title: Associations between nighttime traffic noise and sleep: the Finnish public sector study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Associations between traffic noise and sleep problems have been detected in experimental studies, but population-level evidence is scarce.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We studied the relationship between the levels of nighttime traffic noise and sleep disturbances and identified vulnerable population groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  Noise levels of nighttime-outdoor traffic were modeled based on the traffic intensities in the cities of Helsinki and Vantaa, Finland. In these cities, 7,019 public sector employees (81% women) responded to postal surveys on sleep and health. We linked modeled outdoor noise levels to the residences of the employees who responded to the postal survey. We used logistic regression models to estimate associations of noise levels with subjectively assessed duration of sleep and symptoms of insomnia (i.e., difficulties falling asleep, waking up frequently during the night, waking up too early in the morning, nonrestorative sleep). We also used stratified models to investigate the possibility of vulnerable subgroups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For the total study population, exposure to levels of nighttime-outside (L(night, outside)) traffic noise > 55 dB was associated with any insomnia symptom ≥ 2 nights per week [odds ratio (OR) = 1.32; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.05, 1.65]. Among participants with higher trait anxiety scores, which we hypothesized were a proxy for noise sensitivity, the ORs for any insomnia symptom at exposures to L(night, outside) traffic noises 50.1-55 dB and > 55 dB versus ≤ 45 dB were 1.34 (95% CI: 1.00, 1.80) and 1.61 (95% CI: 1.07, 2.42), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nighttime traffic noise levels > 50 dB L(night, outside) was associated with insomnia symptoms among persons with higher scores for trait anxiety. For the total study population, L(night, outside) > 55 dB was positively associated with any symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland. jaana.halonen@ttl.fi
authors.forename: Jaana I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Halonen
authors.forename: Jussi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vahtera
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stansfeld
authors.forename: Tarja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yli-Tuomi
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Salo
authors.forename: Jaana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pentti
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kivimäki
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lanki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002947:Cities / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008954:Models, Biological; D009624:Noise, Transportation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012307:Risk Factors; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D012890:Sleep; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D013997:Time Factors