Wieso ist nächtlicher Lärm schädlich?

Alle Arten von Lärm sind schädlich. Nächtlicher Lärm jedoch besonders: Er stört unseren Schlaf und damit die wichtigste Erholungsphase von Körper und Geist. Der Körper produziert aufgrund des Lärms nachts vermehrt Stresshormone, was zu einem erhöhten Blutdruck und einem steigenden Risiko von Herz-Kreislauf-Erkrankungen führt.

Was ist tieffrequenter Lärm?

Die Ursache für tieffrequenten Lärm und sein charakteristisches Brummen sind technische Geräte wie Wärmepumpen, Klimaanlagen oder Lüftungsgeräte. Sie erzeugen Betriebsgeräusche im tieffrequenten oder noch tieferen Infraschall-Bereich. Tieffrequente Lärm tritt häufig in hochtechnisierten Gesellschaften wie unserer auf. Er ist unangenehm und durchdringt auch gut isolierte Fenster.

Wie nehmen wir tieffrequente Töne wahr?

Ab einer bestimmten Frequenz verschwimmt die Grenze zwischen unseren Sinnen. Wir nehmen Töne zwar wahr, können sie aber nicht zuordnen. Die tieffrequenten Schallwellen versetzen unser Trommelfell in Schwingung und erzeugen Vibrationen im Körper. Deshalb fühlen wir einen Ton, ohne dass wir ihn hören können.

Environmental Noise | There's noise, honking, and humming—and it's annoying!

Environmental noise is a strain on the body and mind

As we all know, there’s no place like home—as long as there’s no ambient noise. Whether it’s traffic noise or a low-frequency hum in a residential area, noise is harmful to mental health and hearing and reduces quality of life.

At a Glance

Environmental noise is often caused by heavy traffic
Technical devices produce a hum in residential areas that is barely audible but clearly perceptible
The line between hearing and feeling is blurred
Hearing and mental well-being suffer from environmental noise

The most common source of noise in populated areas is the increasing volume of traffic on roads, railways, and at airports. It is concerning that this environmental noise persists not only during the day but also at night. This is because constant noise is harmful to our health—and especially to our hearing.

Environmental noise is harmful to health

Noise can make you sick (Source: The Physical and Psychological Effects of Noise, Federal Environment Agency, 2016). Constant nighttime noise is particularly harmful because it disrupts our sleep—and thus the body’s and mind’s most important recovery phase. The body produces increased levels of stress hormones in response to the noise, which leads to elevated blood pressure and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Noise and Its Effects

The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies five health effects of noise:

Cardiovascular diseases
Sleep disturbances
Mental Development Disorders in Children
Tinnitus
and a sense of annoyance and stress

When it comes to noise, our mental well-being can quickly reach its limits. Noise can cause a feeling of stress. The problem is that we usually can’t actively turn off noise or easily escape it. And this also affects our hearing: such psychological stress or noise-induced stress can—just like excessively loud noises—trigger tinnitus (Source: WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region)

When There's a Hum at Home

Another source of noise is less obvious than increasing traffic volume. You feel uncomfortable, are often tired, or have trouble concentrating—and all the while, you constantly feel like you’re hearing a hum in your neighborhood. The cause: technical devices such as heat pumps, air conditioners, or ventilation units. They generate operating noises in the low-frequency range. This low-frequency noise is common in highly technologized societies like ours. It’s unpleasant and often penetrates even well-insulated windows. The problem: Once such a device is installed, there’s not much that can be done about it without significant effort.

Between Hearing and Feeling

Why do these low, almost inaudible tones affect us? Above a certain frequency, the line between our senses becomes blurred. Although we perceive the sounds, we cannot identify them. The low-frequency sound waves cause our eardrums to vibrate and generate vibrations throughout our bodies—we feel a sound without hearing it.

Protecting Your Hearing

Everyday environmental noise in and around the home is harmful to our hearing. Sounds up to 30 decibels are pleasant—for example, normal conversation or light traffic. Noise is considered disturbing at 55 decibels or higher. Exposure to noise levels of 85 decibels or higher can lead to permanent hearing damage—because noise destroys the hair cells in the inner ear.

It is therefore important to protect your hearing. The best approach is to reduce noise as much as possible and minimize noise sources. If you are regularly exposed to noise, hearing protection in the form of earplugs or noise-canceling headphones is recommended. With low-frequency noise, the volume is less of a problem. Instead, hearing protection should be used to dampen the resulting vibrations, curb the disturbing hum, and thus relieve strain on both the ears and the mind.

Hearing care professionals can help you find the right hearing protection, such as foam, silicone, or wax earplugs, for work or personal use and for the whole family. For many sports, there is also hearing protection that is customized to fit the individual shape of the ear. Hearing protection should be checked regularly at hearing aid stores to ensure a proper fit and seal.

If you are frequently exposed to environmental noise, you should have your hearing checked regularly by taking a hearing test at a hearing care professional’s office or by visiting an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor. This is the only way to prevent hearing loss in time.

There's noise, honking, and rumbling—and it's annoying!