Health Highlights: April 4, 2003
Traffic Noise Boosts Blood Pressure
We all know that driving in heavy traffic can increase our stress levels.Now, a German study says loud traffic noise alone can raise our blood pressure to unhealthy levels.
Researchers at the Robert Koch Institute found that people who live in areas where there is heavy traffic noise receive more medical treatment for high blood pressure than people who live on quieter streets.
The study of 1,700 people in Berlin found that the risk
for high blood pressure problems was greatest for people who slept with
their windows open and lived in areas with heavy traffic noise, says a news
release from the German Federal Environmental Agency.
People who experienced average nighttime sound levels of 55 decibels or
more by their bedroom windows were nearly twice as likely to be treated
for high blood pressure, compared to people exposed to sound levels less
than 50 decibels.
Previous German research found that people exposed to high levels of noise had a greater risk of cardiovascular disease.