Adam Eason wrote on an interesting posting on his blog a couple of days ago about noise and how it can affect your health. The thing that I find most fascinating is the fact that some people adapt to different levels and types of noise quite easily whereas other people don’t.
Adam himself describes how he moved to a noisy environment as a student and that the noise became a comfort and reassuring after a while of adaption. Since then he has moved to considerably quieter areas and adapted again.
I know though that he has met many clients who are totally freaking out about the situation they are in with noise.
I am wondering how much this variation in adapting is to do with the environment you are brought up in.
My own family background certainly taught me how to ignore any noise and pandemonium going on around me. I had two brothers and two sisters – all into music and lively activities. Whenever I was wanting to be the swot and do my homework it was usually in a tremendously boisterous atmosphere. I didn’t know it then but I appreciate now that I was basically putting myself into a focused trance.
I still to this day love music playing at a considerable number of decibels when I am concentrating – my music is playing now as I write. I am only playing at the volume that it is currently at because Babs isn’t home. She can’t bear to hear the radio at the level I play it. I have to listen to Motorhead, The Stones, The Who, Foo Fighters or whoever at ridiculously tinny low levels when driving with the love of my life. How can Babs claim she loves these groups if the floor isn’t vibrating????
Babs upbringing was very different from mine – altogether more sedate and tranquil. She finds it very hard to adapt to any environment that is noisy.
I realise that I am lumping together music – which has construct and rhythm – and other noise which can be much more relentless or random.
In fact considering this point – there is music that I would not be happy to be playing as background music loud or soft – simply because I hate it. Modern jazz I can’t abide and I could never see me accepting that in the background if I was studying. That has made me ponder – I would actually prefer a hammer drill outside the window than listen to modern jazz.
When I was nursing on night duty I was able to sleep during the day despite any noise going on outside. I remember scaffolders working next door and not disturbing me at all. My wife on the other hand (also on nights at the time) was just totally distraught by the disturbance and hardly slept at all for several weeks.
Cream have just come on playing “Crossroads” – bang those drums Ginge !
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