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Center for Advancing Research in Transportation Emissions, Energy, and Health (CARTEEH)

A USDOT University Transportation Center

Reduced Sleep Disturbance

Sleep disturbance is a measurable indicator that demonstrates how people experience difficulties sleeping due to traffic noise. Sleep disturbances can have detrimental impacts on a person’s emotions, health, and ability to function.1 Additionally, traffic noise can induce sound-induced awakenings and autonomic arousal when one is sleeping. Hence, using sleep disturbance as a metric can be used to determine if a strategy is effective in reducing urban traffic noise.

This indicator helps determine the effectiveness of the following objectives

  • Less Contamination
  • Less Emissions
  • Less Traffic Noise
  • Connectivity and Inclusion
  • Healthy Destinations
  • Less Traffic Violence
  • Active Transportation
  • Green Space

Data Collection

Some organizations, like the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), the Sleep Foundation, and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), collect and store data on sleep disturbances and disorders; this data is available on their organization websites. The NSF also examines Americans’ sleep patterns and creates studies on the state of sleep in the country. In addition, the CDC conducts sleep habits surveys of Americans, which can shed light on long-term patterns in sleep disturbance. The AASM also studies sleep problems and disseminates its findings in academic journals.2,3

Examples

World Health Organization (WHO) Study on Traffic Noise

A study by the World Health Organization (WHO) found that people living in areas exposed to high traffic noise levels were more likely to report sleeping problems than those living in quieter areas. The study also found that people living in areas with high traffic noise levels were more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and other health problems. While the exact mechanisms by which traffic noise causes sleep disturbance are not fully understood, it is clear that exposure to loud noise can significantly impact our health.

https://www.who.int/europe/health-topics/noise

1. Popp, R.F., Maier, S., Rothe, S., Zulley, J., Crönlein, T., Wetter, T.C., Rupprecht, R., Hajak, G. Impact of overnight traffic noise on sleep quality, sleepiness, and vigilant attention in long-haul truck drivers: results of a pilot study. Noise & Health. 2015 Nov;17(79):387. https://doi.org/10.4103/1463-1741.169698
2. Suni, E. Sleep statistics [Internet]. Sleep Foundation. 2021 [cited 2022 Aug 17]. Available from: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/sleep-facts-statistics
3. Data and statistics [Internet]. Cdc.gov. 2021 [cited 2022 Aug 17]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/data_statistics.html