News
Transportation noise: Effects on sleep
Study - 13/12/2011
A team of German and US researchers have just published in the “Sleep” journal an article on the effects on sleep of mono- and multi-exposures to road, rail and air noises. This study could question the "bonus" granted to rail traffic and require to deepen the research on the effects related to multi-exposure to several noise sources.
For 11 nights in a row, 72 subjects were exposed to different noise levels from road, rail and air traffic. For the purpose of the experiment, the researchers studied in the laboratory the effects of exposure to only one noise source, then to two or three simultaneously. One of the objectives of the study was to check if the bonus granted to rail traffic in many regulations was justified.
The physiological analysis of exposure to only one noise source showed that road traffic generated more significant changes in sleep structure and continuity than rail then air traffic. Nevertheless, the subjective analysis done by the subjects did not lead to the same results. No negative feeling was reported for road noise whereas sleep quality and recuperation assessment was worse for air and rail noise.
Multi-exposure to several noise sources caused more negative effects on sleep quality both at the physiological level and in terms of feelings. However, the results did not show a significant difference between a double and a triple exposure.
In addition, although a bigger part of the night is spent unconscious, the subjects were not only able to distinguish between nights with and without noise, but also between exposures to higher and lower noise levels.
If the study showed a certain noise habituation, there was no habituation in terms of cardiac arousals.
Go to the study
The physiological analysis of exposure to only one noise source showed that road traffic generated more significant changes in sleep structure and continuity than rail then air traffic. Nevertheless, the subjective analysis done by the subjects did not lead to the same results. No negative feeling was reported for road noise whereas sleep quality and recuperation assessment was worse for air and rail noise.
Multi-exposure to several noise sources caused more negative effects on sleep quality both at the physiological level and in terms of feelings. However, the results did not show a significant difference between a double and a triple exposure.
In addition, although a bigger part of the night is spent unconscious, the subjects were not only able to distinguish between nights with and without noise, but also between exposures to higher and lower noise levels.
If the study showed a certain noise habituation, there was no habituation in terms of cardiac arousals.
Go to the study
Regulations - 13/12/2011
The European Commission presented last December 9th a proposal...
