An observational study in Noise Exposure, sponsored by University of Pennsylvania. Active, not recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 21 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-07-23.
Sponsored by University of Pennsylvania · Observational
This observational study will examine the relationship between aircraft noise exposure in the bedroom and objectively assessed sleep disturbance. Surveys will be mailed to randomly selected households around selected airports to recruit individuals for a 5 night in-home sleep study. Eligible survey respondents interested in participating in the sleep study will record nighttime indoor sounds using a portable audio recorder and wear a small device that collects heart rate and movement data for 5 consecutive nights. They will also complete brief morning questionnaires about their previous night's sleep and their sleep quality and a participant characteristics questionnaire. Collected data will be used to create an exposure-response model between aircraft noise exposure and sleep disturbance.
Individuals who complete the recruitment survey, indicate their interest in participating in the study, and meet the eligibility criteria, will be enrolled in the 5-night in-home sleep study to collect noise and physiological (heart rate, body movements) measurements, and answer questionnaires about experiences during the previous night and a characteristics questionnaire that collects additional information relevant for sleep. After confirmation of eligibility and informed consent, subjects will be sent equipment by mail to measure body movements and ECG signals as well as sounds in the bedroom. Awakenings will be inferred from ECG and movement data using a previously validated algorithm, and analyzed relative to measured noise levels in the bedroom. The study nights will take place during the week, Monday night/Tuesday morning through Friday night/Saturday morning. Upon completion of the 5 nights, the questionnaires and equipment will be returned to the study team by mail. Survey mailing distribution, subject recruitment, and data collection for the in-home sleep study is expected to last 2 years, but may last up to 3 years.
The study population is adult residents of U.S. households who are exposed to relevant levels of nighttime air traffic (both in terms of number and sound pressure level of events) in communities in proximity to 77 airports that met the eligibility criteria for this study. Only areas with expected aircraft noise exposure levels of ≥40 decibels (dB) Lnight (average aircraft noise level during the nighttime period) outside were considered for the sample frame. To maximize the likelihood that there will be a range of indoor noise levels in the sample frame, the investigators will use probability sampling stratified on outdoor aircraft noise contour levels. For each of the selected 77 airports, noise exposure contour strata, were determined using the FAA's Aviation Environmental Design Tool and 2018 traffic data. These noise contours are based on Lnight and include the 40, 45, 50, and 55 dB contour to allow for stratified sampling from the following areas: 40\<45, 45\<50, 50\<55, ≥55 dB. From each noise stratum, 100 subjects will be recruited into the in-home field study. Mailing addresses for the recruitment survey will be selected randomly from all households across the 77 airports within each of the 4 noise strata.
The primary study outcome is aircraft noise-induced awakening probability depending on the maximum sound pressure level of single aircraft events. Analyses will be weighted to better reflect the sampling universe, but unweighted analyses will also be performed. Secondary outcomes include, but are not limited to, self-reported sleep disturbance depending on noise metrics referring to longer time periods (i.e., last night or past year).
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The study population is adult residents of U.S. households who are exposed to relevant levels of nighttime air traffic (both in terms of number and sound pressure level of events) in communities in proximity to an airport meeting the eligibility criteria for this study.
Exclusion Criteria:
Survey respondents interested in participating in the in-home sleep study are ineligible to participate if they:
Noise-induced awakening
The probability of awakening (assessed with heart rate and body movements) depending on the maximum sound pressure level of an aircraft overflight (LAS,max measured inside the bedroom) during an aircraft noise event.
Time frame: First 45 seconds of each aircraft noise event
Percent highly sleep disturbed
The recruitment survey contains a question: "Thinking about the last year or so, when you are here at home, how much does noise from aircraft disturb your sleep?" Subjects choosing "very" or "extremely" on the 5-point answer scale will be considered highly sleep disturbed. The investigators will investigate how long-term aircraft noise exposure metrics are associated with being highly sleep disturbed.
Time frame: 1 year
Plan to share: Undecided — Together with the sponsor, the study team is in the process of defining which data will be made available to the public after the end of the study in accordance with the Federal Records Retention Schedule.
This study is active, not recruiting, as verified in Jul 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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University of Pennsylvania