Hearing loss caused by occupational or recreational noise exposure is highly prevalent and constitutes a public health threat needing preventive and therapeutic strategies. In this Review, we emphasise that non-auditory
health effects of environmental noise are manifold, serious and, because of the widespread exposure, very prevalent. These factors stress the need to regulate and reduce environmental noise exposure (ideally at the source) and to enforce exposure limits to mitigate negative health consequences of chronic exposure to environmental noise. Educational campaigns for children and adults can promote both noise-avoiding and noise-reducing behaviours, and thus, mitigate negative health consequences. Efforts to reduce noise exposure will
eventually be rewarded by lower amounts of annoyance,improved learning environments for children, improved sleep, lower prevalence of cardiovascular disease, and, in the case of noise exposure in hospitals, improved patient
outcomes and shorter hospital stays.