“Unnecessary noise is the most cruel absence of care that can be inflicted on sick or well.” ~ Florence Nightingale
In this day and age, we’d be hard-pressed to find a few moments without the cacophony of modern life swirling around us. With 24/7 access to television, streaming video, radio and all sorts of digital music, we might not give a second thought to the constant audio bombardment. Nor do we typically notice the day-to-day chatter from our coworkers, friends and families. Then there’s the constant buzz of lawnmowers, highways, trains, planes and automobiles. But science is finding that “noise pollution” may very well dumb us down, compromise health and dramatically increase stress and the accompanying hormones — unfortunately, this last bit can lead to weight-gain and heart disease. Even low levels of noise can trigger a cascade of undesirable effects. It’s enough to drive one mad — literally.