Is Living Near an Airport Bad for Your Health?

Tens of thousands of Americans live in close proximity to an airport. While residential property near airports is usually cheaper, there's a growing concern regarding the impact it has on residents' health.

According to a new study conducted by researchers in Greece, people who live near an airport have a higher risk of developing high blood pressure (hypertension) and heart disease. For the study, researchers analyzed data from 420 residents living near the Athens International Airport from between 2004 to 2006. Researchers say that some 600 planes take off and land here on a daily basis, exposing nearby residents to constant loud noise.

After analyzing the data, researchers concluded that about half of the study's participants were exposed to loud noise of 55dB or greater during the hours of 7 AM and 11 PM. One in four participants were exposed to loud noise of 45dB during nighttime.

Ten years after the study, researchers found that 71 participants had been diagnosed with high blood pressure, while 44 had been diagnosed with cardiac arrhythmia (heart flutter).

Researchers say that exposure to loud noise, such as that created by commercial aircraft, was associated with high blood pressure. More specifically, for every additional 10dB of night-time noise to which residents were exposed, there was a 69% greater risk of developing of high blood pressure. Furthermore, researchers found an association between aircraft noise and cardiac arrhythmia, though to a lesser degree.

How exactly does exposure to loud noise lead to high blood pressure and cardiac arrhythmia? This is a question that remains unanswered, though some experts theorize that it could be attributed to either sleep disorder or stress triggered by the loud noise. When you live near an airport, the loud noise can increase your stress levels while making it difficult to fall asleep. Perhaps this is why participants in this study had a greater risk of developing high blood pressure and cardiac arrhythmia than residents living away from airports.

"In conclusion, our cohort study suggests that long-term exposure to aircraft noise, particularly during the night, is associated with incident hypertension and possibly, also, cardiovascular effects," wrote the study's authors.

It's important to note that this study only revealed an association between living near an airport and the health conditions mentioned above. It did not provide concrete proof.

This study was published in the journal Occupational & Environmental Medicine.