Hospital noise levels growing worse, say researchers
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Noise levels in hospitals are getting worse, research suggests.

Anyone who has ever stayed overnight in a hospital will know how difficult it can be to sleep, surrounded by staff, machinery, trolleys and telephones.

In the UK, 40% of hospital patients are bothered by noise at night, according to in-patient surveys.

But it's not only the patients' wellbeing that may be affected - high noise levels can also have an impact on staff performance and burnout rates.

Researchers from King's College London say noise levels in intensive care - where the most vulnerable patients are looked after - regularly exceed 100 decibels.

That's the equivalent of loud music being played through headphones.

And it's not just the frustration of being unable to hear each other speak or the fatigue and irritation sparked by poor sleep that are causing concern.

At that level, noise pollution has been implicated in the development of a condition known as intensive care psychosis - a form of delirium where patients experience anxiety, become paranoid, hear voices and see things that are not there.