Photo credit: Henry Han licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition
This report from Boston.com reports that city councilor at-large Althea Garrison is concerned about the adverse health impacts of high urban noise levels.
She’s right to be concerned. There can be no rational doubt that urban noise levels in many American cities are high enough to damage hearing, disrupt sleep, and cause hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and stress. Anything that interferes with or disrupts sleep will cause adverse health and productivity impacts. And noise causes stress and anxiety, too.
Kudos to Councilwoman Garrison for looking out for her fellow Bostonians. If enough people in other cities complain to their elected officials about noise, I can guarantee that laws will be enacted and enforced to make cities quieter. Because if it sounds too loud, it IS too loud.
