Living near busy roads or spending Long hours in traffic raises blood pressure, says new research

Plying highways riddled with heavy traffic has become normal part of city life. Shuttling to and from work everyday makes you spend significant part of your day in traffic. New research is showing that the hassles and headaches of traffic lock down is likely to be the least of your worries, as it actually increases your risk of high blood pressure and heightens the odds of you developing a heart attack or stroke. Heavy traffic raises blood pressure.
The risk of hypertension is significantly increased by spending long time in or living near busy roads, researchers have found.

Traffic fumes and noise both increase chances of what doctors call hypertension – which in turn raises the risk of a heart attack or stroke.



The largest ever study into the impact of air and noise pollution found those in the most polluted areas were more than a fifth more likely to get high blood pressure.

Researchers in five countries tracked 41,000 people for nine years, finding that the extra risk of daily exposure to pollution for a healthy slim person was equivalent to being overweight.



The study, conducted in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany and Spain, involved people who did not have high blood pressure when they joined the programme.
After nine years those exposed to the highest air pollution were 22 % more likely to have developed high blood pressure than those who lived in the areas of lowest air pollution.
And those in the noisiest streets – with an average night-time noise of 50 decibels – were 6 per cent more likely to develop the condition than those in the quietest, which were 40 decibels at night.

Lead author Professor Barbara Hoffmann, of Heinrich Heine University in Dusseldorf, Germany, said: ‘These results have important public health consequences and call for more stringent air-quality regulations.’



This makes it safe to assume that the snarls of traffic raised blood pressure and constitute major health hazards.



With such findings as this, it’s not far fetched to assume that the serene breezy life of the country side is one of the sure ways to enjoy hassle free life and good health. While the reality of highways riddled with traffic has come to stay with us, it is imperative to ensure you get ample time to take a break off the bustles of this conundrum.


Source: JollyWellness.com https:///iEO701