You never really get used to it.
Noise was once just thought of as an annoyance. Today, while many people still aren’t hearing the warnings, a significant body of research speaks to its harmful effects: from the more obvious hearing loss to stress, sleep deprivation and increased cardiovascular risk linked to noise exposure — like from that living near an airport. “You don’t get used to noise. You may adapt to noise, but that’s always at a cost to your health,” says Arline Bronzaft, professor emerita of Lehman College, CUNY in the Bronx, who has extensively studied and written about the adverse impacts of noise on learning, quality of life and health. “What quiet gives your body is the opportunity to repair itself — to just rest.”
What’s noise to you?
Though noise is described in various ways, it’s commonly considered to be disruptive to the hearer. “The definition of noise is really unwanted sound,” says Dr. Mathias Basner, an associate professor of sleep and chronobiology at Penn Medicine, who has also studied the effects of noise on health. It’s frequently loud or persistent — like dogs barking constantly, traffic noise or someone else’s turned up music you don’t like. But there’s a psychological component, too, he says. The same loud music that may bother one person may be embraced by another — say a concertgoer who’s a fan — even if the volume can still cause issues like hearing damage.
Can you escape all the commotion?
While bustling cities like the Big Apple can create a ruckus — sparking efforts to regulate and rein in the din — small towns and rural areas aren’t immune either, Bronzaft points out. She’s consulted on noise-related cases, where people have reached out for help, around the country and the world, from motocross tracks proposed within earshot of residents to air traffic over homes. The author of the instructional children’s book “Listen to the Raindrops” doesn’t suggest trying to find ever-elusive silence, but advocates seeking quiet. “We want children to learn that sounds are beautiful — there are wonderful, beautiful sounds in this world — but if the noises dominate,” she says, “we won’t be able to appreciate those.” Here are some ways kids and adults can find quiet:
First, remember: location, location, location.
If you’re moving, you may have an opportunity to hit the refresh button on what you’re hearing — and not hearing. Before you buy or rent a house or an apartment, do your research on noise in the vicinity, suggests Ted Rueter, director of Noise Free America: A Coalition to Promote Quiet. Go beyond the obvious, like busy roads, airports or loud venues nearby. Rueter knows some people who’ve knocked on doors to talk with prospective neighbors about whether they have barking dogs and loud parties, for example. You may also courteously probe by asking a real estate or rental agent about that, too, if the information isn’t readily offered.
Sound treat your home.
You can create a quiet sanctuary even in a booming city, as Bronzaft has with her home in NYC. Use heavy curtains on windows and acoustical tile (made from sound-absorbing material, such as mineral fiber, wood or cork) on ceilings and walls, put rugs on floors — which also absorb sound — and seal air leaks in the home to reduce noise coming in from outside. That’s recommended in a brochure Bronzaft helped create, which is available online through the resource GrowNYC. Windows are the “weak link” in most residences when it comes to noise incursion, adds Bob Andres, principal consultant at Environmental and Safety Associates in Naples, Florida, and technical adviser to Noise Free America. Storm windows, or those with double or triple-glazing, offer a better sound barrier.
Don’t resign yourself to work noise.
It’s not easy — no doubt. Just as some may feel they have no choice but to put up with other job hazards, dealing with loud equipment on a construction site or in a factory may be a fact of work life. While earplugs and noise-reducing headphones may have limited impact, experts say it’s important to follow safety procedures to a T. And take breaks, (as much as possible) stepping away from the noise throughout the day. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 22 million workers are exposed to potentially damaging noise at work each year — causing issues like permanent hearing loss. You can keep your employer accountable by filing a confidential complaint to OSHA.
Turn down the volume on your life.
Maybe you’re not so loud. But we all make some noise. You needn’t take a vow a silence to find some reprieve from the clatter — or blare — either. Turn down your music player — whether blasted tunes permeate your home or are funneled through your earbuds. Purchase quieter appliances and vacuums and air conditioners and lawn care tools that aren’t so loud, like electric versus gas-powered. Instead of a leaf blower, maybe just pick up a rake, Basner says. The extra work could save your ears. Keep your car in (relatively) quiet working order; and don’t outfit a motorcycle with aftermarket parts that make it rumble loudly, Rueter says.
Find relative quiet in a group when you go out.
Just because you’re spending a night out doesn’t mean you’re looking to get blasted by the cranked up volume of everything or everyone around you. While rock concerts and raves, bouncing clubs and rowdy bars — and crowds — will always have their appeal, people are also increasingly looking for places where, say, you can hear the conversation you’re having. Don’t be bashful about making quiet a priority when you go out, but embrace cutting through the noise and seek out restaurants, bars and cafes that are quieter. Check out SoundPrint — the “Yelp for noise” — to find quiet venues in some cities, and use the free app to measure decibel levels in your favorite places.
Respect your neighbor’s right to peace and quiet.
Just as you try to keep a loud world out, don’t be a noisy neighbor and keep quiet hours. Advocating for sensible noise control regulations and supporting community- or city-wide efforts to collectively decrease decibel levels can also help. Noise can aggravate, and sometimes noise complaints can escalate to even calling the cops. “We offer free advice to members of the public on dealing with their noise problems — either from a technical [standpoint] or political or strategic or police perspective,” Rueter says of the coalition. Preferably, members of a community would work together. After all, it takes a village to raise awareness about noise hazards and collectively lower the volume.
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How to Find Quiet in a Noisy World originally appeared on usnews.com
