Noisy neighbours double your risk of mental illness

If your noisy neighbours have ever left you feeling at the end of your tether, then you’re not alone.

for a study has found that living next to loud neighbours more than doubles your risk of mental illness and almost trebles the chances of suffering severe stress.

Experts found rates of depression were twice as high among homeowners constantly bombarded by a racket from nearby premises.

The findings come after the high-profile feud between rock legend Jimmy Page and pop icon neighbour Robbie Williams over Williams’ plans to build a swimming pool in the basement of his London mansion.

Page fears the vibrations caused by noisy excavations could irreversibly damage the Victorian interior of his own house on the street in Kensington. The research suggests similar disputes could be triggering serious mental health problems for thousands of people.

The University of Southern Denmark, in Copenhagen, spent three years studying more than 7,000 residents, most of whom lived in high-rise flats, quizzing them on noise levels and their mental health status.

Those who said they had noisy neighbours were nearly twoand-a-half times more likely to have depression and anxiety and almost three times as likely to score high stress levels.

Late night parties and loud music were cited as the most common bugbears.

But noise from building works was also a major catalyst.

The poll also found 40 per cent had suffered stress as a result of noise disputes and one in ten rows ended in violence. In a report on the findings, published in the European Journal of Public Health, researchers said: ‘Noise exposure is a wellknown risk factor for multiple adverse health effects.

‘There is a strong relationship between noise annoyance and poor mental health and high levels of perceived stress.’

A 2016 study revealed twothirds of UK homeowners felt their lives were being blighted by neighbours. And other studies have suggested noisy neighbours can even increase the risk of heart disease.

Cary Cooper, a professor of psychology at Manchester Business School, said ‘bottling up’ tension over neighbours could be triggering anxiety and depression. ‘The best way to deal with it is to try to take control by voicing your displeasure to your neighbours,’ he said.