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Vibrations

Vibration can affect sleep just as much as noise. It has been found that even quiet traffic noise of 50dB, when accompanied by vibrations, is more disturbing than when there is just noise. REM sleep is more affected than other stages of sleep. Performance the following day can be impaired.

Noise is a problem in many hospitals, particularly in intensive care units. Research has shown that noise in the latter does disturb sleep, and it could be argued that healing processes could be facilitated if natural sleep were promoted. Studies have shown that in neonatal intensive care units, for example, very low birth weight babies sleep more deeply and cry less if quiet hours are introduced. Playing ocean sounds to mask the noise in an intensive care unit has been found to work.

In controlled studies, traffic noise has been shown to increase the time it takes to get to sleep and to lead to greater irritability. Aircraft noise from airports can affect EEG results, showing lighter sleep. However, despite the fact that higher psychiatric hospital admission rates, GP visits and self-reported health problems have been reported near airports, the effects are highly variable from individual to individual, some being oblivious to the noise levels, others not.

Installing double- or triple-glazing in your home may help, as will wearing ear-plugs, though there is an obvious danger with the latter of possibly life-saving alarms not being heard.