Abstract
As the number of freight trains on railway networks increases, so does the potential for vibration exposure in dwellings nearby to freight railway lines. Nocturnal trains in particular are of particular importance since night-time exposure may interfere with sleep. The present work investigates the impact of vibration and noise from night-time freight trains on human sleep. In an experimental polysomnographic laboratory study, 24 young healthy volunteers with normal hearing were exposed to simulated freight pass-bys with vibration amplitudes of 0.7 and 1.4 mm/s either 20 or 36 times during the night. Stronger vibrations were associated with higher probabilities of event-related arousals and awakenings (p < 0.001), and sleep stage changes (p < 0.05). Sleep macrostructure was most affected in high vibration nights with 36 events, with increased wakefulness (p < 0.05), reduced continual slow wave sleep (p < 0.05), earlier awakenings (p < 0.05) and an overall increase in sleep stage changes (p < 0.05). Subjects reported sleep disturbance due to vibration (F(4,92) = 25.9, p < 0.001) and noise (F(4,92) = 25.9, p < 0.001), with the number of trains having an effect only for the 0.7 mm/s condition (p < 0.05). The findings show that combined vibration and noise from railway freight affects the natural rhythm of sleep, but extrapolation of significance for health outcomes should be approached with caution.
Highlights
Sleep is a vital biological process which is found, in one form or another, throughout the animal kingdom[1]
The maximum length of uninterrupted time spent in N3 was on average 5.6 minutes shorter in NVh36 as compared to the control (p < 0.05)
Vibration and noise from railway freight traffic was found to impact on sleep
Summary
Sleep is a vital biological process which is found, in one form or another, throughout the animal kingdom[1]. Railway noise has been found to have stronger physiological effects on sleep than road and air traffic noise[18,19,20] and, in some research, results in a greater percentage of people reporting being highly sleep disturbed than the same levels of road noise[21]. The environmental policies adopted by many European nations is seeing an increase in the volume of goods transported on the railway networks[22] Much of this growth is enabled through nocturnal scheduling, with increased levels of night time noise at nearby dwellings a direct consequence. Stronger vibrations from railway freight are associated reduced subjective sleep quality and increased self-reported sleep disturbance[36]. The hypothesis was that sleep disruption would increase both with higher vibration amplitudes and the number of trains during the night
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