Abstract
Traffic noise, due to its high intensity, is a significant and ubiquitous source of environmental sound that can disrupt sleep, particularly for those living near major roads, railways, or under flight paths. There has been longstanding research on how traffic noise affects sleep, but interest has intensified, especially in Europe, following the 2002 Environmental Noise Directive and the 2009 WHO Night Noise Guidelines. This paper aims to provide an overview of the scientific findings related to traffic noise and sleep disturbances both domestically and internationally, and to outline potential areas for future research. Initially, the paper explores how sleep disturbances from traffic noise are currently assessed. It then discusses case studies that examine the direct relationship between the intensity of a noise event and resultant arousal. Furthermore, it reviews studies on average nighttime noise levels and reported sleep disturbances that form the basis of existing environmental noise policies, while als
