How much is noise pollution actually affecting our mental and physical health?

Excerpt from the latest news:

Noise is seriously wrecking our health

The number of people suffering from noise pollution has doubled in just the last decade.

CLEVELAND – Noise impacts both our mental and physical well-being, yet we barely pay any attention to this specific pollutant. Over the last ten years, the number of people affected by noise has doubled, but we won't solve this until the government actually starts working. Right now, we’re stuck in a loop where either nobody knows who's responsible, or the people who *are* responsible simply refuse to act and face zero consequences. That was the takeaway from the Environmental Defense Fund's "Tuesday in 201" meeting, held for the ninth consecutive time at the County Department of Sustainable Development and Spatial Planning.
– "We constantly run into people designing urban plans who don't grasp the noise issue. Even newly designed buildings fail to meet regulations regarding this invisible pollutant because even the inspectors don't seem to know the laws," said guest Edo Grubešić, an engineer from Cleveland Acoustic Engineering. "I pass by those Chačić's apartments in that Small town in Ohio all the time: those people will get their apartments, but they'll be driving each other crazy. But honestly, that's not even about public health anymore—it's just politics."
Environmental groups were mostly asking who to call when the noise becomes unbearable, especially since the health inspectors aren't working at 3 AM, or on weekends and holidays. The answer? You might as well just call the police. There's no point waiting for a decibel reading for loud neighbors in the middle of the night when it's already obvious they're breaking the law. Another piece of advice offered was that if you do file a report with health inspectors, sign it with your full legal name so they can't just dismiss it.
One major conclusion was that the only way to fix this is through education and total mobilization—from regular citizens and health inspectors to the media. Solving individual complaints isn't going to move the needle.

I've dealt with every kind of noise imaginable, from neighbors' dogs barking all night to someone splitting wood at dawn, or that neighbor's house renovation that dragged on for seven months straight.

Question for the forum: do you deal with noise in your neighborhood, and how do you handle it?

Living in a high-rise means noise is just part of the deal—someone is always drilling, neighbors are arguing, or there’s a party going on next door. Luckily, we aren't right next to a major highway, so at least I can avoid that specific headache. Still, it gets to me. It definitely makes me more irritable.
My go-to method for a mental reset is simple: get out into nature for the weekend. Ideally, I head somewhere up in the mountains where the only thing you hear is the wind whistling, a creek running, or birds singing. It works every time. It truly clears everything out—the noise, the crowds, the rush, the stress, the agitation...

I’ve been absolutely besieged lately—between the constant roar of traffic outside, my partner’s snoring, and the tenants upstairs making enough noise to wake the dead... honestly, it was getting exhausting. But I finally found the fix, and it’s incredibly straightforward: I just head down to CVS, grab a pack of earplugs for a few bucks, and suddenly I’m sleeping like a baby all night long.

A question for everyone here—do you deal with much noise in your neighborhood, and if so, how do you actually handle it?

What kind of noise are we talking about?😁

Keith Doyle18 said:I'm constantly dealing with car noise, my partner's snoring, and neighbors stomping around upstairs... you know what? I solved it. I just grab some earplugs at the drugstore for a couple of bucks and sleep like a baby all night long.

Seriously, give me the name and address of this pharmacy! I can't find them anywhere. Last time I actually picked some up was in Rome, but here in the States, pharmacists just stare at me like I'm crazy when I ask for earplugs... like they've never even heard of them.

Hellgirl said:My go-to recipe for clearing my head? Getting out into nature for the weekend. Ideally somewhere up in the mountains where all you hear is the wind whistling, a stream running, and birds singing. It works! It truly lets me decompress from everything—the noise, the crowds, the constant rush, the stress, and the nerves...

👍

Apparently, escaping to the woods is the only actual cure for being wired by all this noise. Since I live out in the sticks where nature is basically right outside my door, I guess I got lucky. Too bad about these neighbors, though. Probably cursed.😢

Noise levels in America are just treated as if they're totally normal.
A lot of people looked at me like I was crazy when I first started complaining about the racket.
To some folks, it’s perfectly fine to blast the car radio at midnight while driving through—or worse, idling and parking right outside for an hour.
And then you’ve got the whole next level: the shouting matches, the screaming, and occasionally even physical fights.
In my opinion, it’s a sign of catastrophic culture and a complete lack of basic upbringing...
The local police aren't any better, either—they seem to have zero interest in dealing with these loud excesses.
Has anyone ever actually been held accountable for blasting 130 dB in the middle of the night with a stereo, screeching tires, or a motorcycle tearing through town—waking up 1,000 residents, if not more?
How are you even supposed to defend yourself?
I ended up installing special soundproof windows—I can't quite remember the exact decibel reduction, but honestly, you can barely hear a thing from outside anymore.

steelsailor17 said:I put in those special soundproof windows. I can't remember the exact decibel rating, but honestly, you can barely hear a thing from outside anymore.

Smart move. 🙏

Keith Doyle18 said:I’m constantly being bombarded by noise—cars driving by, my partner’s snoring, even the neighbors upstairs... honestly, the solution is pretty straightforward. I just grab some earplugs at Walgreens for a few bucks and sleep through the night like a baby.

