Suggestions for a future ANSI sleep disturbance standard

Abstract

Recently, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) withdrew the standard for sleep disturbance from transportation noise which it had published in 2008. This standard failed because the original working group had adopted a (Skinnerian) “black box” approach to describe the behavior of two intertwined neural systems: (1) an energy-dependent defense response and (2) an information-based threat analysis network. This paper reviews what brain scientists have discovered about the information-based network in the years between the publication of the standard and its withdrawal and argues that it is essential for a future standard to address the role of slow wave sleep. This assertion is followed by a discussion of the pros and cons for adapting current models of noise-induced disturbance of slow wave sleep (Basner, McGuire, Davies and others) into a future standard. Recommendations for a future standard include: (1) break with the logic of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, (2) focus on protecting the most vulnerable, (3) address all types of anthropogenic sound, (4) provide for cost cutting through emerging technology, and (5) include procedures for mitigation.