Noise Boosts Blood Pressure

Add to the list of things of things that can boost your blood pressure the near- ubiquitous annoyance of noise. The  Washington Post reports that a study conducted by he Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at Imperial College London, looked at 140 people who lived near London’s Heathrow Airport, as well as airports in Athens, Milan and Stockholm. The Post reports that while the volunteers slept, the researchers remotely measured their
blood pressure every 15 minutes, and also analyzed the noise level in
the bedrooms. Researchers found a noticeable increase in blood pressure when
noise levels grew louder than 35 decibels, even when the participant stayed asleep, the researchers
found. The noise from aircraft increased blood systolic pressure (the top
number in a reading) an average of 6.2 mmHg, the Post reports, and diastolic pressure an
average of 7.4 mmHg, the researchers found. This increase in blood
pressure was also seen from other noise, such as road traffic. Read more in the Washington Post.