Long-term exposure to traffic noise 'increases risk of death or strokes', study finds

The nuisance of the constant roar of traffic can do more than just keep you awake at night - it may actually take years off your life, new research suggests.

Long-term exposure to traffic noise has been linked to a higher death rate and an increased risk of stroke in a new study.

Researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine found that people who were regularly exposed to daytime traffic noise above 60dB were four per cent more likely to die than people living with just 55dB of traffic noise.

The figure rose to nine per cent for elderly people.

These deaths almost all involved heart or artery disease, which the team claims suggests raised blood pressure, sleep problems and stress may be brought on by the sound and cause health problems in the long term.

Lead scientist Dr Jaana Halonen said the connection between high blood pressure and traffic noise had been made before, but said this was the first study to examine whether that had any effect on strokes and deaths.

The largest study of its kind to date, the study was carried out between 2003 and 2010 and involved everyone living within the M25 - some 8.6 million people, of whom 442,560 died.

Other factors such as age, sex, ethnicity, smoking habits and air pollution were all taken into account.

Commenting on the findings, Prof Francesco Cappuccio from the University of Warwick and Dr Tim Chico of the University of Sheffield both warned that the study was not enough to establish a cause-and-effect link.

But, they added, it was consistent with other evidence from studies in the field.

And Prof Jeremy Pearson, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, welcomed the findings.