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A laboratory study on the effects of wind turbine noise on sleep: results of the polysomnographic WiTNES study.

ABSTRACT: STUDY OBJECTIVES:Assess the physiologic and self-reported effects of wind turbine noise (WTN) on sleep. METHODS:Laboratory sleep study (n = 50 participants: n = 24 living close to wind turbines and n = 26 as a reference group) using polysomnography, electrocardiography, salivary cortisol, and questionnaire endpoints. Three consecutive nights (23:00-07:00): one habituation followed by a randomized quiet Control and an intervention night with synthesized 32 dB LAEq WTN. Noise in WTN nights simulated closed and ajar windows and low and high amplitude modulation depth. RESULTS:There was a longer rapid eye movement (REM) sleep latency (+16.8 min) and lower amount of REM sleep (-11.1 min, -2.2%) in WTN nights. Other measures of objective sleep did not differ significantly between nights, including key indicators of sleep disturbance (sleep efficiency: Control 86.6%, WTN 84.2%; wakefulness after sleep onset: Control 45.2 min, WTN 52.3 min; awakenings: Control n = 11.4, WTN n = 11.5) or the cortisol awakening response. Self-reported sleep was consistently rated as worse following WTN nights, and individuals living close to wind turbines had worse self-reported sleep in both the Control and WTN nights than the reference group. CONCLUSIONS:Amplitude-modulated continuous WTN may impact on self-assessed and some aspects of physiologic sleep. Future studies are needed to generalize these findings outside of the laboratory and should include more exposure nights and further examine possible habituation or sensitization.

SUBMITTER: Smith MG

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7487868 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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A laboratory study on the effects of wind turbine noise on sleep: results of the polysomnographic WiTNES study.

Smith Michael G MG Ögren Mikael M Thorsson Pontus P Hussain-Alkhateeb Laith L Pedersen Eja E Forssén Jens J Ageborg Morsing Julia J Persson Waye Kerstin K

Sleep 20200901 9

<h4>Study objectives</h4>Assess the physiologic and self-reported effects of wind turbine noise (WTN) on sleep.<h4>Methods</h4>Laboratory sleep study (n = 50 participants: n = 24 living close to wind turbines and n = 26 as a reference group) using polysomnography, electrocardiography, salivary cortisol, and questionnaire endpoints. Three consecutive nights (23:00-07:00): one habituation followed by a randomized quiet Control and an intervention night with synthesized 32 dB LAEq WTN. Noise in WTN ...[more]

PMID: 32211778

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Project description:Study objectivesTo investigate the association between self-reported and objective measures of sleep and wind turbine noise (WTN) exposure.MethodsThe Community Noise and Health Study, a cross-sectional epidemiological study, included an in-house computer-assisted interview and sleep pattern monitoring over a 7 d period. Outdoor WTN levels were calculated following international standards for conditions that typically approximate the highest long-term average levels at each dwelling. Study data were collected between May and September 2013 from adults, aged 18-79 y (606 males, 632 females) randomly selected from each household and living between 0.25 and 11.22 kilometers from operational wind turbines in two Canadian provinces. Self-reported sleep quality over the past 30 d was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Additional questions assessed the prevalence of diagnosed sleep disorders and the magnitude of sleep disturbance over the previous year. Objective measures for sleep latency, sleep efficiency, total sleep time, rate of awakening bouts, and wake duration after sleep onset were recorded using the wrist worn Actiwatch2® from a subsample of 654 participants (289 males, 365 females) for a total of 3,772 sleep nights.ResultsParticipant response rate for the interview was 78.9%. Outdoor WTN levels reached 46 dB(A) with an arithmetic mean of 35.6 and a standard deviation of 7.4. Self-reported and objectively measured sleep outcomes consistently revealed no apparent pattern or statistically significant relationship to WTN levels. However, sleep was significantly influenced by other factors, including, but not limited to, the use of sleep medication, other health conditions (including sleep disorders), caffeine consumption, and annoyance with blinking lights on wind turbines.ConclusionsStudy results do not support an association between exposure to outdoor WTN up to 46 dB(A) and an increase in the prevalence of disturbed sleep. Conclusions are based on WTN levels averaged over 1 y and, in some cases, may be strengthened with an analysis that examines sleep quality in relation to WTN levels calculated during the precise sleep period time.

