AIRCRAFT NOISE AND MEASURES OF SLEEP AROUSAL

摘要

Aircraft noise generates annoyance and complaint in communities close to airports and thereis growing concern about its possible health impact. Aircraft noise can cause both cortical and subcortical(autonomic) arousals in sleeping subjects. However, the link between noise evoked sleep disturbance(without significant sleep deprivation) and health is unclear. The relationship between aircraft noise events(ANE) and both types of arousals was studied in a field experiment. Subjects were recorded viapolysomnography at home for 3 consecutive nights. Pre-recorded aircraft noises were presented quasirandomlyeach night. The EEG-based data was scored visually and analyzed blind for sleep stages andarousals, together with computer based analysis of heart rate responses (HRR). Inherent and evoked arousalswere investigated in response to noise level, sleep stage, night number, time of night and subject age andgender. Autonomic responses (HRR) to ANE were twice as likely to occur (84%) compared with bothbackground & control arousals (42%). However, there was little variation in HRR response rates for thedifferent noise levels (ie. no dose-response). In comparison, the cortical arousals were five times more likelyto be evoked than background or control arousals (62% of ANE compared with 12% for no-noise condition)and there was clear progressive disturbance as the noise level increased (dose-response) for the more majortypes of cortical arousal. In conclusion, aircraft noise caused both cortical and autonomic arousals but thecortical responses were more specific and displayed clear dose response relationships. Autonomic arousalswere more sensitive but less specific to aircraft noise.