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Sounding the alarm: How noise hurts the heart (2021)

knowablemagazine.org

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Re: Sounding the alarm: How noise hurts the heart (2021)

#91
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> When earbuds came on the market I switched to active noise cancelling headphones and earbuds several years ago (2015-ish) primarily because they enable me to keep volume at like 20% and still get the benefits of sound isolation. It's been a huge revolution for me personally. Running for 2 hours used to give me an ear-ache. Now it's perfect. The improvement in comfort from music-at-the-office is even bigger. 8 hours…

I hope you aren't running with ear plugs and noise cancelling headphones or have some dedicated safe place to run.

I’ve tested and thanks to the low volume I can hear more than I did with normal earbuds. Noise cancelling is great at blocking out constant sounds like wind and background traffic, but it doesn’t do much for acute noises like horns, nearby cars, bicycle bells, or people talking/shouting.

With regular earbuds they were cranked up to 80% to block out the wind so I couldn’t hear any of the acute sounds I can hear with noise canceling and volume at 20%.

Funfact: I ride my motorcycle with actual earplugs. The wind noise at 80mph causes permanent damage after 15min. You hear more of the important stuff with earplugs because they block the wind.

Re: Sounding the alarm: How noise hurts the heart (2021)

#92
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I had this "conversation" with my neighbor (it was more like me being yelled at) It kind of blew my mind they didnt care about noise interruptions at all hours and told me its my problem. Like maybe if you got a full night of sleep you wouldn't be so angry? I guess this study supports that. The noise in my current apartment is endless, car alarms, screaming and crying kids along with their loud toys, idling cars, the…

The absolute best thing about leaving the US several years ago is the silence. I can go to bed every night knowing some random guy won't decide 3 AM on a Wednesday morning is the best day to crank up the bass to max and start a party. I can sleep knowing some old guy isn't going to compensate for his masculinity by revving up his modded motorcycle at 4:30 AM everyday. I can sleep knowing people aren't going to start…

Sounds blissful. Where did you move, if you don’t mind me asking?

Re: Sounding the alarm: How noise hurts the heart (2021)

#93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That'd be ideal, but in some markets that's not possible. One of the apartments in question was in SF and I literally had to put my application in <10 minutes into the showing to get the place, otherwise I wouldn't have gotten it. There's no way to do any kind of actual inspection of a unit in those circumstances.

It's a bit similar in HK, what we do though is research the different buildings a few months before our lease is over. That allows us to visit units in those buildings without being pressured to make an offer and once we're seriously looking we have a much better idea of the market.

In HK, the further south you go the better it seems to be… bar TST of course!

I agree about the lack of double glazing here, if we ever buy, that will be one of the first things I’d try to change.

I imagine Penny’s Bay is quiet!

Re: Sounding the alarm: How noise hurts the heart (2021)

#94

This is one of the things I struggle with the most in life. I feel like most people don't seem to care about noise pollution and zero care is put into designing living spaces or cities to minimize it. I've moved into apartments and nearly cried because I realized that there was some noise pollution that wasn't apparent when I visited it (e.g. a water boiler that ran constantly at night, road noise during the day, etc…

I wish we would take car caused health impacts as serious as we did covid. We have a never ending stream of research and yet no one cares. We can’t even take action against modded motorbikes and cars which damage peoples health for zero functional gain.

Humans fear novelty more than actual danger itself. This is also why nuclear consistently fails to gain traction while fossil fuels continue the status quo of killing millions.

Re: Sounding the alarm: How noise hurts the heart (2021)

#95

I haven't read the underlying studies but I wonder if this applies to consistent noise or just intermittent sounds, like the airplanes and railway line examples they focus on. Personally I can't sleep in a quiet room, so I put on white noise generator plus usually music or podcasts. I find that subjectively I sleep better with some relaxing sounds. However, it could be possible that my brain isn't properly turning of…

I think it depends on how loud the noise is. I live in an apartment where 2 out of 5 days, someone steam wash their carpet, which means a van would park outside the building, making a loud, constant, humming noise for an hour. I can't nap to it; I can't work with it; it's as disruptive as leaf blowers and explosive-driven motorcycles. At some volume, we just don't adapt to it anymore.

Re: Sounding the alarm: How noise hurts the heart (2021)

#96

This is one of the things I struggle with the most in life. I feel like most people don't seem to care about noise pollution and zero care is put into designing living spaces or cities to minimize it. I've moved into apartments and nearly cried because I realized that there was some noise pollution that wasn't apparent when I visited it (e.g. a water boiler that ran constantly at night, road noise during the day, etc…

People are so unbelievably disrespectful with noise in the US. Peaceful hike? Here's Katy Perry crackling out of my iPhone at full blast! Luxury apartment at $4k a month? No insulation between units, and the guy above you comes home at 2am and never takes his shoes off. Small country street? Here comes Chad with his straight-piped civic with the muffler removed!

Over time, I've found that the most expensive real estate feature is silence.

Re: Sounding the alarm: How noise hurts the heart (2021)

#97

Anyone who has ever lived next to someone with a barking dog knows how the spikes of adrenaline at random times of the day and night can raise stress levels significantly.

I had this problem before and a handnote to the neighbor did the trick. It turns out they were keeping their dog crate next to the window for entertainment, but in reality it was stressing the dog out, because he could see all the people walking past on the sidewalk. They relocated the crate and the problem was solved. And if direct engagement leads you nowhere then I would reach out to the landlord.

> dog crate

sorry, what is that?

Re: Sounding the alarm: How noise hurts the heart (2021)

#98
post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sometimes out of a similar desire I will wear noise cancelling earbuds inside of noise cancelling over the ear headphones. No music no sound, pure silence. Obviously not a cheap solution but doubling up is better than any earplugs I've ever used.

I’ve thought about this, does it actually work? I worried there would be weird feedback issues.

Works great for me, also see wearing ear plugs inside of noise cancelling head phones

Re: Sounding the alarm: How noise hurts the heart (2021)

#99

Anecdata but I recently got headphones with noise cancelling and my quality of life shot through the roof. According to my smartwatch, my heart rate is lower and stress levels are down. Unfortunately, I have to take my headphones off to go to sleep and I'm immediately reminded of the shoddy fridge in my apartment, vent noises, and my neighbor who doesn't realize it's 11:30 PM.

Earplugs can help if you want something less bulky when you sleep

On top of that, if anybody knows of similar for folks who sleep on their side I would like suggestions//insight.

Re: Sounding the alarm: How noise hurts the heart (2021)

#100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> instruments being practiced As a musician... although I understand that, in the end, instrument practice is still noise, it hurts to see this listed among the rest of your items. Last year, I had to move out of an apartment complex because our neighbors would not tolerate even 30 minutes of practice a day (in spite of the ~2 daily hours of lawn care racket, but whatever) and complained to building management. I get…

I was a trumpet player for years in high school and college, practiced all the time at home and so did my brother so I experienced the situation from both sides. My opinion now is that it is irresponsible to make playing an instrument your hobby or profession (an instrument that can't avoid making noise that will bother others) unless you have access to an appropriate practice space. There are churches, music schools…

Trumpet fortunately is one of the few instruments that you can reasonably practice with a practice mute. I have the Up Mute and it works amazingly with only a little backpressure, no complaints from any neighbors. Woodwinds are much more difficult to keep quiet though.
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