The impact of aircraft noise exposure on objective parameters of sleep quality: results of the DEBATS study in France

Background: Noise in the vicinity of airports is a crucial public health issue. Exposure to aircraft noise has been shown to have adverse effects on health and particularly on sleep. Many studies support the hypothesis that noise at night can affect subjective sleep quality. Fewer studies, however, have performed objective measurements of sleep. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between aircraft noise exposure and objective parameters assessed by actigraphy of sleep quality in the population living near two French airports. Methods: This study includes 112 participants living in the vicinity of Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Toulouse-Blagnac airports. Wrist actigraphy measurements were performed during eight nights to evaluate objective parameters of sleep quality such as sleep onset latency (SOL), wake after sleep onset (WASO), total sleep time (TST), time in bed (TB) and sleep efficiency (SE). Acoustic measurements were made simultaneously both inside the participants' bedrooms and outside (at the exterior frontage) in order to estimate aircraft noise levels. Energy indicators related to the sound energetic average for a given period of time, as well as indicators related to noise events (such as the number of events that exceed a given threshold for example) were estimated. Logistic and linear regression models were used, taking into account potential confounders: age; gender; marital status; education; and body mass index (BMI). Results: Energy indicators, and more particularly indicators related to noise events, were significantly associated with objective parameters of sleep quality. Increased levels of aircraft noise and increased numbers of aircraft noise events increased the time required for sleep onset (SOL) and the total wake time after sleep onset (WASO), and decreased sleep efficiency (SE). An association was also observed between aircraft noise exposure and an increase in total sleep time (TST) and time in bed (TB). Conclusion: The findings of the present study contribute to the overall evidence suggesting that nocturnal aircraft noise exposure may decrease objective quality of sleep. Aircraft noise exposure affects objective parameters of sleep quality, not only in terms of noise levels but also in terms of number of events. Mechanisms for adapting to sleep deprivation could be observed.