The effects of aircraft noise on sleep quality, sleepiness and annoyance in individuals sleeping during daytime vs. nighttime

Kurzfassung

Night shift work and associated daytime sleep are assumed as vulnerability factors for the adverse health effects of transportation noise. However, experimental studies investigating the effect of transportation noise in individuals required to sleep during daytime are scarce. In the present study, 33 subjects (18 females, aged 18-40 years) slept in the laboratory during two visits containing two sleep episodes, each. The two laboratory visits, during one of which subjects were exposed to aircraft noise, were separated by a recovery break of at least seven days. Sleep quality was assessed via polysomnography as well as self-reports. After getting up, subjects rated their acute sleepiness and their annoyance due to aircraft noise. Sleepiness assessments were repeated after 10 to 11 hours awake as well as shortly before the next sleep episode. Results showed significant effects of aircraft noise exposure on self-reported sleep quality and annoyance in both daytime and nighttime sleepers. In daytime sleepers – but not in nighttime sleepers – aircraft noise exposure was associated with an increase in self-reported sleepiness, number of awakenings and duration of stage 2 sleep, as well as a decrease in the duration of slow wave sleep and REM sleep (the two latter on a trend level). In sum, findings suggest stronger effects of aircraft noise exposure on subjects sleeping during daytime. We conclude that fragile sleep, such as in shift workers, may be more vulnerable to the effects of transportation noise.