Chronic traffic noise exposes kinks in India’s urban regulations

2026-03-05 - 01:53

Auditory stress doesn’t stay at the ear. Chronic noise activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, a hormone-signalling system that coordinates the body’s response to stress and helps regulate energy use, immunity, mood, and sleep-wake timing; it also elevates cortisol, blood pressure, and cardiovascular strain