![]() This range is associated with Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). Prolonged exposure to noise at this range may begin to make you feel uncomfortable. It is equivalent to sounds that feel too loud and may overpower what you are listening to, including cars, a dishwasher, a washing machine, and a garbage disposal. This risk level is considered to be high, meaning that it takes less time in this sound range to experience damage to your health. Of course, listening to his sound range for prolonged periods of time (for more than eight hours) can still lead to the more indirect health effects listed in the previous sections. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, you can listen to this sound range for as long as you want without developing hearing loss. It is equivalent to sounds that are easy to hear and may become annoying if you can’t control them, including laughter, a loud conversation, a hair dryer, or a vacuum. This risk level is also considered to be normal. Cardiovascular disease can develop into coronary heart disease, heart failure, arrhythmia (irregular heartbeats), and strokes. These factors predispose people to cardiovascular disease and diabetes (hence the increased blood sugar). Stress hormones increase blood pressure, blood sugar, and the constriction of blood vessels. This is mainly because noise at this level and above can cause an increase in stress hormones, either through sleep deprivation, anger/annoyance, or disrupting your performance or communication. A study in 2019 found that road-traffic noise (starting at 50 dB) increased the risk of heart disease by 8% for every 10 dB. This range is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. This risk level is considered to be normal-but just because it is normal doesn’t mean it can’t have negative impacts! It is equivalent to sounds that are easily noticeable and may compete with what you are trying to listen to and focus on, such as rain muffling, a conversation, or noise in a quiet office. ![]() ![]() In general, the children in this study found it harder to focus because of the constant exposure to noise. Children exposed to higher levels of noise had lower test scores. A study performed in 2008 found that noise led to primary school children developing a lack of motivation and reduced memory and reading comprehension. Chronic exposure to sound levels above this range can also lead to impaired cognitive function, especially in children. This range is associated with a lack of sleep, and prolonged exposure may also cause headaches and irritability. It is equivalent to sounds that are noticeable and can become disruptive depending on the environment-the humming of a fridge, a running stream, or other background noises. This range is not associated with any specific health problems-but, anything exceeding this sound level can cause damage to your sleep patterns. It may also be difficult to hear at this level if you have hearing loss. It is equivalent to sounds that are audible, but still quiet-think of soft whispering (3 feet away), rustling leaves, and mosquitos buzzing. This range is not associated with any negative health effects, and is actually correlated with times of relaxation and good sleep. ![]() It may be difficult to hear at this level if you experience hearing loss. It is equivalent to sounds that are not very audible, including a ticking watch or normal breathing. Below is a list of different sound level ranges, what they sound like, and how they can affect your health. Although noise is an unwanted sound, people can (or have to) become accustomed to it because they can’t control it-we often normalize noise to make life more bearable. Noise is an unwanted sound-a noise that makes you annoyed, stressed, distracted, or mad. Sound refers to what we’re hearing, while noise is more about how a sound makes us feel. It is important to remember that sound and noise are two different things. ![]() But, what do these sound levels actually mean for you and your health? If a sound level increases by 10 on the decibel scale, that means the sound is ten times more intense. Decibels are calculated using sound meters, like the one used in the “Map the Sound” button on the Noise Project app. Sound levels are measured in decibels, which can range from 0 to over 120. These different ways relate to different ranges of sound levels. Noise pollution can manifest itself in many ways like talking, transportation, or construction. ![]()
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