Sounds That Cause Stress

Does the sound of your children fighting or the roadwork next to your office make you feel anxious? Are you unable to sleep when someone has the TV on in the other room? A smoke detector or an alarm clock may be helpful, but like a jackhammer or even the buzz of a computer, sounds can trigger a hormonal response throughout your body.

Who Is Susceptible?

• Certain sounds are part of chronically stressful conditions, having a negative cumulative effect on the body. Soldiers in combat often suffer lasting traumatic effects from what they experience. Former soldiers may have lifelong aversions to sirens, fireworks and other explosions, even the sound of cars backfiring.
  But everyone is subject to stress from everyday sounds. People who work in office complexes with a large amount of computer equipment may complain of migraines when the underlying cause is the subtle whine of electronics. According to the Franklin Institute, even "low-intensity noise has a subtle yet insidious effect on our health and well-being."

Physiological Reactions

• The body reacts to stressful sounds immediately. The heart-rate increases, and endorphins are produced and released. The body's "fight-or-flight" response is activated. According to Dr. Alice H. Suter, an audiologist at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health: "Included in noise-related problems are high blood pressure, peptic ulcers, cardiovascular deaths, strokes, suicides, degradation of the immune system, and impairment of learning. Noise is also associated with an increase in aggression and a decrease in cooperation."

Cumulative Effects

• One long-term, physical effect of noise is tinnitus, a condition in which the sounds within the ears increase in times of stress. This often manifests as a buzzing or ringing in the ears. Other long-term effects include cardiology problems and anxiety. According to environmental psychologist Gary Evans of Cornell University, low-level noise such as traffic elevates symptoms of anxiety and nervousness. When the body is chronically under this sort of stress, it can have long-term effect on health and well-being.

What Can You Do?

• The best way to avoid long-term cumulative effects of stressful noise is to make as many provisions as you can to eliminate your exposure. Listening to relaxing music or nature sounds at work can reduce the negative effect that buzzing lights and humming electronics can have. You can add insulation and noise reducing tile in your home if you are constantly hearing cars, sirens and street noise. Meditation and relaxation techniques can be used to counteract the stressful effects of noise and reduce the chance that your symptoms will progress to extreme levels. By learning to let go of the stress---making a "conscious effort" to relax, says the Franklin Institute---you train your body to de-escalate the fight-or-flight response built up in your system.

Management, Not Elimination

• Long-term stress management is important for everyone but especially for those who are susceptible to sound. Stressful sounds are both good and bad. It is important to be able to hear and identify sounds that are giving you important information such as warnings and indicators of a problem, but it is just as important to not let sounds negatively impact your health or state of mind.