Hospital wards² across the NHS are breaking recommended noise limits, disturbing patients' sleep, well-being³ and recovery, experts say.

专家称，英国国民健康保险制度下的某些医院病房打破了推荐的噪音限制，打扰了病人的睡眠、健康和康复。

Busy wards can be as loud as a lawnmower

Two separate studies found the din⁴（喧闹，聒噪不停地说） of chattering⁵ visitors and loud mobile phones pushed noise levels well over recommended limits.

The World Health Organization says patients should not be exposed to noise above 35 decibels⁶（分贝） or a loud whisper.

But the UK researchers frequently recorded levels of 60dB to 90bB.

Researchers at Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, found noise levels on an average general medical ward¹（内科病房） exceeded 60dB most of the time, even at night.

At the Newcastle teaching hospital, nurses recorded levels averaging in the mid-40s and peaking at nearly 100dB - as loud as a lawnmower（割草机）.

Lead author Annette Richardson, a nurse consultant⁷（主任护师） in critical care at Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: "Hospitals can be very noisy places.

"Dropping a stainless⁸ steel bowl creates 108 dBs, which is more than the 100 dBs from a nearby car horn or chainsaw（链锯）."

Ringtones and relatives

But it was mobile phones that were the real bugbear（烦恼的根由）, as well as noisy visitors.

Both research teams looked at whether adopting simple measures could reduce noise levels.

They asked staff to make a number of changes, including wearing soft soled shoes, switching mobile phones on to vibrate rather than ring and turning alarms on to "night mode" from the evening until the morning.

Quiet closing bins⁹ were also deployed¹⁰ and staff were encouraged to restrict visitors to designated times and keep their own noise to a minimum when possible.

These measures in Newcastle reduced peak noise levels by around 20%, bringing them well below the 80dB threshold（极限，门槛） at which hearing can be damaged over time, the Journal of Clinical Nursing reports.

And in Taunton, the time that noise levels breached¹¹ 60dB at night fell from 75% to 59%.

Patients also said they felt more rested and had better quality sleep.

Michael Summers of the Patients Association said: "It is bad enough when you are recovering from an illness in hospital. You at least expect some privacy and quiet.

"If everyone made a concerted effort - that applies to patients and staff - it could reduce noise levels and make wards more peaceful places."

He said ward managers should look at which simple measures could be taken to limit unnecessary noise.

Dr Anna Hutchings led the Taunton research which will soon be presented at a British Thoracic Society meeting.

She said hospitals might think about introducing quiet zones, similar to those found on trains, and putting up posters to remind people to switch their mobiles to quiet settings.

"Mobile phones came up time and again as an issue.

"I don't think we could ask people not to bring them into hospitals, but we could think about how and where they are used."

Data from health regulator the Care Quality Commission show over the past few years nearly 40% of patients have been concerned about noise at night from other patients and around 20% from staff.