Living near an airport can have these negative impacts on your health, says a new study

Living near an airport can land you in the hospital.

A new UK study highlights the significant health risks of constant exposure to airplane noise, which is bad news for the 40 million Americans who live near major airports.

Researchers from University College London (UCL) analyzed the health records of 3,600 airport neighbors and 21,300 people who do not live near a flight path to examine the effects of significant and moderate aircraft turbulence compared to no noise.

Residents exposed to the worst rockets, especially at night, had stiffer and thicker heart muscles that doubled or quadrupled the risk of a heart attack, life-threatening heart rhythm or stroke, the researchers said.

“Our study is observational, so we can’t say for sure that high levels of aircraft noise caused these changes in heart structure and function,” said senior study author and cardiologist Dr. Gaby Captured.

“However, our findings add to a growing body of evidence that aircraft noise can negatively affect heart health and our health in general,” added Captur.

The loudest noise was defined as exceeding an average of 50 decibels during the day and 45 decibels between 11pm and 7am Fifty decibels is generally considered to be the equivalent of a fridge humming.

The World Health Organization recommends limiting aircraft noise during the day to 45 decibels and nighttime noise to 40 decibels to avoid adverse health effects.

Compared to the noise of roads or railways, planes tend to be louder and more unpredictable, so it is difficult to get used to them, the UCL researchers said.

Past research has linked constant aircraft noise to sleep disturbances, increased stress, cognitive impairment in children, weight gain and a higher risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.

The UCL researchers attributed many of the changes in heart structure and function to obesity and high blood pressure (especially for those exposed to daytime noise).

Among the study participants, 8% lived in an area with high noise during the day and 3% with high noise at night. Leaving the airport helped improve health.

Participants who stayed in a high-noise area had 10% to 20% worse heart structure and function than those who moved, according to findings published Wednesday in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

“For most of us, a plane is seen as a ticket to some well-deserved rest and relaxation,” said James Leiper, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation. “But this innovative study reveals the potential unseen impact for those living near some of our biggest travel hubs.”

UCL researchers are calling for further research into the lasting health effects of aircraft noise and government and industry solutions to reduce exposure to it.

What to do if you live near an airport

Dr. Michael Goyfman, chief of cardiology at Long Island Jewish Forest Hills Hospital, shared some tips for staying healthy amid the noise above.

• Adopt good sleep habits, such as turning off electronic devices hours before bed and developing a consistent sleep schedule.
• If you’re worried about outside noise, try to exercise outside when there are fewer flights or go to a park further away from the airport.
• To reduce the risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attack or stroke, follow a healthy diet such as the Mediterranean diet, exercise 150 minutes a week, reduce stress through yoga or meditation, lower high blood pressure and stop smoking.