Despite the undeniable benefits that the development of civilization and technological progress brings to people's lives, there are a number of concomitant factors that have a negative impact on human life and he alth. How often in response to the question of what we would like at some point in our lives, we wearily say - silence. At times, noise seems to follow us everywhere - at home, at work, on public transport, in the store…
Attention: noise
He is like a huge octopus squeezing us with his tenacious tentacles, leaving no chance of escape.
They say you need to know the enemy by sight in order to successfully fight him. To do this, we need to understand the nature of this phenomenon, find out the possible consequences of the negative impact of noise on the human body, and ways to avoid them.
What is noise
Noise is a random combination of different in strength and frequencysounds that may have adverse effects on the human body.
Physically speaking, noise is any sound perceived adversely.
Noise is classified according to various principles: by the nature of occurrence, by frequency, time characteristics and by the nature of the spectrum.
In terms of human impact, noise is estimated in the frequency range from 45 to 11 thousand Hz, which includes nine octave bands.
Battlefield
Having learned the definition of noise, we can consider in detail the circumstances that are accompanied by the negative impact of sounds and noise on the human body. It will not be a problem for us to outline the battlefield, since, unfortunately, there are very few places on our planet where we could hide from this problem - and even those often exist only in our illusory dreams.
Noise accompanies us everywhere. In the table below, we will find examples of situations that we have to deal with in our lives, and find out what noise level accompanies them. Noise is measured in decibels (dB), and 1 dB is the lowest level of noise that a human can barely hear.
Data about the levels of sounds we hear
| Source of sound or place of its measurement | UZ, dB |
| The rustle of foliage in complete calm | 20 |
| Whisper | 40 |
| Regular conversation | 60 |
| Baby crying | 80 |
| Speedytrain | 75 |
| Alarm clock | 70-80 |
| Jackhammer | 100 |
| Symphony Orchestra | 110 |
| Jet Takeoff | 125 |
| Rocket takeoff | 180 |
| Quiet countryside | 25-30 |
| Salon of a comfortable car | 65 |
| Busy main street | 80-85 |
| Machinery Shop | 85-90 |
| Inhabited compartment of the tank | 110-120 |
| Powerful thunderclap | 120 |
| The sound of dance music in a nightclub | 110 |
From the above data, we can draw disappointing conclusions that even those places that seemed to us safe and suitable for a temporary respite cannot provide us with full protection. Of course, we can avoid being in the habitable compartment of a tank and miss such an important event as a rocket launch, but without most of these actions, we can hardly imagine our lives.
Moreover, note that the sound of dance music in a nightclub is equivalent to the noise level of a jackhammer - and we call it relaxation, while even whispered words at night can bring discomfort. And which of the following is included in the concept of the norm?
Norms for acceptable sound levels
Acceptable sound level that does not cause harmful effectsper person, considered 55 decibels (dB) during the day and 40 decibels at night.
Prolonged exposure to noise of 70-90 decibels can lead to diseases of the nervous system, and noise levels of more than 100 decibels can provoke hearing loss up to complete deafness, and the harm from loud music can significantly exceed the pleasure delivered.
The lethal noise level for humans is the sound of an explosion - 200 decibels.
Negative effects of noise on the human body
The negative impact of noise is not limited to the impact on the human hearing apparatus. The effect of noise levels on the human body can lead to problems such as dizziness, fatigue, drowsiness or sleep disturbances. With prolonged exposure to noise, emotional instability occurs, loss of appetite, and more dangerous symptoms may appear in the form of malfunctions of the cardiovascular system. Noise above 90 dB with a predominance of high frequencies can cause arterial hypertension, and broadband noise can lead to malfunctions in the peripheral circulation. Where can we hide from this influence?
My home is my castle
But, unfortunately, not in relation to protection from the influence of noise and music on the human body. An alarm clock with a power of 80 decibels serves as a guide to each new day, and even our favorite melody installed on our phone cannot save us from the stress that we experience,perceiving the process of awakening almost as an act of violence, rudely tearing us out of the world of dreams and dreams. The preparation of a cup of aromatic coffee is accompanied by the noise of a coffee machine, literally tearing apart the crystal silence of the early morning.
