Nearly eight in ten Brits are suffering from unwanted noise in their homes, with close to a third saying it is affecting their sleep.

New research reveals that 31% of the UK population have had their sleep affected by unwanted external noise, with three in ten (30%) reporting that it stops them opening doors and windows, and a quarter (25%) saying it stops them relaxing. 

And the data from leading sustainable insulation company Rockwool showed a third (33%) have noticed more noise since Covid-19 lockdowns began last year.

"Noise is a major nuisance, but worse than that it can also seriously affect people’s health and wellbeing,” said Gloria Elliott, chief executive of the Noise Abatement Society.

“This data shows that noise is a serious problem, impacting on our quality of life and the enjoyment of our homes. 

“In the discussion about how we build back better after the pandemic, noise mustn’t be forgotten.  We want to see good acoustic design embedded in residential development so homes are built to enhance the lives of people that live there.” 

Indeed, figures suggest the pandemic has led to a massive 29% increase in noise complaints to local authorities across the country. 

The biggest rises came in Birmingham, followed by the London boroughs of Richmond upon Thames and Bexley, which recorded increases of 156%, 99% and 76% respectively when compared with the previous year. 

The World Health Organisation has previously found that at least one million healthy life years are lost every year in Western Europe as a result of exposure to environmental noise, making it the second largest environmental cause of ill health, after air pollution.  

Studies have shown that exposure to unwanted noise can contribute to sleep disturbance, hypertension, and an increased risk of diabetes, dementia, stroke and heart disease.  

“The pandemic has led to more people working, studying, and spending time in their own homes,” said Rockwool’s Managing Director Darryl Matthews. 

“With this they’ve become more aware of unwanted noise and our results show it’s having a detrimental effect on their ability to relax, unwind, or even sleep.

“This is a massive issue currently flying under the radar. With more people now likely to work from home after the pandemic and increasing populations in our towns and cities, noise has the potential to be a critical issue and have a negative impact on people’s physical and mental health.”