But how do you actually wake up in the morning if you can't hear your alarm?
Don't those earplugs get uncomfortable when you roll over during the night?
And do they really block everything out entirely, or do you still hear muffled sounds coming through?

Whenever my friend stays over, she always puts in earplugs because the noise from the streetcars keeps her up.
Since I'm not currently in the US, I'm not sure if you can pick up those yellow ones (the Band-Aid brand) at a local Walgreens, but they shouldn't be an issue since they're pretty soft...
She used to wake up whenever her alarm went off, but hopefully, with the earplugs, she won't hear all that distant background noise.

rustycanyon50 said:A friend of mine always wears earplugs when she stays over at my place—the noise from the streetcars can be a bit much.
Since I’m not currently in the US, I’m not entirely sure if you can pick up those yellow ones (the Band-Aid brand) locally; they should be fine since they're quite soft...
She used to wake up whenever her alarm went off, but presumably, the earplugs help block out all those distant background noises.

I find that part a little counterintuitive—nearby sounds stay constant, while distant ones tend to fluctuate. 🤔

I suppose an alarm clock is just that—an alarm clock; it wakes the living and the dead alike.😁

velvetmaker86 said:It doesn't make any sense to me. How can the sound be steady up close but inconsistent once you move away?

I’m pretty sure earplugs cut down about 50% of the noise, mostly the stuff coming from outside.
There are plenty of types, from the basic hard foam ones to those special squishy ones that expand once they're in.
Honestly, they're a lifesaver if you live in a noisy apartment, stay in hostels, or need to cram for an exam. They usually go for about $3.25, but you can't find them anywhere around here, not even at Walgreens.

Matthew Harris2 said:The price tag out there is roughly $3.25, but the real issue is they aren't stocked anywhere locally—not even at Walgreens.

So, where does that leave us?😁

Total noise pollution 😁

So, some girl living in a high-rise pointed out how you can hear drilling, music, and all that crap from the neighbors. Honestly? I’d go further—you can hear it from two or three floors up, too. Back when my parents lived in their apartment building, someone would be splitting wood in the basement, and they could hear that constant thudding on the third floor every single day through the winter. It’s basically just playing with people's nerves. 👎

Since they aren't the type to start a fight, they won't say anything to those people to their faces.
Most people, if you actually bring up the noise they're making, take it as a personal insult. Suddenly, good neighborly relations are ruined forever. 👎

Matthew Harris2 said:It’s like living in a drum.😁

On a related note, a girl I know who lives in a high-rise made an interesting observation—you can hear everything from drilling to music coming from the neighbors' apartments. Personally, I’d go a step further and say you can hear it from two or three floors away, too. Back when my parents were living in their apartment building, if someone was out in the basement chopping wood—well, let's just say if someone was doing heavy maintenance down there—it would echo right up to their third-floor unit. Just that constant *thud-thud* day after day through the winter... It’s basically a way to play with people's nerves.👎

Since they aren't the type of people to look for a fight, they don't want to confront those neighbors directly.
The thing is, most people—if you actually point out the noise they're making—tend to take it as a personal attack or an insult. Once that happens, the neighborly harmony is pretty much ruined for good.👎

Tell me about it.😎 😉

velvetmaker86 said:Tell me a story.😎 😉

Anyone else dealt with this crap?

Matthew Harris2 said:Have you ever dealt with something similar?

I mean, isn't that just how life goes for everyone!😉

velvetmaker86 said:How do you actually wake up in the morning if you can't hear your alarm?
Don't those earplugs get in the way when you're tossing and turning from one side to the other?
Do they block out everything entirely, or—as I’d expect—do you still hear muffled sounds?

To be honest, I don't hear the alarm at all; though, more often than not, I tend to wake up around 6:30 AM even without one. That said—if I'm a particularly heavy sleeper—it's usually my snoring partner who ends up jolting me awake.
At first, the plugs were a bit irritating—I could hear my own breathing quite clearly and felt them sitting in my ears—but I just applied a bit of "lesser of two evils" logic, and after a few days, I adjusted.
They dampen about 80% of the noise; for instance, what would normally be loud, obnoxious snoring just sounds like soft breathing to me once the plugs are in.

As for lying down or rolling over, they won't pop out—they just mold themselves to the shape of your ear.

I think I saw a comment somewhere saying they're impossible to find—I can't speak to that personally, because last time I went to the pharmacy, the pharmacist offered me four different varieties. They were only $4.99, and I've been using this specific brand (EAR Classic—manufactured by IVF - Schaffhausen Switzerland—distributed by Mediplan d.o.o. in San Francisco) since my college days when I lived right next to a summer patio featuring "live music."

There’s actually quite a variety of earplugs out there.
Some of them just muffle everything indiscriminately. Personally, I think those Swedish brands are the gold standard—they target the specific frequency ranges that really grate on your nerves while leaving enough room for you to still hear a doorbell or a phone ringing... they just don't suppress those crucial frequencies as much.

Matthew Harris2 said:There are different types of earplugs out there.
Some just muffle everything across the board. Then you've got those ones from Sweden—they're honestly the best because they target the annoying frequencies while still letting you hear a ringtone or a phone call. They barely touch the frequencies you actually need.

What good does that do me if I have to fly all the way to Sweden to get them?