Every day there are people who face long traffic lines to get to work and/or go home. Routine affects not only stress levels – who has never been angry on the road? – as well as the brain, as neurologists indicate.
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04/08/2026
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A hearing loss is associated with changes in brain health. Even when it is a slight loss, there is an increased risk of brain volume reduction and dementia, as highlighted in an EatingWell article.
Although exposure to too high sounds that some professions imply, the truth is that everyday noises, such as traffic, can also affect hearing and expose the brain to chronic stress.
How the traffic noise may be aging the brain
1. Increases stress levels
Living or working in an area with intense traffic may expose your body to a constant source of stress.
“Persistent noise increases stress hormones, such as cortisol, promotes inflammation and can contribute to chronic microglia activation,” says doctor David Perlmutter.
Although noises of high intensity, such as an airplane taking off the or horn of a car, can directly trigger the response to stress, even lower sound levels can generate stress indirectly in the body.
In time, this can make it difficult for the brain to enter a restorative state. “When these cells remain in a prolonged inflammatory state, they become less effective in protecting and repairing the brain, thus increasing vulnerability to neurodegenerative diseases.”.
2. It can cause hearing loss over time
While excessively loud noises can cause hearing damage, repeated exposure to moderately high noises, including transit, can also damage ear cells.
It was found that people who often heard traffic noise had more hearing damage than those exposed to lower levels.
Recent studies relate this hearing loss to an early decline in memory and cognitive abilities. This acceleration of brain aging is due to the increased effort to which the brain is subjected by trying to interpret the sound stimuli around it.
Harms Sleep
Sleeping enough and quality is essential to the health of the brain. If you live near areas with intense traffic, you may not even realize how this noise disturbs your sleep.
“ This is worrying, because it is during deep sleep that the brain eliminates metabolic residues through the lymphatic system (the pathway of elimination of residues in the brain), consolidates the memories and restarts the immune function ", notes Perlmutter.
“chronic sleep deprivation has been associated with worse cognitive performance and a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.”.
It is associated with poor cardiovascular health
In addition to the impact it may have on brain health, noise indirectly affects the cardiovascular system, which is responsible for providing oxygen and nutrients to the brain and helping to remove waste.
“ Prolonged exposure to traffic noise has been associated with increased blood pressure, insulin resistance and vascular dysfunction,” Perlmutter said.
These effects are related to increased markers of oxidative stress that influence blood vessel function and inflammation in the body.
“ As the brain depends on healthy blood vessels and an efficient energy metabolism, these subsequent effects can further increase the risk of cognitive decline”, complete.
Ways to protect your brain
Sometimes, depending on the area in which you live, escaping the noise can be impossible. So there are several tips you can follow to protect your brain.
– use ear protection;
– Hear white noise;
– Spend time in green spaces;
– maintain social ties;
– adopt a nutrient-rich diet;
– practicing physical activity regularly;
– Prioritize a sleep routine.