Transportation Noise Raises Heart Risk Even With Healthy Sleep

New preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2026 reveals that chronic exposure to residential transportation noise—from road traffic, trains, and aircraft—is linked to a significantly higher risk of serious heart-related events and the development of cardiovascular risk factors such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Led by Dr. Joseph Nguyen, an internal medicine resident at Massachusetts General Hospital, the study analyzed data from over 100,000 adults in the Massachusetts General Brigham Biobank, combined with U.S. Department of Transportation noise estimates. The findings show that exposure to noise above 50 decibels—roughly the sound of moderate rainfall—was associated with an 8-10% increase in the development of major heart disease risk factors and greater odds of major adverse heart events, even after accounting for age, sex, and sleep quality.

Surprisingly, the link between noise and heart risk was similar for people with healthy sleep patterns and those with unhealthy sleep, defined as a sleep disorder diagnosis or sleeping outside the 7-9 hour range. “Healthy sleep is not protective against adverse heart impacts of noise exposure,” Nguyen said. The study also considered socioenvironmental factors like air pollution and income, as well as mental health factors like depression and anxiety, and the association persisted. The researchers suggest that noise may act as an environmental stressor that triggers cardiovascular disease independently of sleep. “People with noise exposure should consider strategies to reduce noise levels, such as installing thicker drywall, windows and doors, placing bedrooms in the quietest areas, planting dense trees, and using earplugs during sleep,” Nguyen advised.

Co-author Keith Churchwell, M.D., FAHA, past volunteer President of the American Heart Association, emphasized the broader implications in the joint scientific statement Environmental Stressors and Cardiovascular Health: Acting Locally for Global Impact in a Changing World. He noted that environmental factors like noise, air pollution, and climate-related events contribute significantly to the global burden of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death worldwide. The study’s limitations include its observational design, which cannot prove cause and effect, and the use of 24-hour average noise levels rather than peak levels. The findings underscore the need for policies and infrastructure that reduce environmental noise exposure to improve heart health.