Acoustics, sound, noise. All impact our lives every day. Yet it is not a subject that is often discussed.
Until now. Welcome to “A sound effect on people” a podcast series that explores how we are affected by sound and how poor acoustics can be harmful to your wellbeing.
We all know that certain sounds can change the way we feel, but can we improve our lives simply by improving the acoustics of the rooms we are in?
Our hearing is the one sense we can’t turn off, yet in evolutionary terms it is tuned for outdoor environments. But with many of us now spending up to 90% of our time indoors, we struggle when excessive noise and reverberant echo trigger our ancient fight or flight response. The physiological response to constant loud noise causes fatigue, stress and elevated heart rates, quite the opposite of what is needed for successful healing or productive work.
And if we cannot communicate effectively in schools, teaching will be ineffective and children’s attainment may suffer. In the office we know that some people like to work in quiet, while some feed off the buzz, so we should also explore the effect of personality on the way our bodies and minds respond to the noise that surrounds us.
Ecophon are building a series of podcasts to follow discussing acoustics in healthcare, education and office environments; as well as broader topics including biophilia, physiological and psychological factors in office design, silence, creativity and the use of technology. A new podcast is released every month, and available via iTunes, Soundcloud or wherever you prefer to listen. Alternatively they can be listened to at www.ecophon.com/uk/podcast.