Insomnia is a sleeping disorder characterized by persistent difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep despite the opportunity. It is typically followed by functional impairment while awake. Insomniacs have been known to complain about being unable to close their eyes or "rest their mind" for more than a few minutes at a time. Both organic and non-organic insomnia constitute a sleep disorder.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, approximately 60 million Americans suffer from insomnia each year. Insomnia tends to increase with age and affects about 40 percent of women and 30 percent of men.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Listen Up! Exposure to Loud Noise May Cause Tumor & Other Health Risks

Bob Seger, Jeff Beck, Sting, Eric Clapton, Peter Frampton and Bob Dylan all have something in common. Their years of hard rocking have a mark on more than just their fans - after years of exposure to noise, they all now have hearing impairments. But these hard rockers are not alone. Exposure to excessive noise is in fact the most common cause of hearing loss and the most common work-related diseases. Approximately 10 million Americans have permanent hearing damage from noise. Another 30 million are at risk right now in their homes, at work and leisure, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). Surprising, but hearing loss is only a health risk from loud noise. There are several other, serious, but also risks. By Eddie Chandler, a stress management specialist, "... you can literally sounds sick. Noise can be severe tension and stress in your everyday life. You can use your heart rate, raise your blood pressure, insomnia and even lead." Acoustic Neuroma Tumor A study to be published in the February 2006 Journal of Epidemiology that several years of repeated exposure to loud noise increases the risk of developing a non-tumor could cause cancer, that loss of hearing. People exposed to noise were 1.5 times more likely to develop the tumor, called acoustic neuroma as people who are not exposed to noise on a regular basis. The slow-growing tumor gradually presses the cranial nerve sense that sound and helps with balance. Symptoms, which usually noticeable at age 50 or older, including hearing loss and ringing in the ears (tinnitus). Noise increases Heart Attack Risk Prolonged exposure to high noise levels also increases the risk of a heart attack, according to a study in European Heart Journal. The study, which 4000 people were admitted to hospitals in Berlin from 1998 to 2001. When it comes to environmental noise (traffic, machinery such as lawn mowers, screaming children and barking dogs), it was found that:

  • men who were over a longer period, had a 50 percent higher risk of heart attack than those that are not exposed.
  • women were exposed to noise was three times higher risk.

"We believe that if you have a higher and prolonged exposure to noise, environmental or workplace or noise, you are at a higher risk for a heart attack," said Dr. Stefan Willich lead investigator. risk of high blood pressure goes up A new study by researchers at the University of Michigan, published in Archives of Environmental and Health found that working in a noisy environment, the blood pressure values. They equipped workers to a Midwest auto assembly plant with monitors for blood pressure readings and recording noise levels throughout the day. It was noted that while the blood was that of a total of noise pollution, peak noise affected heart rate. Also, an increase of 10 decibels in average noise levels to a systolic blood pressure of 2 millimeters. To put things into perspective, the reduction of systolic blood pressure by 6 mm (for the long-term) has been associated with a 35 percent to 40 percent reduction in strokes and 20 percent to 25 percent decline in heart disease. Where is all this noise from? from around the noise - Labor, Transportation, Music, TV, industry, people and more - is there like never before. As a result, a large proportion of the population is now associated with hearing loss and other problems. "There is no question that the baby boom generation, the various sources of noise than any generation before them," says Dr. James F. Battey Jr., director of the NIDCD. "We are confident that people in their 40s and 50s who notice their hearing is not as good as it once was." Younger people are also at risk of future problems, such as exposure to noise on the ear or headphones with MP3 player and other media devices. Many people may not even realize that the music they listen to harmful levels. April 2005 a study by the National Acoustics Laboratories in Australia, in the International Journal of Audiology, found that 25 percent of people wearing headphones, more to the streets of the cities were listening to harmful quantities. "safe" noise A safe average of noise for a 24-hour day is 70 dB, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. All the noise, to 85 dB or more can damage your hearing, but also a softer noise can damage your health, if he keeps you in the night (a 45-dB noise is loud enough to alert the average person), or irritates you . To put things into proper perspective, here is a list of some common noise measurements:

  • resting at home: 20 dB
  • talk normal: 40 dB
  • phone ringtone: 60 dB
  • Air Conditioning: 75 dB
  • heavy traffic: 90 dB
  • metro, honking horns, Jack Hammer: Over 100 dB
  • Typical Nightclub: 110 dB
  • Ears register pain: 120 dB
  • lute music, jet take-off: Over 120 dB
Noise Reduction Tips , the noise to a minimum in your home or for the protection of hearing if you must be in a noisy environment, try these tips from the previous Sixwise.com article "Noise: How bad it is, how bad could it you, what are the implications? ":
  • Wear earplugs in noisy places
  • Turn up the volume on the radio, television and personal headphones
  • Try muting your TV in advertising, or leave them all together and read a book instead
  • sound treatment of your home by heavy curtains on windows, blankets on the floor and sealing all air leaks
  • drag to your acoustic tile ceilings and walls
  • Put on some light music, such as the pure relaxation CD, to buffer outside noise that you can not control
  • Use
  • sound-blocking headphones to listen to music /TV without interference from outside noise, and without disturbing people in your environment
  • Looking for quieter household
  • Take a drive in a rural area to escape city noise for a day

 

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