Even a moderate amount of airplane noise can jeopardize a good night’s sleep.
While that seems like common sense, a new study by Boston University researchers shows just how little aircraft noise it takes to disrupt a trip to dreamland. People exposed to airplane noise as low as 45 decibels were more likely to sleep less than seven hours a night. For comparison’s sake, a typical refrigerator generates about 50 decibels of sound.
The study is the first large-scale analysis of sleep duration that includes the disruptive effects of airplane noise, nighttime lighting and other factors. Researchers say the idea is to learn more about how aircraft noise plays a role in disrupted sleep and the resulting health outcomes.
The researchers analyzed airplane noise exposure and self-reported sleep disturbances among more than 35,000 people living near 90 major U.S. airports between 1995 and 2015. The results showed that airport proximity decreased the odds of sleeping more than seven hours a night.
The effect was increased among some groups, including those who live in the western U.S, near a major cargo airport or close to a body of water. It’s also one of the few times when hearing loss might be beneficial: People with full hearing were more likely to have their sleep disrupted by airplane noise.
The researchers noted that, of course, losing sleep while living near an air cargo hub makes sense. Cargo centers tend to have older, heavily loaded planes that tend to be louder. And they fly more at night.
So, for those who live near an airport, take note: If you’re hearing planes, you might not be counting as many sheep.