Noise & Health最新文献

Background: Although it is known that sound exposure evokes changes in autonomic activity, the effects of noise and music on the nonlinear behavior of heart rate fluctuations remain poorly understood and controversial. This study aims to assess the influence of sound subjective emotional valence and arousal on the nonlinear characteristics of the autonomic nervous system during passive listening.

Methods: In this study, 42 subjects listened to four sounds: (1) white noise, (2) road traffic noise, (3) excitatory music, and (4) a lullaby. The experiment consisted of two consecutive sessions: 5 minutes of rest, followed by 5 minutes of listening. RR intervals were recorded during both sessions. The following linear and nonlinear heart rate variability (HRV) indices were computed: Standard deviation of NN (SDNN), The root mean square of successive differences between normal heartbeats (RMSSD), F, high frequency (HF), approximate entropy (ApEn) and sample entropy (SampEn), correlation dimension (D2), Poincaré plot indices (SD1, SD2), fractal scaling exponents (alpha1, alpha2), and recurrence plot indices (mean line length [Lmean], maximum line length [Lmax], determinism [DET], laminarity [LAM], maximal vertical length [Vmax], trapping time [TT], Shannon entropy of line length distribution [ShanEn]).

Results: Excitatory music was associated with a significant decrease in SDNN (from 47.3 ± 3.59 to 38.31 ± 3.16, P < 0.01), RMSSD (from 51.07 ± 4.75 to 42.53 ± 3.9, P < 0.05), HF (from 1516.26 ± 245.74 to 884.07 ± 183.44, P < 0.001), and low frequency (LF; from 973.33 ± 176.09 to 760.28 ± 150.35, P < 0.05). Excitatory music exposure induced significant increases in DET (P < 0.01), SD1 (P < 0.05), and SD2 (P < 0.05), but changes in detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA), SampEn, and D2 were nonsignificant. Traffic noise, white noise, and the lullaby did not cause significant changes in the measures of HRV.

Conclusion: Presentation of excitatory music that evokes strong negative emotions elicits a prominent decrease in respiratory sinus arrhythmia. Poincaré plot and recurrence plot measures possess high sensitivity to excitatory music. Contrary to previous studies, we did not find the effects of relaxing music on HRV.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate whether occupational noise exposure is a risk factor for insomnia among male night-shift production workers.

Methods: This study followed 623 male night-shift production workers at a tire manufacturing factory without insomnia for 4 years. Insomnia was evaluated based on the insomnia severity index at baseline and at 4-year follow-up. A score of ≥15 was defined as insomnia. The higher occupational noise exposure group was defined as those individuals exposed to 8-hour time-weighted-average noise above 80 dB (A).

Results: Participants' mean age was 46.3 ± 5.6 years. Of the 623 participants, 362 (58.1%) were in the higher occupational noise exposure group. At 4-year follow-up, insomnia occurred in 3.2% (n = 20) of the participants. In a multiple logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio of insomnia was 3.36 (95% confidence interval 1.083-10.405, P = 0.036) in the higher occupational noise exposure group when compared with the lower noise exposure group after adjusting for confounders.

Conclusion: Our findings suggested that occupational noise exposure affected insomnia in male night-shift production workers. To prevent insomnia, efforts are required to reduce workplace noise exposure levels. Alternatively, moving to a less noisy work environment should be considered for workers with severe insomnia.

Context: The use of personal listening devices (PLDs) is becoming increasingly popular, particularly among young people. Numerous studies have demonstrated that being exposed to PLDs can have adverse effects on the auditory system. Owing to the similarities between the auditory and vestibular systems, it is possible that the negative effects of PLD use may extend to the vestibular system, an area that has not been extensively studied.

Aim: The study aimed to investigate the impact of exposure to PLDs on the vestibular system, specifically the sacculo-collic reflex assessed by the cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potential.

Settings and design: The current study used a cross-sectional study design.

Materials and methods: A total of 80 participants were divided into four groups based on the history of PLD exposure. Each group consisted of 20 participants who underwent cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP) testing using alternating polarity 500 Hz tone bursts.

Statistical analysis used: Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Bonferroni post hoc test were used to obtain the statistically significant difference among the group.

Results: The results showed that the amplitude of p1-n1 of cVEMP was significantly reduced in individuals with longer PLD exposure duration.

Conclusion: The study suggests that listening to music through a PLD at high levels of volume controls could be deleterious to the vestibular well-being of an individual. The study highlights the importance of being aware of the adverse effects of using PLDs to prevent potential damage to the vestibular systems.

Purpose: Noise exposure in preschools is cited as one of the main stresses by preschool teachers in surveys worldwide. Hearing-related symptoms as well as physiological stress reactions are often mentioned in this context. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate whether the noise has an impact on the cardiovascular activity of the preschool teachers.

Methods: The study took place in nine private preschools in Vienna. In the classrooms of 23 preschool teachers stationary noise recordings were conducted and the participants were equipped with 24-hour electrocardiograms (ECGs). Questionnaires on noise-related stress, well-being, stress perception, burnout risk, noise annoyance, and noise sensitivity were provided. Data were described descriptively and correlations and one-way analyses of variance (ANOVAs) with repeated measures were performed.

Results: The average sound pressure level in the classrooms during the first four hours was L_Aeq 74.7 dB(A) (standard deviation [SD] = 1.74). A significant correlation between heart rate and sound pressure level (L_Aeq,4 h) was found, r = 0.40, P = 0.04 (one-tailed). Noise sensitivity and noise annoyance showed no effect. With increasing sound level classes [≤65 dB(A), 66-75 dB(A), 76-85 dB(A)], the heart rate increased significantly, and the heart rate variability decreased significantly. It was also found that tolerating noise becomes more difficult with increasing length of employment and increasing age.

Conclusion: The noise level in classrooms showed an impact on the cardiovascular activity of preschool teachers, which can be considered as an indicator of stress. Measures to reduce noise in preschools are recommended.