Nighttime sounds (especially from traffic sources) can lead to health problems that increase your risk of heart disease and other conditions, according to a new analysis in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

These disruptions cause your body to regularly release stress hormones, which over time can lead to high cholesterol and blood pressure, two key risk factors for heart disease, explains lead study author Thomas Münzel, MD, professor and head of cardiology at the University of Mainz in Germany. The analysis, which included data on healthy people and those with heart problems, shows that the negative effects of auditory disturbances persist even if they neither wake nor annoy you.

It doesn’t take a lot: Once the noise reaches 50 decibels, every 10-decibel increase can significantly raise your risk of heart failure and stroke with regular exposure over the years, the authors found. (The difference between 50 and 60 decibels is equivalent to a conversation at home versus one in a restaurant.) Daytime noises are harmful too, though it’s unclear why they’re more detrimental at night.

 

If you live near a highway or otherwise busy road, the study suggests you close your windows when you go to bed. Münzel also recommends sleeping with earplugs or turning on a white noise machine. The device is just as loud as a distant airplane but the study suggests it won’t trigger stress hormones, potentially because of the frequency and consistency of the sound.

For full article by Rachel Schultz go to https://furthermore.equinox.com/articles/2018/04/wear-earplugs-to-sleep?emmcid=emm-newsletter-04132018&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email-member&utm_campaign=41318