How noise sensitivity disrupts the mind, brain and body

Though noise sensitivity is often dismissed by doctors, it can have long-term effects on our mental and physical health.

Tap, tap, tap. Tap, tap, tap. There it was again: the incessant noise from my new upstairs neighbours, evidently still in the process of hanging up pictures or cobbling together new furniture. In my well-insulated building in central Berlin, the noise was well below decibels that would irritate anyone else. But it sent me into a rage.

A tight sensation of stress rushed through my body. Even worse was the anxiety: "When will they ever be finished?"

That's not the only noise that is bothering me. I notice the soft thudding across my ceilings as people get ready for bed. Somewhere in the building, I hear the high-pitched hum of a vacuum cleaner and the muffled thumping of a washing machine. The neighbour's dachshund yapping for a treat. And don't get me started on the leaf blowers and pressure washers outside. Noise – however slight – breaks my concentration and peace of mind. 

It is fair to say that I – along with 10% to 40% of the general population – am noise-sensitive, meaning that I feel more upset and disturbed by noise than the average person. It would be easy to dismiss noise sensitivity as a personality flaw, a symptom of generally being belligerent, whiny, and irritable. But, in recent years, scientists have learned that it has real biological roots. The brains of noise-sensitive people respond differently to sound and some may actually be born that way. What's more, it affects not only people's immediate mood but also their long-term mental and physical health. While there are few easy solutions, being aware of these effects can help noise-sensitive people take action to make their lives more tolerable.  

"It's been one of those what we might call a wastepaper basket sort of issues… that just gets pushed away by health professionals," says neuroscientist Daniel Shepherd of Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand. Only in recent years "have people actually really started to say, right, this is at an experiential level really impacting patients", he adds. "We really need to actually start getting a handle on this."

Noise sensitivity isn't a formal medical diagnosis. People can find out if they're noise sensitive by taking questionnaires like the 21-question Weinstein's noise sensitivity scale (which asks, for instance, if you're bothered by people whispering and crinkling sweet wrappers in a movie theatre, if you get mad at people making noise when you're trying to sleep or work, even if the sound of music bothers you if you're trying to concentrate.

 Noise sensitivity is different from other sound-related conditions like misophonia. This is a specific decreased tolerance to certain sounds, like chewing, throat-clearing, tapping or ticking, which trigger intense feelings of disgust or rage, explains a clinician. Noise sensitivity is also different from hyperacusis, where people feel pain or extreme discomfort because they perceive sounds more loudly than they actually are. 

Noise sensitivity, by contrast, is a general reactiveness to all sounds, regardless of how loud they're perceived or how loud they actually are. At the very least, noise-sensitive people find sound disruptive and become annoyed, angry, or even fearful or anxious. "I remember a person describing it like having a mosquito flying around you," Shepherd says. "You just can't not attend to it."

For those who are afraid of noise, the condition might make them so stressed that their bodies go into a fight-or-flight response. "Your heart rate goes up, your blood pressure goes up," says Stephen Stansfeld, a psychiatrist and professor emeritus at Queen Mary University of London.

Sleep quality can also take a hit. In one 2021 study, researchers tracked the sleeping patterns of 500 adults in China and nighttime noise levels over the course of a week. They found that, while the noise itself didn't affect people's sleep quality, noise-sensitive individuals tended to find their sleep less restorative, rating their sleep as less refreshing and saying they felt moodier and had less energy during the day. 

Studies on the brains of noise-sensitive people reveal some clues

Noise exposure has also been linked to a range of long-term health effects, including heart disease and diabetes – and noise-sensitive people may suffer the most from  mental health impacts, a Dr. says. In one 2021 study, researchers surveyed 2,398 men who were exposed to different levels of road traffic noise. Those who were noise-sensitive were more likely to have long-term anxiety and depression.

While that may be partly because anxious people are more vigilant about their surroundings and therefore more likely to notice noise, it's also possible that being noise sensitive can worsen anxiety. And, one 2023 survey of 1,244 adults living near airports in France found that people severely annoyed by aircraft noise levels – especially some noise-sensitive individuals – were more likely to rate their general health as poor.

