Airports Take Big Toll on Sleep of Those Living Nearby

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.

By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, Sept. 26, 2024 -- As people living near airports probably already know, all that overhead traffic can take a huge hit to their sleep, a new study confirms.

Night-time aircraft noise increases a person’s risk of tossing and turning in bed as engines roar overhead, researchers reported Sept. 25 in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

Airplane noise also appears to disrupt people’s sleep/wake cycles, leading them to fall asleep and wake up at irregular hours, researchers found.

“Higher night-time aircraft noise was linked with disturbed sleep quality, even if people didn’t realize it,” said lead investigator Xiangpu Gong, a postdoctoral researcher with the University of Leicester in the U.K. “Sleep disturbance could have long-term effects on health, so it’s important for policies to address and reduce noise pollution from airplanes.”

For the study, researchers tracked more than 80,000 people living near four major British airports -- London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham.

Study participants wore wrist devices that tracked their sleep patterns, and answered questionnaires about their sleep quality.

Researchers compared this sleep data to maps created by the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority that show the level of aircraft noise that occurs in neighborhoods near airports.

People exposed to higher levels of aircraft noise tended to move more while they slept, a sign of sleep disruption, researchers said.

Higher levels of airplane noise was also associated with irregular daily sleep rhythms, even though people spent about the same amount of time in bed.

“Night-time aircraft noise was associated with more restless sleep and disrupted sleep-wake cycles, suggestive of a link between night-time aircraft noise exposure and sleep disturbance,” Gong said in a university news release. “Poorer sleep patterns have been associated with higher risk of mental health problems, conditions like diabetes and obesity and with mortality risk.”

Policymakers should consider these results when weighing whether to add more flights at an airport, said lead researcher Anna Hansell, a professor of environmental epidemiology at the University of Leicester.

“It is of concern that current pressure on airports to increase night flights could result in more night-time aircraft noise from airplanes, with potential impacts on sleep disturbance and ultimately on health,” Hansell said.

Sources

  • University of Leicester, news release, Sept. 25, 2024
  • Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

    Source: HealthDay

    Read more

    Disclaimer

    Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

    The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

    Popular Keywords