We've all experienced the annoyance that a noisy environment can cause. A noisy neighbor, a loud party, a busy street – these are all instances where we may experience noise pollution. But some people are exposed to noise on an even more consistent basis – at their workplace – and research shows that this daily stream of noise can contribute to an increased risk for heart disease.
Researchers from the University of British Columbia examined over 6000 workers in the U.S. between 1999 and 2004. The study compared workers who were employed in an environment where they were daily exposed to consistently loud noise levels to workers who worked in quiet environments. The criteria for determining a noisy workplace were: noise levels where workers found it difficult to speak and be heard at normal speaking volume over a period of at least three months.
Workers in Noisy Workplace Twice as Likely to Develop Heart Disease
The study found that about one in five workers surveyed worked in a noisy environment for over nine consecutive months. After controlling for various lifestyle and health factors, the researchers found that workers employed in a noisy workplace were over twice as likely to develop heart disease as those who worked in quieter environments.
Although those who worked in noisy workplaces did not have significantly high levels of cholesterol or inflammatory proteins, they had considerably higher levels of diastolic blood pressure. This condition, known as isolated diastolic hypertension, is an important indicator of potentially serious heart problems, and means that blood pressure is elevated even between heartbeats. Diastolic hypertension can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other serious cardiovascular problems.
Younger workers under the age of 50 were at particularly high risk, and were three or four times more likely to experience a negative cardiac event.
The study also found that employees in noisy workplaces tended to be men, tended to weigh more, and were more likely to be smokers than their colleagues in quiet work environments.
The authors of the study suggested that a noisy workplace might cause stress that could prompt the body to develop higher blood pressure.
Federal Noise Standards Should Be Followed
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has a set of noise standards that businesses must adhere to in order to preserve the health and hearing of employees. If you are concerned that you are being exposed to too much noise at your workplace, you may consider bringing the matter up with your employer. In addition, you may consider using earplugs or noise-canceling headphones consistently while at work in order to help manage your stress levels.
Source:
British Medical Journal (2010, October 8). Persistently noisy workplace more than doubles heart disease risk. ScienceDaily. Retrieved October 12, 2010
Camilla Cheung - Camilla is a Canadian freelance writer currently living on the Central Coast of California. She has a background in teaching and ...