But why do some people react more negatively to noise than others? Studies on the brains of noise-sensitive people reveal some clues. When Shepherd and his colleagues hooked people up to devices that measured the electrical activity in their brains, those without noise sensitivity only showed heightened activity when the researchers played them threatening sounds. But in noise-sensitive people, "their brains tend to go up the gears irrespective of the sound, whether it's a threatening sound or a non-threatening sound", an expert recalls. 

  

Neuroscientists have independently found evidence that this has to do with how the brain filters out information about unimportant sounds. Scientists team found evidence that in noise-sensitive people, a specific clump of cells within the medial geniculate nucleus – a relay station for sound information entering the brain – are less efficient at this filtering task compared to the brains of those without the condition. 

Where most people can "filter this information out and get on with life, those who have noise sensitivity don't do it as easily", he says. This kind of filtering also seems to be important during sleep. While most people show patterns of electrical activity called spindles as they fall asleep, which are thought to be important in getting used to surrounding noise, people with noise-sensitivity have less of them – helping explain why they stay so reactive to sounds that normal people aren't bothered by.  

How brains end up this way, though, is a mystery. One Finnish study on twins suggests that noise sensitivity is often heritable, so some people might be predisposed to have it from birth. But it's also possible that people living in noisy environments develop sensitivity over time, Brattico says.

Even quiet noises might be annoying to a noise-sensitive person – Elvira Brattico

"People with anxiety, schizophrenia and autism are especially likely to develop noise sensitivity. While some people can get it after suffering traumatic brain injuries, for most it's usually something that persists over a lifetime, neuroscientist says. "It is very difficult, as compared to someone who's not noise-sensitive, to actually habituate to sound and actually desensitise to it." 

The ideal solution, of course, would be to tackle the sources of noise themselves. Urban planners could build quiet inner courtyards for residential buildings, use rubberised asphalt ingredients that reduce traffic noise, or erect sound-diffracting walls around highways and noisy areas like highways. Some cities in Belgium and France have already begun implementing such measures, as well as reducing vehicle speed limits, encouraging bike infrastructure and creating quiet zones in parks and along rivers. While noise is a real cause of health problems, "it's also one which is potentially avoidable", Stansfeld says. 

But progress is slow, leaving many noise-sensitive people to fend for themselves – for instance by avoiding noisy areas, soundproofing their living spaces or turning to earplugs, earmuffs or noise-cancelling headphones. But these methods often just dampen sounds rather than removing them altogether. "Even quiet noises might be annoying to a noise-sensitive person," Brattico says. 

 

Sometimes, treating underlying conditions like anxiety with medications may help, Stansfeld says. Cognitive behavioural therapy, a kind of talking therapy that centres on managing one's psychological reactions and behaviours, can make sense in settings where people are afraid of noise. "I treated somebody myself with cognitive behaviour therapy, and I think it could be quite helpful," Stansfeld says.

Meanwhile, Brattico believes that music therapy with qualified practitioners could also be useful, which involves selecting soothing, soft music that calms people and builds positive associations with sound. For those wanting to try self-soothing, Brattico recommends music with few, soft instruments like piano or harp, such as Renaissance or Baroque chamber music. When even music is annoying, art therapy might help – "something that's relaxing and allows expressions and regulation of emotions", Brattico says.  

As for myself, it was earplugs, jazz-playing noise-cancelling headphones and a towel wrapped around my head, that eventually helped somewhat. Until the world around me becomes quieter, I can at least try to find some peace in my own mind.  

 

 

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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Box Breathing: A Healthy Technique

Over the years, we have encountered many breathing techniques that help calm the mind and body, and are even capable of helping us improve our ability to fall asleep, concentrate, and restore the balance our body needs. If you have tried such breathing techniques in the past and found them beneficial, you will probably be happy to discover a new technique – box breathing – which helps improve concentration, reduce stress, and is recommended for daily practice when you feel your mind is starting to wander or your work is taking a toll on your mental health. How do you do it, what are its benefits, and are there people who should avoid it? We will answer all these questions and more right now.

How to Perform Box Breathing? 

Box breathing is done in 4 simple steps, each lasting exactly 4 seconds: 

1. Inhale – Sit with your back straight, ensure your feet are flat on the floor, close your eyes, and take an inhale for 4 seconds through your nose. Feel how the air fills your lungs. 

