15

noise levels decreased – health-related quality of life was highest in the quiet rural location. But while there was a clear association between transport noise and HRQOL, the relationship between neighbourhood noises such as dogs barking and lawn mowers was less clear. Te researchers suggest this may be because such noises are less constant and so have a smaller impact on health, even if they are sometimes very annoying. Source: Shepherd, D., Welch, D., Dirks, K.N. et al. (2013). Do Quiet Areas Aford Greater HealthRelated Quality of Life than Noisy Areas? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 10, 1284- 1303. DOI: 10.3390/ ijerph10041284 Contact: daniel. shepherd@aut.ac.nz Temes: Environment and health, Noise About 15% of those living in the noisy city location said they were very annoyed by transport-related noise. Tis is similar to European cities, where 10-35% of people are severely or very annoyed by trafc noise. People living in the quiet city location and the two rural areas were less annoyed by noise. However, of the two socalled noisy areas, the rural location was home to more people who were ‘very annoyed’ by noise compared to the city location. Tis suggests that unnatural sounds, such as those of wind turbines, are more annoying in the context of green areas and perhaps mask other natural sounds. Overall, the researchers say their research justifes the aims of the European Noise Directive in preserving quiet spaces for health. Some of the more specifc health impacts of living in noisy or quiet areas require further study. For instance, how much does trafc noise disturb sleep and how much do quiet areas reduce stress levels? Tere were also no data on the diferences in actual sound levels between the four sites. However, the authors note that decibel measurements can be misleading as they are heavily infuenced by the setting. “About 15% of those living in the noisy city location said they were very annoyed by transportrelated noise. This is similar to European cities, where 10-35% of people are severely or very annoyed by traffic noise.” NOISE IMPACTS ON HEALTH 13 How sounds affect our state of mind Sounds affect our state of mind differently depending on whether they are pleasant or annoying. In a theoretical study, researchers developed a model for exploring human responses to sound. Their work may help us to understand better the health impacts of long-term exposure to noise, as well as the potential benefits of spending time in quiet spaces. It seems clear that there are health benefts to living in a quiet, pleasant environment. But the researchers wanted to consider what ‘quiet’ actually means. Within policy contexts, ‘quiet’ may be interpreted as meaning little or no noise. However, other interpretations may have less to do with sound levels than with a lack of disturbances in a given location or a level of control that people feel they have over the sounds. While pleasant, natural sounds make us feel calm and safe and allow us to remain in a tranquil state of mind, sudden ‘loud’ and ‘annoying’ sounds made by machines or other people may force us out of this tranquil state and become the focus of our attention. We may even have evolved – like other animals – to pay attention to the annoying sounds, because they indicate danger. People can become fnely attuned to the sounds that most disturb them, heightening their annoyance. In the same way, an absence of pleasant sounds may also put us on high alert, because it ofers no guarantees of safety. After reviewing existing studies on the way that people react to pleasant and annoying sounds, the authors developed their own model, focusing on the infuence of sound on ‘mind states’. Teir model draws on theories from diferent disciplines, including psychology and neurobiology. Tey describe four possible states of mind: 1. maximally restoring (sleep); 2. restoring; 3. efortful (requiring focused attention); and 4. inefcient and more efortful. Source: Andringa, T. C., & Lanser, J. J. L. (2013). How pleasant sounds promote and annoying sounds impede health: a cognitive approach. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 10(4), 1439–61. doi:10.3390/ ijerph10041439 Contact: jjllanser@ gmail.com Temes: Environment and health, Noise When we are in environments that make us feel safe, according to the model, our state of mind is restorative. Terefore, in the second, ‘restoring’ waking state, we have freedom in our thinking and behaviour. However, if we feel threatened by our environment, we have to pay more attention to it and – in the authors’ fourth state - switch constantly between thoughts about the tasks we’re trying to get on with and potential external threats. Continually being in this state of high alert and carrying out such mental switching means not only that we can’t focus on specifc thoughts, but that we miss out on the restorative benefts of free thinking. Tese various states of mind may be strongly infuenced by the ‘soundscapes’ (acoustic environments) we are exposed to. However, the researchers also think that people may beneft from changes in soundscapes – from spending time in lively places as well as quiet places. Tey say a diversity of acoustic environments is preferable over more uniform acoustic environments that comply with certain legal noise limits. Such 

1   2    3    4    5    6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25