Do you ever get stressed out when you're sitting in traffic? Do cars whoosh past your window at all hours of the night? Scientists are now saying that your constant exposure to traffic may be bad for your heart.
A study done by researchers in Britain has discovered that constant exposure to traffic noise can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Scientists studied death rates for neighborhoods with different levels of traffic noise pollution, and took into account age, sex, class, ethnicity, smoking, and air pollution. Noise levels above 60 decibels (about as loud as a crowded restaurant!) were found to be associated with a 5-9% higher rate of hospital admissions for stroke, and mortality was 4% higher for people who live in noisy neighborhoods.
These findings are similar to a study done in Denmark, which found a 12% higher risk of heart attack with every ten-decibel increase in traffic noise. However, this test was only done on a specific age group: men and women aged 50-64. That is, those who are already at higher risk for heart attack.
So why does loud noise hurt our hearts? There are a few reasons. Air pollution has been linked to higher risk for cardiovascular disease, and the constant noise pollution could drive up stress levels and blood pressure without people even realizing it. And if you live somewhere with constant noise pollution, the traffic noise could be interrupting your sleep patterns, even if you don't find yourself waking up in the middle of the night.
So what if you commute every day, or live near a busy road or highway? Both studies showed that traffic noise doesn’t even have to be loud to affect your heart health. Scientists recommend that you try to sleep in a room that doesn’t face the street in order to decrease the noise. However, your day-to-day noise pollution is not as much of a risk to your heart health as physical activity or hypertension, so perhaps it’s best to take care of those first.
How do you deal with traffic stress?
Photo Copyright © 2010 viriyincy/Flickr