 2. Hold the breath – Count to 4 at the same pace as your inhalation. 

3. Exhale – Fully exhale the air from your lungs through your nose for 4 seconds. 

4. Hold the breath – Wait for another 4 seconds. Box Breathing: How to Perform Box Breathing

You should repeat this at least 3 more times (4 in total), and it is recommended to continue for 4 minutes or until you feel calm. If this is difficult for you, you can try counting for 3 seconds instead of 4, and if you find this technique helpful and easy to perform, you can even count for 5-6 seconds. 

 

Since this breathing technique is very easy to perform in any situation, people in high-pressure jobs find many benefits in it, including soldiers, police officers, and even office workers under significant stress. This technique is actually relevant for everyone, and anyone who wants to balance their mind and regain control and focus can use it. 

 

Why is Box Breathing so Essential for Mental and Physical Health? 

Box breathing helps reset your breathing, and in moments of severe stress, this is important for both your physical and mental health. Our body undergoes processes that we do not consciously control, like the autonomic nervous system, which determines, among other things, heart rate and breathing and even affects digestion.

 

When the body feels threatened, it enters "fight, flight, or freeze" mode, releasing hormones like adrenaline and noradrenaline, leading to a chain reaction that causes the heart rate and breathing to become faster and also increases blood sugar levels. Prolonged stay in such a stress state can negatively affect health and wear out the body very quickly. 

Among the long-term effects, you can include: 

High blood pressure 

Headaches 

Heart attack 

Stroke 

 

We cannot directly control blood sugar levels or heart rate, but we can control our breathing, and calming it will affect all other body systems accordingly. Thus, box breathing helps us achieve control and balance, beneficial both in the short and long term. 

 

The Benefits of Box Breathing 

Mark Divine, an author and lecturer who was formerly a commander in the U.S. Navy SEALs, shares that this technique helped him in very stressful and challenging moments during his career. "I used it daily during training, and it helped me finish with excellence and in first place. Today, I use it in any challenging situation I encounter in daily life." Here are some of the benefits of this breathing method:

Reduces physical stress symptoms in the body

Research shows that deep breathing techniques significantly reduce the production of hormones associated with stress, such as cortisol.

In a 2017 study, participants showed lower levels of cortisol after deep breathing, as well as increased attention levels.

Divine also emphasized this. He said, “Box breathing bleeds off excess stress and gives you a handy, on-demand tool to avoid taking on any more stress than you can handle.”

Positively affects emotions and mental well-being

According to the 2017 study, breathing techniques can be useful in the reduction of anxiety, depression, and stress.

Improves future reactions to stress

Studies suggest that box breathing may have the ability to change someone’s future reactions to stress.

In an older 2013 studyTrusted Source, researchers suggested that relaxation response practices, such as meditation, deep breathing, and yoga, can alter how the body reacts to stress by changing how certain genes are switched on.

Genes have different roles within the body. The study found that relaxation response practices boosted the activation of genes associated with energy and insulin, and reduced the activation of genes linked to inflammation and stress.

According to the study, this effect occurs in both short- and long-term practitioners of these techniques. However, the effect is more significant in long-term users.

“Once someone experiences the physical, psychological, and emotional benefits of box breathing, they will want to do it daily.”

– Mark Divine

Tips for box breathing

 

There are a number of steps a person can take to make box breathing easier. A person can:

• find a quiet space to begin box breathing
• place one hand on the chest and another on the lower stomach can help
• try to feel the air and see where it is entering, when breathing in
• focus on feeling an expansion in the stomach, but without forcing the muscles to push out
• try to relax the muscles instead of engaging them

Divine recommends that a person incorporate the technique into their daily routine. He says that it can be used alongside other mindfulness exercises.

 He also believes that “box breathing can be used to prepare for a stressful event, such as a speech, or to calm down during or after a stressful event.”

 

 

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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Eating disorders linked to exercise addiction

 People with an eating disorder are nearly four times more likely to develop addiction to exercise, which may lead to mental health issues, and injury, according to a study.

