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Associations of Various Nighttime Noise Exposure Indicators with Objective Sleep Efficiency and Self-Reported Sleep Quality: A Field Study.
- Source :
-
International journal of environmental research and public health [Int J Environ Res Public Health] 2019 Oct 09; Vol. 16 (20). Date of Electronic Publication: 2019 Oct 09. - Publication Year :
- 2019
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Abstract
- It is unclear which noise exposure time window and noise characteristics during nighttime are most detrimental for sleep quality in real-life settings. We conducted a field study with 105 volunteers wearing a wrist actimeter to record their sleep during seven days, together with concurrent outdoor noise measurements at their bedroom window. Actimetry-recorded sleep latency increased by 5.6 min (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.6 to 9.6 min) per 10 dB(A) increase in noise exposure during the first hour after bedtime. Actimetry-assessed sleep efficiency was significantly reduced by 2%-3% per 10 dB(A) increase in measured outdoor noise (L <subscript>eq, 1h</subscript> ) for the last three hours of sleep. For self-reported sleepiness, noise exposure during the last hour prior to wake-up was most crucial, with an increase in the sleepiness score of 0.31 units (95% CI: 0.08 to 0.54) per 10 dB(A) L <subscript>eq,1h</subscript> . Associations for estimated indoor noise were not more pronounced than for outdoor noise. Taking noise events into consideration in addition to equivalent sound pressure levels (L <subscript>eq</subscript> ) only marginally improved the statistical models. Our study provides evidence that matching the nighttime noise exposure time window to the individual's diurnal sleep-wake pattern results in a better estimate of detrimental nighttime noise effects on sleep. We found that noise exposure at the beginning and the end of the sleep is most crucial for sleep quality.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1660-4601
- Volume :
- 16
- Issue :
- 20
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- International journal of environmental research and public health
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 31600891
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16203790