Project description:BackgroundWind turbine noise exposure and suspected health-related effects thereof have attracted substantial attention. Various symptoms such as sleep-related problems, headache, tinnitus and vertigo have been described by subjects suspected of having been exposed to wind turbine noise.ObjectiveThis review was conducted systematically with the purpose of identifying any reported associations between wind turbine noise exposure and suspected health-related effects.Data sourcesA search of the scientific literature concerning the health-related effects of wind turbine noise was conducted on PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar and various other Internet sources.Study eligibility criteriaAll studies investigating suspected health-related outcomes associated with wind turbine noise exposure were included.ResultsWind turbines emit noise, including low-frequency noise, which decreases incrementally with increases in distance from the wind turbines. Likewise, evidence of a dose-response relationship between wind turbine noise linked to noise annoyance, sleep disturbance and possibly even psychological distress was present in the literature. Currently, there is no further existing statistically-significant evidence indicating any association between wind turbine noise exposure and tinnitus, hearing loss, vertigo or headache.LimitationsSelection bias and information bias of differing magnitudes were found to be present in all current studies investigating wind turbine noise exposure and adverse health effects. Only articles published in English, German or Scandinavian languages were reviewed.ConclusionsExposure to wind turbines does seem to increase the risk of annoyance and self-reported sleep disturbance in a dose-response relationship. There appears, though, to be a tolerable level of around LAeq of 35 dB. Of the many other claimed health effects of wind turbine noise exposure reported in the literature, however, no conclusive evidence could be found. Future studies should focus on investigations aimed at objectively demonstrating whether or not measureable health-related outcomes can be proven to fluctuate depending on exposure to wind turbines.

Project description:BackgroundLarge electricity-generating wind turbines emit both audible sound and inaudible infrasound at very low frequencies that are outside of the normal human range of hearing. Sufferers of wind turbine syndrome (WTS) have attributed their ill-health and particularly their sleep disturbance to the signature pattern of infrasound. Critics have argued that these symptoms are psychological in origin and are attributable to nocebo effects.ObjectivesWe aimed to test the effects of 72 h of infrasound (1.6-20 Hz at a sound level of ∼90 dB pk re 20μPa, simulating a wind turbine infrasound signature) exposure on human physiology, particularly sleep.MethodsWe conducted a randomized double-blind triple-arm crossover laboratory-based study of 72 h exposure with a >10-d washout conducted in a noise-insulated sleep laboratory in the style of a studio apartment. The exposures were infrasound (∼90 dB pk), sham infrasound (same speakers not generating infrasound), and traffic noise exposure [active control; at a sound pressure level of 40-50 dB LAeq,night and 70 dB LAFmax transient maxima, night (2200 to 0700 hours)]. The following physiological and psychological measures and systems were tested for their sensitivity to infrasound: wake after sleep onset (WASO; primary outcome) and other measures of sleep physiology, wake electroencephalography, WTS symptoms, cardiovascular physiology, and neurobehavioral performance.ResultsWe randomized 37 noise-sensitive but otherwise healthy adults (18-72 years of age; 51% female) into the study before a COVID19-related public health order forced the study to close. WASO was not affected by infrasound compared with sham infrasound (-1.36 min; 95% CI: -6.60, 3.88, p=0.60) but was worsened by the active control traffic exposure compared with sham by 6.07 min (95% CI: 0.75, 11.39, p=0.02). Infrasound did not worsen any subjective or objective measures used.DiscussionOur findings did not support the idea that infrasound causes WTS. High level, but inaudible, infrasound did not appear to perturb any physiological or psychological measure tested in these study participants. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP10757.

Dataset Information

A laboratory study on the effects of wind turbine noise on sleep: results of the polysomnographic WiTNES study.

Publications

A laboratory study on the effects of wind turbine noise on sleep: results of the polysomnographic WiTNES study.

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