Traffic noise and sleep quality among aging adults - pilot experiment and data

Indoor environmental quality is directly related to people's health and well-being. Noise exposure, for example, is a known cause of sleep disturbance and a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease. As people age, they are likely to become more sensitive to environmental conditions, yet most studies and guidance are based on research with young, working-age adults. As part of a broader project focused on establishing guidance for suitable interior conditions for adults as they age, the National Research Council of Canada in partnership with the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology of Japan are jointly investigating the effects of traffic noise on the sleep quality of older adults. A pilot study has been developed in a quasi-controlled setup, where pre-recorded traffic noises modeled for two different façade performance levels were played during participants' sleep. Sleep quality was assessed using sleep data from wearable devices and self-reported sleep quality. The methods are described and preliminary findings from this experiment are presented, offering valuable insights and guiding the next phases of this research.