Living close to an airport could land you in the hospital.
A new UK study highlights the significant health risks of constant exposure to airplane noise, which is bad news for the 40 million Americans who reside near major airports.
Researchers from University College London (UCL) analyzed health records of 3,600 airport neighbors and 21,300 people who don’t live near a flight path to examine the effects of substantial and moderate aircraft commotion compared to no noise.
The residents exposed to worse racket, especially at night, had stiffer and thicker heart muscles that doubled or quadrupled their risk of a heart attack, life-threatening heart rhythm or stroke, the researchers said.
“Our study is observational so we cannot say with certainty that high levels of aircraft noise caused these differences in heart structure and function,” said senior study author and cardiologist Dr. Gaby Captur.
“However, our findings add to a growing body of evidence that aircraft noise can adversely affect heart health and our health more generally,” Captur added.
Higher noise was defined as exceeding an average of 50 decibels during the day and 45 decibels between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. Fifty decibels is generally considered to be the equivalent of a humming refrigerator.
The World Health Organization recommends limiting daytime aircraft noise to 45 decibels and nighttime noise to 40 decibels to avoid negative health effects.
Compared to road or rail noise, planes tend to be louder and more unpredictable, so it’s difficult to get used to them, the UCL researchers said.
Past research has linked constant plane noise to sleep disturbances, increased stress, impaired cognition in children, weight gain and a higher risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.
The UCL researchers attributed much of the changes in heart structure and function to obesity and high blood pressure (specifically for those exposed to daytime noise).
Among the study participants, 8% lived in an area with high daytime noise and 3% with high nighttime noise. Moving away from the airport helped improve health.
Participants who stayed in a high noise area had 10% to 20% worse heart structure and function than those who relocated, according to the findings published Wednesday in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
“For most of us, a plane is seen as a ticket to some well-deserved rest and relaxation,” said James Leiper, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation. “But this innovative study reveals the potential invisible impact for those living close to some of our biggest travel hubs.”
The UCL researchers are calling for further studies on the lasting health effects of aircraft noise and government and industry solutions for reducing exposure to it.
What to do if you live near an airport
Dr. Michael Goyfman, chief of cardiology at Long Island Jewish Forest Hills Hospital, shared some tips for staying healthy amid the overhead din.
- Adopt good sleep habits, like powering off electronics in the hours before bedtime and developing a consistent slumber schedule.
- If you’re concerned about outdoor noise, try to exercise outside when there are fewer flights or go to a park farther from the airport.
- To reduce your risk of cardiovascular events like heart attack or stroke, follow a healthy diet such as the Mediterranean diet, exercise for 150 minutes per week, reduce stress via yoga or meditation, lower high blood pressure and stop smoking.
