Last year, I took an economics course that mentioned noise pollution, and learning more about it gave me a wake up call on how noise revolves around everyday life. 

One of the biggest effects of noise pollution is the loss of sleep.

I take sleep more seriously than I take my job as editor-in-chief. Sleep is what holds society together.

A recommended eight hours of sleep is the standard for most people. With eight hours being one-third of a day, that equates to roughly one-third of our lives is spent sleeping. We need to be making sure it’s being done in the best way possible. 

I live from one night of sleep to the next. Sleeping is like teleporting into the future– a more revived future with a chance for people to continue trying to accomplish their goals. 

Experiencing noise is an everyday occurrence for most people, especially on campus. Noisy spots like in the dining hall or going out to a football game exist in the day to day. These noises are expected, and people get used to them. 

Community members need to be mindful of the amount of noise they are making on a daily basis. Along with being mindful about their sounds, they should also look into how individuals have been affected by noise. 

Here at Eastern, many students live in the dorms, which can be very noisy. I have heard many stories from friends about how loud the people upstairs were all night, causing them to not be able to get a wink of sleep. 

Some sounds we just have to live with, like the crack of a strike of lightning or the roar of thunder. Or the sound of a large truck driving by. These things might keep us up at night. 

Egregious amounts of police sirens, screaming of returning groups of people at 2 a.m. and the endless barking of dogs are not necessary sounds.

Humans normally hear sounds from zero to 120 decibels. Over exposure to sounds louder than that can lead to long term hearing loss and stress. Just for reference, thunder outside is often around 120 decibels in noise. 

We need to be aware of how sounds affect people. Some are very sensitive to sounds. Some use things like white noise from a fan to drown out the world and help them sleep. The whole issue is one of cause and effect. 

Sleep can affect the body in many ways. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, sleep deficiency has been linked to depression, suicide, mood, ability to react, work, learn, think and more.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency provides a great breakdown of noise pollution, and ways to combat it. Of course using ear protection can help, but speaking up for others to community leaders to help stop overarching noise pollution.  

There has been legislation on the books for years outlining the effects of noise on people in society. This is outlined in the 1990 Clean Air Acts Title IV.

Eastern’s housing handbook’s noise policy talks about how all residents have the right to be able to read, study and sleep without interference. That’s why regulated study hours are set for housing floors. On top of that if you are being overly loud, the university has the reserved right to restrict and or remove the source of the noise.

While being at Eastern, I’ve seen many instances of students causing noise that hindered the ability of others to get sleep, or up in just relaxed. Those that are making noise to this level need to stop. 

Staying in compliance with noise regulations in our communities helps people to avoid health issues related to noise. As my uncle always says, a good night’s sleep is a good sign of a clean conscience.