Living near high traffic areas can have a negative impact on your life. heart health.
A European study published in the journal Environment Research found that exposure to nighttime road traffic noise was associated with blood changes. worsening of cholesterol and cardiovascular risks.
According to a press release, researchers looked at data from the British Biobank, the Rotterdam Study, and the 1966 Northern Finland Birth Cohort, which included more than 272,000 adults aged 30 and older.
Study finds lack of sleep is linked to serious hidden health risks
We estimated nighttime road noise exposure at home for all participants based on the National Noise Map. The researchers also took blood samples to measure metabolic biomarkers of disease in the participants and mapped the association between nighttime noise levels and the presence of the biomarkers.
The study found that people were exposed to the following symptoms: louder noise Listening to sounds at night, especially those above 55 decibels, caused changes in 48 different substances in the blood. Twenty of these associations “remained robust” across all cohorts.
Exposure to loud noise was associated with increased concentrations of cholesterol-related biomarkers, particularly LDL “bad” cholesterol, IDL (intermediate density lipoprotein) and unsaturated fatty acids.
Nearly 90% of Americans are at risk for silent diseases – here’s what you need to know
As the noise level increased from about 50 decibels, cholesterol markers rose steadily, the release states.
The authors concluded that the study “provides evidence that nighttime road traffic noise exposure of 50 dB or more is associated with changes in blood cholesterol and lipid profiles in adults.”
Study co-author Yiyan He, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oulu in Finland, said effect sizes are expected to be small in this type of study, noting that environmental exposures such as traffic noise are “usually modest.”
Simple nightly habits linked to healthy blood pressure, study suggests
“Nonetheless, we observed statistically robust and consistent associations across many biomarkers, particularly those related to LDL and IDL lipoproteins,” she told FOX News Digital.
Study finds that lack of sleep can have hidden negative effects on the brain and lifespan
“We also identified a clear exposure-response pattern starting at about 50 dB, suggesting that metabolic changes become more apparent as the noise level increases.”
This matches public health The World Health Organization recommends lowering noise limits to around 40-45 dB at night, Gaiyang He added.
“The 55 dB level is often used as an interim benchmark related to significant noise nuisances. sleep disorders“In our study, we observed not only an association at 55 dB, but also a sign of the effect appearing around 50 dB.”
The strength and consistency of the cholesterol-related associations was surprising, as these changes are usually “subtle.”
“Instead, we found a consistent association across multiple large European cohorts, which strengthens our confidence that the results may reflect real biological patterns,” Professor Yiyang He continued. “We were also interested to see that the effect was minimal, less than about 50 dB, suggesting the possibility of a threshold-like pattern.”
Heart disease threat predicted to skyrocket across key demographics
The researchers noted that these findings were consistent across gender, education level, and gender. obese state.
This study was limited to white Europeans, which was a limitation. There was also a lack of information about the fasting status of UK Biobank.
“Fasting can affect the levels of certain metabolites, especially fatty acids,” said Yiyang He. “However, less than 10% of participants had fasted for at least eight hours, according to UK Biobank documentation, and our main findings focused on cholesterol-related biomarkers that are generally less sensitive. short term fasting. ”
For more health stories, click here
Researchers also lacked information on sleeping locations, indoor noise exposure, and time spent at home.
“These factors can cause misclassification of undifferentiated exposures,” Yiyang He said. “Furthermore, noise exposure estimates were based on participants’ temporary residential address at the time of blood collection, without taking into account length of residence.”
Click here to sign up for our health newsletter
“Many of these limitations tend to bias the results toward the null, so the consistent association we observed remains noteworthy.”
Based on this latest research, Yiyan He concluded that nighttime noise is “health related It’s not just a nuisance, it’s an exposure.
“Our findings suggest that nighttime traffic noise may have subtle but consistent effects on metabolic health,” she said. “Although changes in cholesterol and lipid levels in one individual are small, traffic noise affects a very large number of people, which means the potential impact. Public health impact It could become quite significant. ”
Test yourself with our latest lifestyle quiz
Researchers recommend taking steps such as improving sound insulation, using noise reduction strategies, and placing your bedroom on a quieter side of the house if possible.
“Sleep is an important pathway linking noise and health, so protecting your sleep environment at night is especially important,” she added.
