An experimental investigation on the impact of wind turbine noise on polysomnography-measured and sleep diary-determined sleep outcomes

Tessa Liebich; Leon Lack; Kristy Hansen; Branko Zajamsek; Gorica Micic; Bastien Lechat; Claire Dunbar; Duc Phuc Nguyen; Hannah Scott; Peter Catcheside

doi:10.1093/sleep/zsac085

An experimental investigation on the impact of wind turbine noise on polysomnography-measured and sleep diary-determined sleep outcomes

Sleep. 2022 Aug 11;45(8):zsac085. doi: 10.1093/sleep/zsac085.

Authors

Tessa Liebich^{1

2}, Leon Lack², Kristy Hansen³, Branko Zajamsek², Gorica Micic², Bastien Lechat², Claire Dunbar^{1

2}, Duc Phuc Nguyen³, Hannah Scott², Peter Catcheside²

Affiliations

¹ College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia.
² Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute for Sleep, Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia.
³ College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia.

PMID: 35421223
DOI: 10.1093/sleep/zsac085

Abstract

Study objectives: Carefully controlled studies of wind turbine noise (WTN) and sleep are lacking, despite anecdotal complaints from some residents in wind farm areas and known detrimental effects of other noises on sleep. This laboratory-based study investigated the impact of overnight WTN exposure on objective and self-reported sleep outcomes.

Methods: Sixty-eight participants (38 females) aged (mean ± SD) 49.2 ± 19.5 were recruited from four groups; N = 14, living <10 km from a wind farm and reporting WTN related sleep disruption; N = 18, living <10 km from a wind farm and reporting no WTN sleep disruption; N = 18, reporting road traffic noise-related sleep disruption; and N = 18 control participants living in a quiet rural area. All participants underwent in-laboratory polysomnography during four full-night noise exposure conditions in random order: a quiet control night (19 dB(A) background laboratory noise), continuous WTN (25 dB(A)) throughout the night; WTN (25 dB(A)) only during periods of established sleep; and WTN (25 dB(A)) only during periods of wake or light N1 sleep. Group, noise condition, and interaction effects on measures of sleep quantity and quality were examined via linear mixed model analyses.

Results: There were no significant noise condition or group-by-noise condition interaction effects on polysomnographic or sleep diary determined sleep outcomes (all ps > .05).

Conclusions: These results do not support that WTN at 25 dB(A) impacts sleep outcomes in participants with or without prior WTN exposure or self-reported habitual noise-related sleep disruption. These findings do not rule out effects at higher noise exposure levels or potential effects of WTN on more sensitive markers of sleep disruption.

Clinical trial registration: ACTRN12619000501145, UTN U1111-1229-6126. Establishing the physiological and sleep disruption characteristics of noise disturbances in sleep. https://www.anzctr.org.au/. This study was prospectively registered on the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry.

Keywords: environmental noise; sleep disruption; sleep disturbance; sleep quality; wind farm; wind turbine.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Australia
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Noise* / adverse effects
Polysomnography
Self Report
Sleep*

Associated data

ANZCTR/ACTRN12619000501145