Noise Nuisances

We get it. There are some noises that just push us too far.

Whether it's noisy chewing at the dinner table, the rustle and munch of popcorn while you're trying to binge-watch your favourite TV show, or banging and shouting from the next-door neighbours while your baby tries to get some shut-eye. Sometimes all we want is some soundless peace and tranquillity.

No matter the source or type of noise, the overwhelming racket is making life miserable for many of us across the UK.

That doesn't sound good: reactions to the racket

Noise pollution is defined by the European Environment Agency as "unwanted or disturbing sound in the environment that can negatively affect the health and well-being of humans and other organisms".

Our survey reveals that over a quarter of Brits (26%) said they suffer with stress and/or anxiety due to the noise levels of where they live, with 83% believing that noise levels can also have a negative impact on physical health. 73% said their mood has been negatively impacted by excessive noise.

Noise pollution: an environmental earache

According to the Chartered Institute for Environmental Health (CIEH), noise is the single largest issue of complaint made to local authorities in the UK, and over 80% of people report being exposed to noise pollution in their homes. In the CIEH's most recent study, a total of 356,367 noise complaints were recorded by 144 local authorities in England: that's an average of 149 complaints for every 10,000 people.

Surrounded by sound

At home, 4 in 10 Brits said they would be willing to pay to have noise pollution removed. 65% said noise levels affect their choice of home location and over 1 in 10 (13%) said they have moved to a completely new location because of the noise.

At work, 56% find that noise makes them feel more stressed during the workday, and over 6 in 10 say they find office chatter distracting. 78% prefer silence while they concentrate on a work task, and 23% resort to using noise cancelling devices.

Do not disturb

Sleep is the biggest annoyance when it comes to having it interrupted by noise, with 61% raising it as their top peeve. Reading comes in second (39%), while watching TV (33%), films in the cinema (32%), and shows in the theatre (18%) follow immediately behind.

Sounds awful

57% of us find noisy neighbours to be the biggest noise nuisance of all. Snoring comes a close second at 53%. Children screaming comes in third at 52%, while loud chewing (46%) and slurping (38%) also feature. Dogs yapping is too much for 40% of Brits, while house alarms or car alarms bother 48%.

Sounds good

The sounds that make us feel good are very much nature driven. The sound of rainfall tops the list at 54%, just ahead of absolute silence (50%). A crackling fire (45%) and crashing waves (44%) follow, while leaves rustling (32%) and water bubbling (31%) round things out.

Regional rackets: how noise affects us across the UK

Our survey covered the length and breadth of the UK. Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, and most English regions all report noisy neighbours as the top annoyance, with sleep being the activity most ruined by noise. Rainfall is the most relaxing sound in nearly every region, with birdsong winning in Yorkshire and crashing waves in the South West.

Cancel out the noise

No matter where you are and what you do, there are times when you just yearn for peace and quiet. At Electriz, we have a great range of the best noise cancelling headphones on the market today, including super-powerful Apple AirPods and the latest Sony headphones.