The Noise
Unlike a sound which has an objective definition, noise is a subjective notion which corresponds to sounds perceived as unpleasant and annoying. Thus, each individual develops his own sensitivity to noise through his culture, his experience and his exposure.
Photo source https://www.stress-info.org/blog/2008/09/18/le-bruit-source-de-stress-2/
Hearing impairment, prolonged exposure to high sound levels can cause hearing fatigue. It results in a transient deficit in auditory perception which manifests itself before the threshold of 120 decibels (dB). Beyond this value, noise causes pain.
In addition to the health problems that they are likely to cause, noise pollution promotes the occurrence of occupational accidents. This is because noise causes loss of attention and disturbances in verbal communication. It also has a masking effect on warning signals.
Exposing employees to excessively intense noise levels presents real health risks, and more particularly damage to hearing.
In sensitive people, noise or prolonged exposure to noise increases the heart rate and therefore blood pressure, which changes the breathing rate. This results in hypertension and / or cardiac arrhythmia. Over time, it can even contribute to a myocardial infarction. To realize this, just put on loud music for several hours and you will find that at some point you will switch off because you will have a headache and feel "pissed off." This nervousness is the result of the increased heart rate and blood pressure. This often happens at the exit of nightclubs or concerts. People get angry quickly after listening to music at high volume for 2 hours!
1) sleep disorder
We think, wrongly, that our ears do not work when we sleep. Big mistake ! The ear works 24 hours a day and therefore hears the noises of the night (wind, rain, ticking of an alarm clock, VMC motor, fridge motor, etc.). And in doing so, the brain therefore receives the information from this noise and it disrupts the sleep cycles. We wake up several times during the night, the duration and depth of sleep cycles are reduced and we accumulate fatigue and late sleep, which is not without consequences on our brain: concentration problems , drowsiness, memory disturbances, irritability, aggressiveness etc….
2) Cardiac disorders
In sensitive people, noise or prolonged exposure to noise increases the heart rate and therefore blood pressure, which changes the breathing rate. This results in hypertension and / or cardiac arrhythmia. Over time, it can even contribute to a myocardial infarction. To realize this, just put on loud music for several hours and you will find that at some point you will switch off because you will have a headache and feel "pissed off." This nervousness is the result of the increased heart rate and blood pressure. This often happens at the exit of nightclubs or concerts. People get angry quickly after listening to music at high volume for 2 hours!
3) tinnitus
As a reminder, tinnitus is whistling and buzzing more or less loud, perceived by the person who suffers from it without external cause. These noises occur with age and degeneration (age-related) of the ear cells. But they also occur in young people and adolescents who listen to their MP3 too loudly and after sound trauma in nightclubs and at concerts. “Active” workers who work in very noisy places (machines, vehicles, etc.) are also affected.
Tinnitus is irreversible. You can live with them if you accept them and hide them, but once they're there, they stay! And this can greatly disrupt the daily life of the person who suffers from it (difficulty falling asleep, concentrating, memorizing, etc.).
Photo source https://www.mairie-chereng.fr/plan-de-prevention-du-bruit-dans-lenvironnement/
4) hearing loss
The most important and the most serious consequence is hearing loss. Prolonged and excessive exposure to noise destroys nerve cells in the inner ear. The resulting hearing loss will be irreversible.
5) Stress and anxiety
Chronic, unpredictable and uncontrollable noise has effects on mental health. Noise becomes a stressor which can cause aggression, chronic fatigue, headaches etc ... In the end, it can lead to heart problems.
Photo source https://www.greelane.com/fr/sciences-humaines/anglais/noise-communication-term-1691349
