Noise and its effects on people: an overview

Excessive noise has a variety of effects on people. If sufficiently loud, it can cause temporary or permanent hearing loss. There is also some evidence that it may play a part in the development of heart disease. Noise interferes with our ability to communicate and to hear warning signals, and there is a great deal of evidence to show that noise interferes with our ability both to carry out and to learn complex cognitive tasks. This article reviews some of these effects, and draw attention to the areas of concern the of the major body concerned with the effects of noise on living organisms, the International Commission on the Biological Effects of Noise (ICBEN).