Common Stressful Sounds in Daily Life

The human ear is sensitive, and, unlike the eye, it can never close or turn off. A number of sounds exist in daily society that can cause anxiety and stress. Stress can be caused by a number of sound factors, including approaching vehicles, alarms, machines, and the sounds of other people yelling or fighting.

Sirens and Alarms

Sounds which indicate an emergency situation can cause stress. You may experience a stressful response to alarms in anticipation of a high-stress situation like a fire or break-in. Sounds such as sirens, alarms, doorbells, smoke alarms and even an alarm clock can cause stress. If you have ever been pulled over by a police officer, for instance, you may have had a stressful response to police sirens for a while after you received the ticket.

Screaming

Screaming, yelling, and cursing can trigger a stressful response. With respect to children, some of the stress response acts in favor of humanity's survival. Parents who were attentive to the sounds of their children were more likely to keep them safe from predators. Screaming can also be stressful because it can indicate that someone is being hurt. When someone screams or yells, it often means that they are angry, so a common response to yelling is to prepare to defend yourself in case of attack.

Breaking Glass

Breaking glass is almost never a pleasant situation. At best, you have a spiny, difficult to see mess to clean up, and at worst, someone may be hurt or cut by the glass. Breaking glass can also mean that an expensive or irreplaceable possession has been smashed.
The sound of breaking glass can have a startling effect, which can cause stress. The breaking glass sound may cause extended stress for the person who owned the item, or for the person who has to clean up the mess.

Household Appliances

The sound of household appliances can cause stress. The loud sound of the vacuum does not only freak out your cat; it can also stress you out, though to a much less obvious degree. Many sounds of various frequencies come rushing out of the vacuum all at once, and the din created by the cacophony of sound can create a feeling of anxiety or stress.
Gardening appliances, such as lawnmowers or leaf blowers, can also cause stress, especially if they disrupt your sleep early in the morning. The loud sound of leafblowers and lawnmowers can wake you up, and it is difficult to go back to sleep until the sound stops.

Vehicles Passing

The sound of vehicles passing can create a feeling of stress. The sound of vehicles is associated with driving, which is a stressful time. A passing vehicle can also indicate that someone is coming to visit, so if you anticipate the arrival of a guest at your home, the sound of a vehicle approaching can amplify the anxiety of the impending visit. The sound of vehicles passing is difficult to get away from, and if you are on a busy street, it can be difficult to escape vehicle sounds for long enough to get sound sleep.