John Stewart was living in south London six years ago when two things happened that seriously affected his health. "First the flight paths were changed so planes passed over my flat every 90 seconds. Then a nearby laundry centralised all its activities into one site, so the noise of the machines permeated the whole block. They were going all day and during the night," he says.
"I had to have the radio and TV on, even if I didn't want to, just so I didn't have to hear the outside noise. My sleep became interrupted and I ended up getting heart palpitations. My doctor said my blood pressure was too high, he was very worried about my heart, and I needed to take some serious action to reduce the stress before it killed me." After Stewart moved house, he slowly got better.
There is growing evidence that noise-related stress is a significant public health hazard. According to a report from the World Health Organisation, unwanted noise is causing hearing impairment including tinnitus, disturbing our sleep and triggering stress hormones which could in turn affect the immune system and metabolism.
It also makes us feel helpless and more aggressive and increases the chances of having a heart attack or stroke, accounting for an estimated 3% of ischeamic heart disease (the most common cause of death in the EU) in Europe. "There is increasing evidence that air and road traffic noise might be related to high blood pressure," says Stephen Stansfeld, professor of psychiatry at Barts and the London School of Medicine. "Exposure in school to aircraft noise is also linked to reading impairment in children."
Another study, by Cornell University in New York, found that workers in an open-plan office with constant exposure to hubbub from machinery, telephones and office chatter had higher levels of adrenaline in their urine than workers in a quiet, self-contained work station. The open-plan group were also less effective at puzzle solving than the quiet group, who slept better, had better digestion, and were less irritable.
"When people get annoyed by noise they get stressed," says Stewart, who went on to set up the National Noise Association pressure group. "Constant exposure to even moderate levels of noise can be harmful. One Austrian study showed that children living on a main road had shorter concentration spans than those who didn't."
Small wonder then that noise is slowly inching up the political agenda. Last year, EU law required all European cities with populations of more than 250,000 to produce digitised noise maps. "People think that we should 'live and let live' and only old people complain about noise," says Richard Tur, one of a growing number of anti-noise activists and founder of the US organisation NoiseOFF. "But we need to change our perception of what noise actually is - unwanted sound which can be physically harmful."
The big offenders, says Stewart, are loud music, aircraft and traffic, and the problem seems to be getting worse. One report from Sheffield Hallam University showed that some parts of Sheffield were up to 10 times noisier than 10 years previously while the UK Office of National Statistics suggests that noise complaints have increased fivefold in the past 20 years.
Short of joining the half a million people who moved home in 2006 to escape a distressing din, here's our guide to surviving noisy Britain.
Not feeling in control of a situation significantly increases stress. Stansfeld says it is important to take action such as complaining about the noise.
Change your perception
A study funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs found that CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) and hypnotherapy helped reduce stress in those disturbed by low-frequency noise such as the low rumble of distant traffic, or the hum from an electric generator. "CBT is partly about enabling people to control the thing that is bugging them, rather than it controlling them," says noise and vibration consultant Dr Geoff Leventhall, who conducted the study. "Try the following exercise: Visualise the noise as a big black ball. Move it around, nearer, further away, or change its colour and size if you want, and explode it. The point is to take control of whatever is worrying you."
Trying to change your perception of the situation is particularly helpful if the culprit is moderate noise which doesn't distress others (20-30% of the UK population are thought to be particularly noise-sensitive). "The meaning of noise is very important," says Stansfeld. "If you are lonely then hearing other people's parties can be upsetting. Airbases that emphasise their positive benefits to the local community are more warmly received than those that don't." To take part in the second stage of the study, go to copingwithnoise.org.
Focus on 'flow' activities
Doing things that are so enjoyable and absorbing that we lose sense of time may also distract from moderate noise. "A difficult crossword, perhaps, a favourite hobby, or reading or watching something gripping," suggests Stewart.
Learn relaxation techniques
"Anything that relaxes you will also help," says Leventhall, who recommends this meditative technique: "Sit in a comfortable chair and repeat 'peace' or 'one', for example, with each exhalation, for 10 or 20 minutes every day. The body responds with a dramatic decrease in heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure (if elevated to begin with), and metabolic rate - the exact opposite of the fight-or-flight response."
Block it out
"For noisy streets, try thermal double glazing", says John Hinton, president of the Institute of Acoustics, or try secondary glazing, adding an extra window pane four inches or so inside the existing double-glazed window. "Reduce aircraft noise by increasing the sound insulation of the loft, and put up fencing to reduce traffic noise."
And noisy neighbours? "Increase the mass of the dividing wall or the floor by adding another layer of plasterboard," says Hinton. Push for "low-noise road surfaces" from local authorities and fit 'low-noise tyres" to cars. Soft foam earplugs marginally reduce noise (the equivalent of standing in the next room) and office din can be neutralised with noise-maskers such as ChatterBlocker software (chatterblocker.com). Or if your computer is the culprit, try quietpc.com. Other noise-busting tips can be found at noiseoff.org.
Not all noise-related health risks come from other people. DIY, concerts, clubs and listening to iPods are common causes of ear damage such as tinnitus, says David Baguley, director of audiology at Cambridge University Hospitals.
Party animals should protect their ears by not mixing music with intoxication ("smoking and drinking both affect the protective mechanism of the inner ear," says Baguley), wearing Etymotic earplugs at gigs ("they reduce sound but keep music exciting") and taking 10 minutes out of every hour exposed to loud music. "Ditch the earphones that come with iPods," he adds, "and invest in noise-cancelling headphones." These muffle unwanted noise so you can enjoy music at lower volumes. Finally, for noisy DIY, use ear-defenders (acoustic ear muffs).
Spend time in quiet places
Finally, buck the trend of the 22% of all Londoners who, according to one poll, had not experienced silence in over six months. "There is evidence to show that finding peace and quiet can help people physically, emotionally and mentally," says Stewart.