Association between residents’ attitude towards air traffic and their objective sleep quality at Frankfurt Airport.

Abstract

Sleep disturbances and impaired quality of life are among frequent complaints from residents around airports. This paper aims at investigating whether psychological factors such as subjective attitude towards air traffic are related to the objective sleep quality of an individual. In 2012 as part of the NORAH sleep study, 74 residents around Frankfurt Airport rated their attitude towards air traffic and assessed its necessity. Polysomnography was recorded in residents’ home environment. In the NORAH study, a negative attitude towards air traffic was associated with a significantly impaired sleep quality (i.e. prolonged sleep onset latency: Δ 5.6 min, increased wake after sleep onset: Δ 12.3 min, reduced sleep efficiency: Δ 3 %, and less deep sleep: Δ 12.3 min). The assessment of air traffic as less necessary was related to a significant reduction in deep sleep duration (Δ 15.1 min). These results suggest that residents’ objective sleep quality and their subjective assessment of air traffic are related. Cause and effect of the relationship remain to be identified.