Comprehensive Effect of Environmental Noise Exposure on Trouble Sleeping: Mediating Roles of Tinnitus, Hearing Loss and Mental Illnesses

Environmental noise exposure, tinnitus and hearing loss (HL) are hypothesised to influence trouble sleeping, but their integrated effects and mediating pathways remain unclear. This study evaluates associations amongst noise exposure, auditory health and sleep outcomes and explores mediation by tinnitus and HL.

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Audiologists treating patients with noise-related hearing loss or tinnitus should be aware that sleep disturbance may be partially mediated through these conditions, supporting integrated tinnitus and mental health referral pathways.

Clarifying the mediating mechanisms between environmental noise and sleep disturbance positions audiology interventions — particularly tinnitus management — as potential upstream solutions for noise-related insomnia.

1. 01Tinnitus, hearing loss, and mental illness each act as mediators between environmental noise exposure and sleep trouble.
2. 02The study uses mediation analysis to dissect the causal pathways, going beyond simple correlation.
3. 03Environmental noise has both direct and indirect (mediated) effects on sleep quality.
4. 04Mental illness is identified as a significant mediating pathway alongside the auditory mediators.
5. 05Findings underscore the need for multidisciplinary approaches linking audiology, psychiatry, and sleep medicine.

PMID

42684373

DOI

10.4103/nah.nah_212_25.

Journal

Noise and Health

Publication type

research_article

Evidence level

2b

Population

General population adults with environmental noise exposure

Intervention

Environmental noise exposure

Comparator

Lower or no environmental noise exposure