Is noise pollution becoming a serious threat to the welfare of human beings?
Noise pollution is a form of environmental pollution caused by excessive/unpleasant noise which can disrupt the human/animal life activities. Noise pollution interferes with human activities at three level; biological level whereby it interferes with the biological functioning of the body, behavioral level which affects the sociological behaviors of human beings and lastly, the audio logical level which is the satisfactory performance of an individuals hearing mechanism It affects psychology, physiology and the performance of an individual.
Noise pollution has become a serious threat to the welfare of human beings. The effects of noise pollution are diverse and numerous as it affects human beings both health wise and behavior wise.
Moreover, it not only has severe effects on the health of human beings but also on the health of animals too. Some areas suffer more on the effects of noise pollution than others depending on the location for example cities with lots of automobiles and industries suffer severely from problems associated with noise pollution. Unreasonable noise pollution lowers the quality of life therefore; it is a serious threat to the welfare of human beings that needs to be addressed. There are different types of noise pollution namely; man-made and environmental noises. Transport systems are the main causes of noise pollution followed by industries, then loud music.
Noise pollution is responsible for major health effects in human beings and the health of countless individuals is put at risk and ruined by noise pollution. Noise pollution causes hearing impairment in individuals. Most employees working in a noisy have hearing impairment problems. People working in a noisy place have decreased hearing sensibility, compared to individuals working in more quiet conditions. Hearing is a very important part in a person’s everyday’s life and when affected, it affects their entire life as communication will be a problem to them. Hearing impairment leads to depression, impaired speech discrimination, loneliness, low performance at work and in school and isolation. Individuals suffering from hearing loss caused by excessive noise have problems with communication and thus limited job opportunities. Noise pollution damages a part of the auditory system. When there is an elevated noise level, it can lead to trauma in the cochlea structure of the inner ear which damages the inner ear.ear drum and this leads to the rise of irreversible hearing loss in individuals. People residing in noisy areas should move as they are prone to hearing impairments problems due to the noise they are exposed to in their day to day lives. Research shows that many people buy homes in areas that are free from noise pollution and disturbances as they understand its health effects.
Noise pollution has become a serious threat to the welfare of human beings as it causes cardiovascular disturbances. Noise pollution is a very dangerous factor of the heart disease as it speeds up the heart’s pumping process. It increases heart disease incidences rates. Noise triggers the endocrine and autonomic nervous system response which affects the human cardiovascular system and thus it is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Noise pollution causes an increase of the heart rate and blood pressure in individuals. It adversely affects the blood and heart vessels thus causing heart health risks to human beings. Chronic exposure to noise pollution is correlated to increased blood pressure, heart disease and heart attacks. Noise pollution accelerates the existing tensions in the body which results to blood pressure. Furthermore, it keeps our bodies at a constant state alert and this leads to the rise of the levels of stress hormones. Noise pollution leads to increased levels of the coronary artery disease because elevated noise levels affect the functioning of the heart.
Noise pollution affects an individual’s digestive system as it worsens conditions like stomach and intestinal ulcers, spastic colon and irritable bowel syndromes. Additionally, it weakens an individual’s immune system making them prone to contagious diseases, cancer and other infections. Many studies done on noise pollutions reveals that high level of noise leads to stomach ulcers and vertigo as there are undesirable changes in the gastro intestinal activities due to emotional stress. Noise pollution affects an individual’s health, efficiency and comfort. It causes excessive secretion of adrenaline hormones in the blood stream which in turn leads to high blood pressure. Furthermore, it causes contraction of blood vessels and this makes the skin pale.
In addition, noise pollution causes annoyance and distraction in the environment. It can bring day to day activities at stand still due to disturbances. Many people lose concentration on what they are doing when they are disrupted by excessive noise. Still, they feel annoyed when they dislike the kind of noise they hear and when the noise is at elevated levels. When noise interferes with people’s activities, it causes annoyance and distraction. Annoyance caused by exposure to high levels of noise leads to serious psychiatric disorders. It causes tension, nervous breakdown which can lead to insanity because of annoyance. Many people at work are always distracted by noise. It is very impossible for one to concentrate on his/her work or project when there is loud music from a nearby road or constructions site. Moreover, it is also impossible for a person to concentrate on watching a certain television program or listening to music when there is loud music from the neighbor or a lot of noise outside the house. Therefore noise pollution causes lack of concentration both at a workplace and at home. Elevated levels of noise can cause inaccuracy and inattentiveness at work and in school resulting to decreased productivity and further stress
Noise pollution affects children’s concentration in school as it impairs their performance. Likewise children who live in high noise pollution areas suffer from poor academic performance, fatigue, aggressiveness and lack of teamwork at school and thus low concentration in school and this is why it is a serious threat to the welfare of human beings and should be dealt with. It also affects patients in their recuperation stage since it makes them more tense thus delaying their healing process. Therefore, learning facilities, homes and hospitals should be built away from sources of noise pollution as it is a threat to the welfare of human beings.
Noise pollution has become a serious threat to the welfare of human beings as it causes sleep disturbances. Individuals experience difficulties falling asleep, wakes up early, experiences sleep alterations and frequents awakening during sleep due to noise pollution. Noise during sleep causes increased blood pressure, pulse amplitude and an increased heart rate. Most patients with sleep disturbances end up suffering from insomnia and this affects their day to day activities since their bodies do not function properly.
In conclusion, noise pollution represents a public health problem which leads to adverse health effects on human beings. It has adverse effects on future generations by degrading social, residential and learning environment with equivalent economic losses. Noise pollution has become a serious threat to the welfare of human beings as it not only causes environmental damages but also adverse effects on human health. It causes cardiovascular effects, high stress levels, aggression, hearing loss and sleep disturbances. It further deteriorates the human health due to the many health risks it causes to human beings. Noise pollution has adverse effects on the lives of millions of people around the globe. It is not only an annoyance but has a wide range of adverse social, health and economic effects. The evidence produced for the effects of noise pollution proves that it has become a serious threat to the welfare of human beings.
There is need for further research to clarify why noise has become a serious threat to the welfare of human beings and its health outcomes. Long term exposure to noise pollution is linked to hypertension; therefore all people should watch out and avoid living in areas with many sources of noise pollution. Noise pollution effects are largely ignored by many yet it poses adverse health risks on many individuals. Considering the above negative impacts of noise pollution on human health, it is evident that noise pollution has become a serious threat to the welfare of human beings and people should be educated on the its effects and how to avoid them Additionally, it is a high time that noise pollution solutions are enforced in order to avoid its impacts.
