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A laboratory study on the effects of wind turbine noise on sleep: results of the polysomnographic WiTNES study

Smith, Michael G ; Ögren, Mikael ; Thorsson, Pontus ; Hussain-Alkhateeb, Laith ; Pedersen, Eja LU ; Forssén, Jens ; Ageborg Morsing, Julia and Persson Waye, Kerstin (2020) In Sleep
Abstract
Study Objectives
Assess the physiologic and self-reported effects of wind turbine noise (WTN) on sleep.
Methods
Laboratory sleep study (n = 50 participants: n = 24 living close to wind turbines and n = 26 as a reference group) using polysomnography, electrocardiography, salivary cortisol, and questionnaire endpoints. Three consecutive nights (23:00–07:00): one habituation followed by a randomized quiet Control and an intervention night with synthesized 32 dB LAEq WTN. Noise in WTN nights simulated closed and ajar windows and low and high amplitude modulation depth.
Results
There was a longer rapid eye movement (REM) sleep latency (+16.8 min) and lower amount of REM sleep (−11.1 min, −2.2%) in WTN nights. Other measures... (More)
Study Objectives
Assess the physiologic and self-reported effects of wind turbine noise (WTN) on sleep.
Methods
Laboratory sleep study (n = 50 participants: n = 24 living close to wind turbines and n = 26 as a reference group) using polysomnography, electrocardiography, salivary cortisol, and questionnaire endpoints. Three consecutive nights (23:00–07:00): one habituation followed by a randomized quiet Control and an intervention night with synthesized 32 dB LAEq WTN. Noise in WTN nights simulated closed and ajar windows and low and high amplitude modulation depth.
Results
There was a longer rapid eye movement (REM) sleep latency (+16.8 min) and lower amount of REM sleep (−11.1 min, −2.2%) in WTN nights. Other measures of objective sleep did not differ significantly between nights, including key indicators of sleep disturbance (sleep efficiency: Control 86.6%, WTN 84.2%; wakefulness after sleep onset: Control 45.2 min, WTN 52.3 min; awakenings: Control n = 11.4, WTN n = 11.5) or the cortisol awakening response. Self-reported sleep was consistently rated as worse following WTN nights, and individuals living close to wind turbines had worse self-reported sleep in both the Control and WTN nights than the reference group.
Conclusions
Amplitude-modulated continuous WTN may impact on self-assessed and some aspects of physiologic sleep. Future studies are needed to generalize these findings outside of the laboratory and should include more exposure nights and further examine possible habituation or sensitization.
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Sleep
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • pmid:32211778
  • scopus:85091125753
ISSN
1550-9109
DOI
10.1093/sleep/zsaa046
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
245e50c0-0b74-4f00-abb1-951a45e82849
date added to LUP
2020-09-07 09:51:07
date last changed
2023-11-14 14:37:33
@article{245e50c0-0b74-4f00-abb1-951a45e82849,
  abstract     = {{Study Objectives<br/>Assess the physiologic and self-reported effects of wind turbine noise (WTN) on sleep. <br/>Methods<br/>Laboratory sleep study (n = 50 participants: n = 24 living close to wind turbines and n = 26 as a reference group) using polysomnography, electrocardiography, salivary cortisol, and questionnaire endpoints. Three consecutive nights (23:00–07:00): one habituation followed by a randomized quiet Control and an intervention night with synthesized 32 dB LAEq WTN. Noise in WTN nights simulated closed and ajar windows and low and high amplitude modulation depth.<br/>Results<br/>There was a longer rapid eye movement (REM) sleep latency (+16.8 min) and lower amount of REM sleep (−11.1 min, −2.2%) in WTN nights. Other measures of objective sleep did not differ significantly between nights, including key indicators of sleep disturbance (sleep efficiency: Control 86.6%, WTN 84.2%; wakefulness after sleep onset: Control 45.2 min, WTN 52.3 min; awakenings: Control n = 11.4, WTN n = 11.5) or the cortisol awakening response. Self-reported sleep was consistently rated as worse following WTN nights, and individuals living close to wind turbines had worse self-reported sleep in both the Control and WTN nights than the reference group.<br/>Conclusions<br/>Amplitude-modulated continuous WTN may impact on self-assessed and some aspects of physiologic sleep. Future studies are needed to generalize these findings outside of the laboratory and should include more exposure nights and further examine possible habituation or sensitization.<br/>}},
  author       = {{Smith, Michael G and Ögren, Mikael and Thorsson, Pontus and Hussain-Alkhateeb, Laith and Pedersen, Eja and Forssén, Jens and Ageborg Morsing, Julia and Persson Waye, Kerstin}},
  issn         = {{1550-9109}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{Sleep}},
  title        = {{A laboratory study on the effects of wind turbine noise on sleep: results of the polysomnographic WiTNES study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsaa046}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/sleep/zsaa046}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}