Spatial variations in sleep disturbance indicators associated with night-time noise: a detailed study at population level

Gabriel Kathari, ∙ Philippe Voruz, ∙ Hélène Baysson,∙ Stephanie Schrempft, ∙ Silvia Stringhini,∙ Idris Guessous, ∙ Mayssam Nehme, Stéphane Joost
Spatial variations of sleep impairment indicators associated with night-time noise: A fine-scale population-based study, Sleep Health, 2026, January 2026, PMID: 4161755, DOI: 10.1016/j.sleh.2025.11.008

Abstract

This study, based on data from the SPECCHIO cohort, explores how sleep quality varies in the canton of Geneva as a function of the residential environment, and in particular exposure to night-time noise. Thanks to the regular monitoring offered by SPECCHIO, which makes it possible to gather detailed information on the health and living conditions of a large sample of the population, the researchers were able to analyse not only the overall sleep score, but also each of the indicators that make up the index (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]), such as subjective perception of sleep, sleep onset latency, duration, efficiency, nocturnal disturbances, use of medication and daytime fatigue.

The results show that these different sleep quality indicators are not distributed randomly or homogeneously across Geneva. On the contrary, coherent geographical groupings emerge: some areas, notably the city centre and the area around the train station, have systematically poorer values, while other sectors have better sleep profiles. These spatial patterns persisted even after the individual characteristics available in SPECCHIO had been taken into account, indicating that the urban environment makes a specific contribution to sleep quality.

The study also used night-time noise levels measured objectively using geo-referenced acoustic data. While certain dimensions of sleep, such as sleep onset latency and sleep efficiency, are linked to these measurements, objective noise alone does not explain areas of poor sleep quality. Perception of noise, i.e. the annoyance reported by participants, is often a stronger indicator than actual environmental measurements. Two people exposed to the same noise can have very different sleep experiences depending on their sensitivity, psychological state or housing context. This distinction underlines the complementary nature of environmental measurements and self-reported data made possible by SPECCHIO.

By bringing together individual, environmental and geographical data, SPECCHIO offers a unique framework for identifying these complex dynamics and understanding why certain neighbourhoods present a higher risk of sleep disturbance. The study shows that sleep quality is the result of a combination of objective factors, individual perceptions and contextual characteristics specific to residential areas.

Precise identification of clusters of poor sleep quality paves the way for precision interventions: it becomes possible to target specific areas of the canton, adapt noise reduction measures, improve night-time planning or provide priority support for residents living in the most sensitive areas. By showing that sleep quality is neither uniformly distributed nor explained by a single environmental factor, this analysis from SPECCHIO provides a solid basis for developing public health actions that are better adapted to local realities and to the specific needs of the populations concerned.

Link to the article in English

This text was automatically translated from French using artificial intelligence