Sleep app tracks link between air pollution and a bad night's sleep
Has your partner ever woken you up at night with their coughing? Has your coughing ever woken them up? New research suggests it could be due to air pollution levels in your area, even if those levels are low.
A new study links higher air pollution levels to increased nighttime coughing, even when pollution is below WHO safety limits. Cambridge University researchers analyzed cough sounds from Sleep Cycle app users in 32 cities across 12 countries over 18 months. They found that for every 10 micrograms of particulate matter per cubic meter increase in pollution, coughing rose by 2.4%.
This association remained even when accounting for factors like weather and influenza. Lead author Dr. Tong Xia notes that the link persisted below WHO limits, suggesting there may be no safe exposure threshold. The study, published in Communications Health, highlights air pollution's significant impact on human health, linked to 7 million premature deaths annually.
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