Half of Hungarians experience noise-related symptoms, according to a new Ipsos survey

An island of calm – or not?

Most of us would flee to a cave – or at least to the peace of our home – from the thousands of sources of stress that come our way every day. According to environmental psychology, this is no coincidence: humans have evolved to seek out protected, quiet places where the amount of external stimuli is reduced and the nervous system can truly regenerate. For many, home is not only a living space, but also a place to retreat from the noise of the world, a kind of “mental refuge” – especially if at least there we are greeted by silence.

According to the results of a recent Wavin survey1, however, the vast majority of Hungarians are hindered in their regeneration by disturbing noise: most of them – more than half of the respondents – “climb to the ceiling” from their neighbors, this is especially true for those living in panel or apartment buildings, where this proportion reaches 70 percent. Road traffic disturbs every third Hungarian, followed by the loudness of roommates and colleagues. Half of the respondents are specifically disturbed by noise originating from the operation of buildings: household appliances, cooling and heating, and water flowing in pipelines.

Chronic stress and constant alertness

Research shows that prolonged, uncontrollable noise exposure acts as a chronic stress factor: it activates the autonomic nervous system, increases the level of stress hormones, and can inhibit regeneration processes in the long term. The human brain is particularly sensitive to monotonous, uncontrollable sounds – such as mechanical noises or the hum of pipes – which can keep the body in a constant state of alert³. Research by Wavin, a supplier of sustainable, healthy building engineering solutions, also revealed that half of Hungarians experience symptoms caused by noise pollution at home: 27 percent of respondents complained of sleep disturbances, stress, and restlessness, 13 percent of them complained of exhaustion, and 6 percent of them complained of headaches.

It’s hard to “replace” your neighbor – but not everything is lost!

The most disturbing noise sources are not always easy to eliminate – it’s hard to “replace” or “raise” your neighbor, for example. However, according to respondents, much can be improved with technical solutions: according to the research, almost half of those surveyed would reduce noise with quieter household appliances, 40 percent would change the heating and cooling system, while about 30 percent would reduce the water dripping from pipe systems. Building engineering solutions such as surface cooling and heating systems, which operate much quieter than traditional air conditioning systems, or noise-attenuated drainage systems can help in this – thus creating a calmer home environment that is more suitable for regeneration.

Silence as a trend

According to a recent survey, 39 percent of Hungarians are willing to invest in making their homes quieter, while 32 percent do not believe that noise can be effectively reduced. Only 29 percent of respondents are not bothered by environmental noise.

According to Géza Rimanóczy, CEO of Wavin Hungary, designers are now consciously choosing quieter solutions, and in addition to the sound effects of water blocks, builders are increasingly expecting the noise of water flowing down the roof to be reduced. These aspects now significantly influence households’ investment decisions: peace at home is not just a matter of convenience, but a part of everyday well-being that powerfully shapes market trends.