The study, published in the journal Eating and Weight Disorders – Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity, is the first to measure rates of exercise addiction in groups of people with and without the characteristics of an eating disorder.

An eating disorder is defined by abnormal eating habits that negatively affect a person’s physical or mental health.

They include binge eating disorder, where people eat a large amount in a short period of time.

The meta-analysis examined data from 2,140 participants across nine different studies, including from the UK, the US, Australia and Italy. It found that people displaying characteristics of an eating disorder are 3.7 times more likely to suffer from addiction to exercise than people displaying no indication of an eating disorder.

“It is known that those with eating disorders are more likely to display addictive personality and obsessive-compulsive behaviours,” said Mike Trott from the Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) in the UK.

“We are also aware that having an unhealthy relationship with food often means an increased amount of exercising, but this is the first time that a risk factor has been calculated,” said Trott.

The researchers noted it is not uncommon to want to improve our lifestyles by eating healthier and doing more exercise, particularly at the start of the year.

However, it is important to moderate this behaviour and not fall victim to ‘crash diets’ or anything that eliminates certain foods entirely, as these can easily lead to eating disorders, they said.

“Our study shows that displaying signs of an eating disorder significantly increases the chance of an unhealthy relationship with exercise, and this can have negative consequences, including mental health issues and injury,” Trott said.

Health professionals working with people with eating disorders should consider monitoring exercise levels as a priority, the researchers said.

It is because this group has been shown to suffer from serious medical conditions as a result of excessive exercise, such as fractures, increased rates of cardiovascular disease in younger patients, and increased overall mortality, they said.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     
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7 Tips to Keep Your Organs Healthy

The kidneys, bladder, and liver play an important role in the body. Because of this, it is essential that you keep your organs healthy. Below are some tips that will help you do so for years to come and will keep your kidneys and bladder toxin-free. Take a look: 

 

1. Cut back on salt and soft drinks

These foods have become part of our daily diets, but they should be taken in moderation. This includes coffee, soft drinks, salt, and very high-protein foods. Every few days, try to have a mini detox and take a break from consuming these foods around twice per week. 
2. Drink more tea, water and take more cranberries
While food is not your enemy and there are plenty of foods you can add to your diet to help with lowering toxins in your body, it is also essential that you include more drinks like green tea, ginger tea, and water. Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet, cranberries in particular. Brown seaweed is also good for you. Fruits make for an easy breakfast, dessert, and snack. 

3. Take your vitamins

Many supportive herbs help with keeping your kidneys healthy, including vitamin B6, Omega 3s and potassium citrate. All of these three herbs can help you reduce your chance of developing kidney stones. 
4. Maintain a good balance between your mental and physical health
Stress can take a toll on your body, harming your organs. A simple meditation routine such as breathing exercises can help manage your stress. Proper breathing also helps to oxygenate your whole body. Another simple treatment called hydrotherapy uses water for pain relief which can help your circulatory system, also giving your body and mind some much-needed rest. 

5. Try a 2-day kidney cleanse

A cleanse works wonders. Here is a sample of a 2-day cleanse. Of course, remember to consult your doctor or medical professional about changes to your diet, ensuring that a cleanse is right for you. 
Breakfast: Drink a simple juice with fruit such as beet juice with dried cranberries, or a smoothie with spinach.
Lunch: Take another smoothie, or opt for hot millet cereal, with your favorite fruit.
Dinner: A salad mixed with greens, a protein, a drizzle of lemon and a piece of fruit. 
6. Try Kegel exercises for your bladder
While it may come as a surprise, there are ways you can help your bladder. When done regularly, you can prevent bladder leakage. All you need to do is contract your pelvic floor muscles and then relax them. Hold each for a count of 10. And do a set of 30. 10 while standing, 10 while sitting, 10 while reclining. Do this 3 times a day, which adds to 90 contractions a day. Just make sure your bladder is empty before doing them. 

7. Exercise your liver

There are a few exercises that can help your liver. You can feel it by pressing up and under your ribs on the right side. You can press it, rub it, or lightly thump it 100 times a day to keep it healthy. Furthermore, you can try trunk twisting, turning your torso left to right around 15 times on each side, helping your liver. Daily stretches done for about 5 hours a week can do a world of wonders for your liver.

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