Cacophony of Sound and Mental Health Consequences

Noise of mankind has become too much. I am losing sleep over their racket.

(from a clay tablet in Babylonia, 1700 BCE, cited in Haskell, 2022, p. 335)

As exemplified in the words from a Babylonian clay tablet, noise pollution is not a new concern for humanity. However, the cacophony of sound, especially in crowded cities where most humans now reside, is of increasing concern because of its physical and mental health consequences. Physical health consequences include increased risk of heart attack and stroke (Haskell, 2022). Here I focus on mental health consequences, as delineated in a recent book by biologist David Haskell (2022).

In November, I was privileged to attend a fascinating lecture by Dr. Haskell at my university, whereupon I purchased his book and spent many hours delighting in his poetic descriptions of the diverse sounds that fill daily human existence, from birdsong to music to man’s noisy machinery. In my view, his book offers us a deeper understanding of sound that is comparable to botanist Robin Kimmerer’s (2013) revelatory book on plants. If you read Haskell’s book, you will listen to the world in a whole new way.

Although much of Haskell’s book leads the reader to greater appreciation of birdsong and other sounds of the natural world, I also became increasingly aware of the deleterious effects of manmade sounds that increase stress, anger, agitation, and insomnia. The author calls attention to the sounds of “engines, tires on asphalt, the throb of road construction…the intermittent punches of sirens, horns, and shouts…the sonic assault of a busy restaurant…a jackhammer, measuring 94 decibels” (pp. 326, 328, 336). As a city resident, I am accustomed to living with such sounds. This is the soundtrack of my urban life. But research demonstrates the harmful effects, especially studies conducted in Western Europe showing 6.5 million people with chronic sleep problems and 22 million with chronic high annoyance due to noise (Haskell, 2022).

Some urban residents are more vulnerable to these detrimental effects of noise than others. In high-density, low-income, communities of color, there is less opportunity to retreat to the peace and quiet of a park, one of my most frequently used coping mechanisms. Individuals with fragile mental health are also more vulnerable. As Haskell points out, “clamor is often an unbearable assault to those on the autism spectrum or for those for whom anxiety is a constant companion” (Haskell, 2022, p. 347).

Various devices for reducing sound exposure (filtered earplugs, noise-canceling headphones, white noise machines) are widely available, but a quick search of current health-related and psychological journals did not yield any empirical studies of their effectiveness in alleviating stress and anxiety. Interventions such as green care and forest bathing have received considerable attention for their beneficial effects of anxiety reduction and increased health and well-being (e.g. Cutcliffe & Travale, 2016; Langer et al., 2023). Although neither of these interventions was developed with the specific intent to address noise pollution, both immerse people outdoors in nature where birdsong is more prevalent than sirens, horns, and jackhammers. Therefore, their potential benefit is obvious. Psychiatric-mental health clinicians can contribute to the literature by testing various interventions tailored to the unique needs and preferences of their clients who are being impacted by stressful noise pollution. I welcome your manuscripts on this topic.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).