Being exposed to environmental noise at night is associated with an increase in reimbursements for insomnia medication, according to the "Somnibruit" study, conducted jointly with the Sleep-Vigilance-Fatigue Research Unit (VIFASOM) and Paris Cité University. The study was carried out between 2017 and 2019 in Paris and 432 surrounding municipalities, encompassing more than 10 million inhabitants.
The researchers analyzed, in particular, reimbursement data for hypnotic drugs by municipality or district, as well as nighttime noise levels generated by road, rail, air traffic, or even the terraces of bars or restaurants.
Nearly 761% of the population is exposed to road traffic noise levels that exceed the WHO recommendation.
According to the press release issued on October 15, 2025, approximately 510,000 people are affected each year by a reimbursement of medication for chronic sleep disorders and nearly 76% of the population (i.e. approximately 8 million inhabitants within the framework of the study) is exposed to a level of road noise that exceeds the WHO recommendation (45 dB maximum between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM).
"This is the first time in France that a study has highlighted a link between reimbursement for hypnotics and exposure to noise at night.", says Nathalie Beltzer, director of ORS Ile-de-France, quoted in the press release. "If the WHO's guidelines for nighttime noise were followed, nearly 15,000 people could do without medication to combat chronic insomnia."she believes.
Read also“57% of the French are wrong”: noise pollution, a danger little known to the French
"Different types of noise can have a harmful effect."
The study demonstrates that "Different types of noise can have a detrimental effect: those related to transport, but also those related to outdoor nighttime recreational activities.", agrees Olivier Blond, president of Bruitparif, who hopes that these works "will encourage local authorities to change their environmental noise prevention policies."
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