Planes, trains and automobiles: Traffic noise disturbs sleep, affects morning performance

Mean reaction time on a morning psychomotor vigilance task slowed significantly by 3.6 ms after exposure to recorded traffic noise during sleep, and slowed reactions were directly and significantly related to increases in both the frequency and sound-pressure level of the nightly noise events. The sound of passing trains caused the highest awakening and arousal probabilities followed by automobile traffic and airplane noise; however, each mode of noise caused a similar level of impairment.

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