FIELD-STUDY OF NOISE-INDUCED SLEEP DISTURBANCE

Behaviorally confirmed awakenings were recorded during nighttime hours for periods of approximately one month in 45 homes of 82 test partici pants. Measurements of awakening and of both indoor and outdoor noise exposure were made for a total of 632 subject nights near a military a irfield, 783 subject nights near a civil airport, and 472 subject nigh ts in neighborhoods with community noise exposure of nonaircraft origi n. Sound exposure levels of individual noise intrusions were much more closely associated with awakenings than long-term noise exposure leve ls. The slope of the relationship between awakening and sound exposure level was rather shallow, however. Although the present findings do n ot resemble those of laboratory studies of noise-induced sleep interfe rence, they are in good agreement with the results of other field stud ies. (C) 1995 Acoustical Society of America.