Title: DfT Aviation night noise study
Funder: Department for Transport

Abstract: A four year, DfT funded study to examine the relationship of aviation noise on sleep disturbance and annoyance, and how this varies by different times of night. Exposure to aviation noise at night can impact on physical and mental well-being. Humans continue to respond to sounds in the environment even when asleep, which can cause awakenings and poor sleep quality. This sleep disturbance can have a negative impact on health, increasing the risk of daytime sleepiness, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. The first stage of the ANNE study will involve a cross-sectional survey of 4,000 people who live near eight UK airports, to assess the association between aircraft noise exposure at night and subjective assessments of sleep quality and annoyance. The second stage of the study will involve an observational study of 170 people, recruited from the survey, to assess the association between aircraft noise exposure and objective sleep quality, using physiological assessments of sleep disturbance and sound level measurements in participants’ bedrooms. This is the first study of aviation noise effects on sleep disturbance in the UK for 30 years. It will be used to inform the DfT’s future policies for night-time aviation noise exposure, and assist with the management and mitigation of health impacts on local communities, as part of a wider assessment of the costs and benefits of night flying. [NOTES: This work was conducted by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen), working in collaboration with St George’s University of London (SGUL – lead researcher is Charlotte Clark, Professor of Epidemiology), University of Pennsylvania (lead researcher is Professor Mathias Basner, Perelman School of Medicine) and Noise Consultants Limited (NCL); Start / end dates are estimates.]

Lay abstract: o A DfT funded study to examine the relationship of aviation noise on sleep disturbance and annoyance, and how this varies by different times of night. Exposure to aviation noise at night can impact on physical and mental well-being. Humans continue to respond to sounds in the environment even when asleep, which can cause awakenings and poor sleep quality. This sleep disturbance can have a negative impact on health, increasing the risk of daytime sleepiness, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. The first stage of the ANNE study will involve a cross-sectional survey of 4,000 people who live near eight UK airports, to assess the association between aircraft noise exposure at night and subjective assessments of sleep quality and annoyance. The second stage of the study will involve an observational study of 170 people, recruited from the survey, to assess the association between aircraft noise exposure and objective sleep quality, using physiological assessments of sleep disturbance and sound level measurements in participants’ bedrooms. This is the first study of aviation noise effects on sleep disturbance in the UK for 30 years. It will be used to inform the DfT’s future policies for night-time aviation noise exposure, and assist with the management and mitigation of health impacts on local communities, as part of a wider assessment of the costs and benefits of night flying.

Research activity codes: 2.2 FACTORS RELATING TO PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT;2.3 PSYCHOLOGICAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC FACTORS
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE;NEUROLOGICAL;MENTAL HEALTH