We open the window to let in the invigorating fresh air and the caressing sound of birdsong, but instead the noise of passing cars bursts into our house. And in the evening, having come home after a tiring and noisy day, we turn on the TV and try to pass the fleeting moments of relaxation under the decibels of television broadcasts (this is even if we are lucky with the neighbors who at this time will not try to blow our minds by installing a false ceiling). We may not even notice how under the influence of noise we are in a state of constant irritation - all this results in a state of apathy and depression, causing aggression that we vent on our loved ones.
How to limit noise exposure in everyday life?
What can we do to neutralize the harmful effects of noise on the human body?
Let's look at options:
- When choosing household appliances, give preference to quieter devices.
- Use extra wall insulation in your apartment or house.
- Use special liners for kitchen equipment, washing machines and dishwashers.
- Limit daily listening to loud music, television, computer work.
- When doing noisy work every hourtake a 10-minute break or listen to soothing music.
- Follow the conversation: do not shout or raise your voice.
- Get regular medical check-ups.
- Private outdoor recreation.
Subjective perception of noise
People's reaction to noise is different and its perception is quite subjective. Let's take for example the case when the alarm went off on our brand new borrowed foreign car. At a time when half of the house, awakened by a wild, according to their perception, roar, remembers us with all decent (or not quite decent) words, experiencing an extreme degree of irritation, we perceive this noise as an extremely important signal for us and an incentive to action.
Have you noticed the expression on the face of the driver of a car with state numbers, flying with a flashing light on the freed highway - it is in sharp contrast to the faces of those who have to give way and pull over to the side of the road. Noise that is so obvious annoyance to everyone else is a source of pride and high spirits for the driver of an important car.
The impact of industrial noise on the human body
In a production environment, process equipment and tools are sources of increased noise and vibration. In people working in noisy environments, labor productivity drops (10%) and morbidity increases (37%). Vibration and noise have a negative effect on the body and cause diseases of the peripheral nervous system.system.
When exposed to noise on the body, a number of functional changes can occur on the part of various internal organs and systems:
- blood pressure rises,
- heart rate increases or slows down,
- various diseases of the nervous system can occur (neurasthenia, neurosis, sensitivity disorder).
Techniques for limiting noise exposure in the workplace
- Enforce noise control in workplaces and establish a safe work rule.
- Taking measures to reduce noise and vibration.
- Provision of personal protective equipment for workers in areas with high sound levels to minimize the impact of noise and vibration on the human body.
Feeling the presence of noise everywhere, we look with a slight sense of envy at the life of people in the past, which seems to us so calm and quiet compared to our rumbling rhythm of life. But what was the real state of affairs?
The problem of the influence of noise in past centuries
It turns out that the problem of the negative impact of noise has existed since ancient times, and the fight against its influence on the human body goes back centuries.
Let's take a trip down history and look at some interesting facts:
- In the famous "Epic of Gilgamesh", the Great Flood is seen as a punishment for humanity making a lot of noise and thus annoying God.
- In ancient Greece, the inhabitants of Sybaris demanded that the authorities move the noisy production facilities outsidecity walls.
- Gaius Julius Caesar banned the passage of rumbling wagons through Rome at night.
- It even came to curiosities when Queen Elizabeth I of England banned scandals and high-profile family quarrels after 10 pm.
- The famous nineteenth-century English physician Thomas More wrote that the roar of London during the daytime is simply terrible.
What would honorable citizens who lived in past centuries say if they spent even a day in our century, enjoying all the joys that entered our lives as additional aspects of the development of civilization and technological progress.
Currently, the problem of loud sounds has acquired global significance and scientists from many countries of the world are conducting various studies in order to find out the effect of noise on the human body and find ways to combat its negative consequences. The problem is that the level of noise pollution is growing every year, causing irreparable harm to people and the environment. According to Austrian researchers, noise in big cities reduces human life expectancy by 8-12 years.
On the one hand, it is undeniable that it causes significant harm to human he alth, but, on the other hand, absolute silence frightens and intimidates.
Therefore, it is very important to find the optimal balance between these extreme conditions and try to make every possible effort to bring harmony into our lives by reducing the impact of noise on the human body.
