Negative Effects of Noise Pollution
Technological progress has brought humanity numerous benefits. All types of devices and gadgets allow people to save time, work more efficiently and stay in touch with the rest of the world. However, there is also a flip side. Growing industry, an increasing number of vehicles and constant information overload causes a significant and underestimated problem – noise pollution. The term, noise pollution, is used to define unwanted sounds that are released into the environment. Various research studies have proven that noise pollution imposes a number of negative impacts on human mental and physical health. To understand the reasons behind their health conditions, people should consider the effects that are usually caused by noise pollution.
In a modern megalopolis, noise pollution starts from many sources, such as traffic, barking dogs, noisy neighbors, verbal advertising in the streets and many other environmental factors merging into one sound wall. A person may get used to perceiving these sounds and ignore them, but on a subconscious level, such constant noise exposure has a significant effect. Noise pollution is measured in decibels, and its intensity and duration determines the impact on an individual’s health. Possibly, one of the most obvious bad concerns of a continued contact to noise is hearing loss. Studies show that people who have been repeatedly exposed to intense noise, due to the nature of their work, have decreased hearing sensibility, compared to those who have worked in more quiet conditions. Elevated sound levels cause changes in the structure of the inner ear that results in permanent hearing loss.
Another negative effect caused by noise pollution is heightened irritability and sensitivity. Different sounds can have different impressions on a person; so, one could get annoyed with the sound of water dripping from a faucet or car horns blowing, but is relax to the sounds of falling rain.