Associations of Various Nighttime Noise Exposure Indicators with Objective Sleep Efficiency and Self-Reported Sleep Quality

A Field Study

Bibliographic Data

ID15510960
AuthorsMartin Röösli (0000-0002-7475-1531, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, corresponding author), Mark Brink (0000-0003-0696-4401, Federal Office for the Environment), Franziska Rudzik (University of Basel), Christian Cajochen (0000-0003-2699-7171, University of Basel), Martina S Ragettli (0000-0001-7417-3287, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute), Benjamin Flückiger (0000-0002-6838-3648, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute), Reto Pieren (0000-0001-5280-2230, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology), Danielle Vienneau (0000-0002-6309-6439, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute), Jean Marc Wunderli (0000-0002-5956-8229, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology)
Year2019
Volume16
Issue20
Pages3790-3790
Publication date2019-10-09
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph16203790
PMID31600891
OpenAlexW2972537725
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited45

It is unclear which noise exposure time window and noise characteristics during nighttime are most detrimental for sleep quality in real-life settings. We conducted a field study with 105 volunteers wearing a wrist actimeter to record their sleep during seven days, together with concurrent outdoor noise measurements at their bedroom window. Actimetry-recorded sleep latency increased by 5.6 min (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.6 to 9.6 min) per 10 dB(A) increase in noise exposure during the first hour after bedtime. Actimetry-assessed sleep efficiency was significantly reduced by 2%-3% per 10 dB(A) increase in measured outdoor noise (L eq, 1h ) for the last three hours of sleep. For self-reported sleepiness, noise exposure during the last hour prior to wake-up was most crucial, with an increase in the sleepiness score of 0.31 units (95% CI: 0.08 to 0.54) per 10 dB(A) L eq,1h . Associations for estimated indoor noise were not more pronounced than for outdoor noise. Taking noise events into consideration in addition to equivalent sound pressure levels (L eq ) only marginally improved the statistical models. Our study provides evidence that matching the nighttime noise exposure time window to the individual's diurnal sleep-wake pattern results in a better estimate of detrimental nighttime noise effects on sleep. We found that noise exposure at the beginning and the end of the sleep is most crucial for sleep quality

Acoustics · Audiology · Environmental health · Insomnia · Noise (video · Noise reduction · Physics · Psychiatry · Quality (philosophy · Sleep (system call · Sleep quality · Traffic noise · Computer Science · Environmental Science · Hearing Loss and Rehabilitation · Medicine · Noise Effects and Management · Vehicle Noise and Vibration Control

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