A noisy environment has many underrecognized negative impacts that have little to do with hearing per se. Chronic noise exposure, such as might be experienced by individuals who live near an airport, can lead to an overall decrease in perceived quality of life, increased stress levels along with an increase in the stress hormone cortisol, problems with memory and learning, difficulty performing challenging tasks, and even stiffening of blood vessels and other cardiovascular diseases.
According to the World Health Organization, noise exposure and its secondary outcomes such as hypertension and reduced cognitive performance are estimated to account for an astounding number of years lost due to ill health, disability, or early death.
What can be done about noise pollution, and what can we do to mitigate its effects on our sound mind?…. The first step is to simply become more aware of sound. Were you aware of the potential damage of exposure to “safe” levels of noise?
Download a sound-level measuring app on your smartphone and get a sense of your soundscape at home, at work, during your commute, and at the gym. As you become more aware of the sounds around us, ask, “Is this necessary?”
