awakened.

The report recommends population-level noise reduction policies and reinforces the position that environmental noise is a public health risk requiring preventive action.

European Environment Agency

The European Environment Agency (EEA) reports that environmental noise–especially from road traffic–is one of the most widespread environmental stressors affecting health in Europe.

EEA assessments estimate that large segments of the population are exposed to noise levels associated with sleep disturbance, high annoyance, and increased risk of cardiovascular disease, making noise pollution a persistent public-health burden rather than a minor nuisance.

EEA reports also emphasize that noise exposure is unevenly distributed, often affecting urban populations and communities near major transportation corridors. By compiling data across EU member states, the EEA provides a large-scale picture of noise exposure, health impacts, and the need for prevention through planning, enforcement, and source reduction.

Environmental Protection Agency

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has long recognized environmental noise as a public health concern, noting that exposure to excessive or chronic noise is not merely an annoyance but can adversely affect physical and mental well-being.

Early EPA guidance identified a range of outcomes linked to noise exposure, from noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) to broader health and welfare effects such as sleep disturbance, interference with speech and communication, and stress-related impacts.

To support public understanding and policy, the EPA recommended community noise levels intended to protect public health and welfare (for example, 45 dB for quiet indoor environments, 55 dB for outdoor activity areas, and 70 dB to prevent hearing damage).

Beyond auditory effects, EPA materials and subsequent public-health research have emphasized that repeated or prolonged noise exposure can contribute to physiological stress responses and sleep disruption. Chronic noise exposure has been associated in the broader scientific literature with elevated stress hormones, increased blood pressure, and disturbed sleep patterns—factors linked to increased risks of hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

Following the Noise Control Act of 1972, later scientific reviews and guidelines built on this foundation, reinforcing that environmental noise can have measurable impacts on health, sleep quality, stress levels, and daily functioning.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention / NIOSH

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), including the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), has documented that noise exposure is a leading preventable cause of hearing loss.

CDC/NIOSH materials emphasize that hearing damage can occur gradually over time from repeated exposure to loud sound, and that the risk is not limited to industrial workplaces–everyday environments and recreational noise can also contribute to harm.

NIOSH guidance focuses on prevention through exposure reduction, hearing protection, and improved standards in occupational settings. Their work supports the broader public-health understanding that noise is a cumulative exposure with long-term consequences, especially when high sound levels are frequent or sustained.

National Institutes of Health

Research supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has examined environmental noise as a factor influencing sleep quality, stress physiology, and cardiovascular health. NIH-funded studies indicate that noise exposure, particularly during nighttime hours, can disrupt sleep and contribute to physiological stress responses even in the absence of conscious awakening.

This body of research supports the understanding that repeated sleep disruption and chronic stress activation are key pathways linking long-term noise exposure to increased risks of hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

Federal Highway Administration

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) recognizes traffic noise as a significant environmental impact of transportation infrastructure. FHWA guidance notes that roadway noise can interfere with sleep, communication, and overall quality of life, particularly in residential areas located near major roadways.

FHWA noise policies emphasize assessment, mitigation, and land-use planning as key strategies for reducing long-term exposure and community well-being.

Noise and Children’s Learning

In 1975, researcher Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., along with Dennis McCarthy, conducted a widely cited study examining the relationship between chronic environmental noise and children’s learning. The research was carried out in a New York City public elementary school situated alongside elevated train tracks, where classrooms on one side of the building were exposed to frequent train noise while classrooms on the opposite side were not.

The study found that students in classrooms exposed to persistent train noise demonstrated lower reading scores than their peers in quieter classrooms, despite similar socioeconomic backgrounds, curricula, and instructional conditions. The classroom layout effectively created a natural comparison group, allowing the researchers to examine the potential effects of long-term noise exposure in a real-world educational setting.

Following the implementation of noise abatement measures, including modifications to the train tracks and school infrastructure, reading performance improved in the previously affected classrooms. The findings contributed to a broader understanding of noise as an environmental factor that may interfere with learning and helped inform subsequent research and public health discussions on noise exposure in educational environments.

United Nations Environmental Programme

United Nations agencies, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), have identified environmental noise as an emerging urban environmental health issue, particularly in rapidly growing cities. UN assessments emphasize noise as a contributor to reduced quality of life, sleep disruption, and environmental stress in urban populations.