Users are advised to consult the supporting evidence for a consideration of all the implications of a recommendation. The Evidence 3a. Society is getting more noisy, but the sources of noise are changing i . There is less noise from industrial sources and more traffic and domestic noise. Noise is often linked with adverse psychological effects such as stress, sleep disturbance or aggressive behaviour, and is frequently cited as the cause of friction between neighbours.
Most reports are anecdotal.
There are very few epidemiological studies of the psychosocial effects of noise but evidence is strongest for annoyance, sleep disturbance and poor performance by school children ii . Evidence for other consequences such as psychiatric disorder is equivocal ii,iii . NSCA noise survey, 1998. Institute for Environment and Health. Non-auditory effects of noise .