Neurologists Warn This Everyday Noise Could Be Aging Your Brain
Those traffic honks might be doing more than testing your patience.
By
Published on August 1, 2026
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/Neurologists-Warn-This-Everyday-Noise-Could-Be-Aging-Your-Brain-51b4567b2490422793aef32c122140a4.jpg)
Credit:
Design elements: Getty Images. EatingWell design.
- Chronic exposure to environmental noise has been linked to increased risk of cognitive decline.
- A neurologist explains how traffic noise may age your brain.
- Wearing ear protection and spending time outside may help protect your brain.
Hearing loss is associated with changes in brain health, with even slight hearing loss increasing the risk of brain-volume loss and dementia.1 But it’s not just factory workers and rock concert lovers who may be at risk. While short bursts of intensely loud sound can damage hearing, long-term exposure to everyday noise, like traffic, may also affect hearing and expose the brain to chronic stress.
“Whether it comes from busy roads, highways, airports or constant urban activity, chronic exposure to environmental noise has now been linked to accelerated brain aging and an increased risk of cognitive decline,” says David Perlmutter, M.D.2
Keep reading to learn how traffic noise may affect your brain, how to protect it, and strategies to support a healthy brain now and as you age.
The entire article:
https://www.eatingwell.com/this-everyday-noise-could-age-your-brain-12029451