Noise and Health-Sleep Disturbance in Adults

Noise and Health-Sleep Disturbance in Adults: Tomoyuki KAWADA, Department of Hygiene and Public Health, Nippon Medical School-Factors modifying the effect of environmental noise on sleep include sex, age, susceptibility, personality and the health status, including past and present history of disease. Objective: The effects of noise on sleep and habituation of sleep to noise were summarized. Results and conclusions: 1) The effect of noise on sleep is associated with physical changes, such as changes in heart rate, blood flow volume, breathing and the immune and neurocirculatory systems. During sleep, specific changes in these indicators are noted during different sleep stages. There are individual and sex differences, and it is important to understand the effects of noise on sleep considering several related factors. 2) Habituation to noise is also an important phenomenon that must be addressed while considering the effects of noise on sleep. Habituation is dependent on the type and sound level of the noise. In occupational fields, shift work and job stress should be considered to determine the association between noise and sleep, which is important to retaining a good quality of working life. (J Occup Health 2011; 53: 413-416)