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On December 2nd, Xuchang City, Henan Province, held a press conference for the "Xuchang City Regulations on Promoting Civilized Behavior." The regulations stipulate that noisy cultural and sports activities are prohibited from 9 PM to 6 AM the following day in summer and from 9 PM to 7 AM the following day in winter. Violations will be punished with a warning; those who fail to correct their behavior after a warning will be fined between 200 and 500 yuan. The regulations also stipulate that activities such as square dancing and singing in public places should be conducted at controlled volumes to avoid disturbing others' normal lives, work, and studies.
Netizens have expressed their support for this regulation, with some even suggesting that it be implemented nationwide as soon as possible.
This is a good sign, as noise is increasingly becoming a form of pollution that disrupts people's daily lives. As people move from vast fields to towering buildings, our demands for sound quality will inevitably increase. Noise pollution can cause physical discomfort at best, and at worst, lead to mental breakdown.
Harmful effects of noise on the human body:
Noise, its harmful effects on the body
<Sleep Disruption>
Sudden noise at 40 decibels can wake up 10% of people; at 60 decibels, it can wake up 70%. Prolonged exposure to noise will decrease sleep quality, triggering health problems such as rapid breathing, increased pulse, and nervous excitement . The next day, this can lead to fatigue and reduced work efficiency. Over time, it can cause insomnia, tinnitus, vivid dreams, fatigue, and memory decline. In high-noise environments, the incidence of these problems can reach 50-60%.
Hearing damage
Noise damages the sensory hair cells in the cochlea, the auditory organ of the ear. Once damaged, these cells can never be repaired . High-frequency sensory hair cells are most vulnerable to noise damage. Therefore, many people are unaware that their hearing has been damaged by noise without undergoing a hearing test, until the hearing loss becomes so severe that communication is impossible, at which point it is often too late. Early hearing loss most commonly occurs around 4000Hz and is bilaterally symmetrical (4Kdip). Patients primarily experience an inability to hear soft, high-frequency sounds. Unless suddenly exposed to extremely loud sounds such as gunshots or firecrackers, hearing loss is usually gradual.
<Vision damage>
When the noise level reaches 90 decibels, the sensitivity of rod cells in the retina to distinguish light brightness begins to decrease, and the time required to recognize dim light also increases . When the noise level reaches 95 decibels, nearly half of the people experience pupil dilation in both eyes . When the noise level reaches 115 decibels, the eye's adaptability to light decreases by 20%. Among 80 workers exposed to steady-state noise, a staggering 80% experienced narrowing of the red, green, and white visual fields , an increase of 85% compared to the control group.
<Impact on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems>
Acute noise exposure often causes hypertension . At 100 decibels for ten minutes, adrenaline secretion increases, and the sympathetic nervous system is stimulated. Exposure to noise levels of 70 to 90 decibels for five years increases the risk of developing hypertension by as much as 2.47 times.
Noise can trigger a stress response in the body, stimulating the secretion of adrenal glands, causing changes in heart rate and an increase in blood pressure . Noise can also reduce the secretion of saliva and gastric juices, lowering stomach acid levels and thus increasing the risk of stomach and duodenal ulcers.
<Effects on reproduction>
In recent years, some experts have proposed the "environmental hormone" theory, pointing out that there are chemical substances in the environment that can affect the human endocrine function like hormones, and noise is one of them. It can disrupt the human endocrine system, leading to abnormalities in sperm and urine . Prolonged noise pollution can cause male infertility; for women, it can lead to miscarriage and birth defects . Research in other areas remains inconclusive and requires further investigation.
Children's intellectual development is slowed in noisy environments. Studies have shown that children's intellectual development in noisy environments is 20% lower than that in quiet environments.
NO.02 Noise: The Harm to Psychology
<Causes anxiety>
Prolonged exposure to noise can easily lead to anxiety and neurasthenia . People may experience difficulty falling asleep, rapid heartbeat, and difficulty calming down, even with the slightest sound. They may also become easily angered by those around them, leading to a long-term state of self-torture.
Symptoms of anxiety disorder: Patients frequently experience excessive worry, tension, and fear that are inconsistent with the actual situation. This tension and fear often lack a clear object or content. Patients feel that they are constantly in a state of tension, unease, apprehension, fear, and worry.
<Leading to psychological distortion>
Noise can sometimes have a far greater impact on people than they can control themselves. In reality, there are countless criminal cases stemming from noise pollution. These people have lost lives, families, and even their own lives because of noise.
Case 1 : On September 18, 2016, a tragedy occurred in Yilian New City residential area of Hefei Economic and Technological Development Zone. Wang, a 27-year-old man, was found dead in his rented apartment, stabbed to death by a tenant downstairs. The suspect, Xu (38 years old, from Feidong County, unemployed), surrendered himself to the police after the incident, stating at the scene that the upstairs neighbors were constantly stomping their feet, making it too noisy. Currently, the suspect is in police custody, and the case is under further investigation.
Case 2 : On December 10, 2019, a man in Henan province stabbed and killed three young women living upstairs because they were making too much noise every night. The three women worked at a foot massage parlor and finished work very late every day. The man could no longer tolerate the noise late at night, which ultimately led to the tragedy.
Case 3 : On October 10, 2020, a bloody incident occurred in the Houzhuchen Xiujia Garden residential community in Hangzhou. A man in his 30s, allegedly due to noise issues, attacked his downstairs neighbor with two knives, stabbing him more than 40 times. The victim was in a deep coma after being attacked and was rushed to the hospital for treatment. He regained consciousness 24 hours later. The perpetrator has been criminally detained by local police.