How to Cope with Noise Pollution
If you have ever lived or worked somewhere that was noisy, you know that it can have a seriously negative impact on your life. While we move ahead with our technological society, there are all sorts of pollution that we didn’t have to deal with 50 years, and it is increasingly getting worse.
Flights, machines, TV, radio…how often do really get a moment’s peace. I actually must admit that I get loads since I spend lots of time in the countryside, but some people literally never experience noise free living. However, my washing machine and dryer is right by where I work, and it can seriously drive me crazy!
Studies are beginning to reveal that noise-related stress can negatively affect our health and wellbeing, sometimes significantly so. According to a recent report from the World Health Organisation, noise pollution is causing hearing problems such as tinnitus, causing disturbed sleep, and triggering stress hormones which can play a role in many illnesses.
Unwanted noise also makes us feel powerless and potentially more aggressive. The risk of having a heart attack or stroke is increased; in fact it is estimated that 3% of ischeamic heart disease, which is the most common cause of death is caused by noise.
Stephen Stansfeld, professor of psychiatry at Barts and the London School of Medicine says that “There is increasing evidence that air and road traffic noise might be related to high blood pressure. Exposure in school to aircraft noise has also been linked to reading impairment in children.”
One Austrian study showed that children living on a main road had shorter concentration spans than those who lived in a quiet street.
Another study at Cornell University found that workers in an open-plan office with constant exposure to the sound of talking, telephones, typing, copying machines, fax machines, computers etc had higher levels of adrenaline in their urine than workers in a quiet, self-contained work station. The people who worked in the open-plan environment were also less effective at solving puzzles than the quiet group, who slept better, had better digestion, and were less irritable. These are incredible results!
The most common sources of noise pollution are loud music, aircraft and traffic.
Unfortunately, as we become more “advanced” technologically, this situation is only sure to become worse. The UK Office of National Statistics shows that there are 5 times more complaints about noise than there were 20 years ago. Other studies have shown that half a million people moved home in 2006 to escape a disturbing noise.
If that is not an option for you, here are some other ways that you can potentially solve the problem of noise pollution.
Take Action
If you feel that your health and life is being seriously disturbed by noise, it may be a good idea to get involved and make a change. If this is as big of a problem as it seems to be, it is going to take some courageous souls to make changes.
Hypnotize Your Way to Peace
A study funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs found that Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and hypnotherapy helped reduce stress in people who suffered from noise disruption such as traffic and generators. These therapies can help people to change their perceptions and not react to the noise.
Lose Yourself
Get involved in activities that are so absorbing that you will no longer hear the noise.
Relax
Meditation, yoga, and other forms of relaxation can help people to cope with noise pollution. This decreases heart rate, breathing rate and blood pressure, and metabolism, all of which are effected by unwanted noise. 10 to 20 minutes a day can have a significant impact.
Protect Yourself
You can protect yourself by putting in an extra window pane, building thicker walls, or installing sound installation. Ear plugs and noise cancelling earphones can be another way to protect yourself against noise.
Find Peace
Many people never experience silence. It is essential on so many levels that we spend time in quiet, peaceful places. Going to a park or getting out into nature can yield amazing benefits on many levels.
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