Loud neighbors can make you sick - but it's not the shouting and loud music you should worry about

Name: Noisy neighbors.

Age: From stumbling toddler to cane-wielding pensioner.

Appearance: this is not what they look like; that's how they sound.

What do they sound like? Footsteps overhead, random falling objects, insistent scraping of furniture moved for no reason.

I'm sure they have a reason . Well, I'd like to know what it is.

And the screams? Does screaming count? Not for our purposes - we're talking about "impact noise", a major source of complaint in multi-unit buildings, and a potential health hazard.

Danger for health ? Says who? Markus Müller-Trapet of the National Research Council of Canada. He claims that exposure to this kind of neighborhood noise can lead to sleep disturbances and even cardiovascular problems.

And how would he know? Because he just presented a paper at the 183rd meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, titled Noise From Above: A Summary of Studies Concerning the Perceived Annoyance Due to Impact Sounds.

What exactly is impact noise? Distinct sounds characterized by sudden onset and rapid decay - clicking, popping, thumping, pounding. Acoustics experts suggest they are more annoying than continuous sounds, such as conversation or music.

They should try living next to my neighbors, who always watch the neighbors. Neighbors is on hiatus until next year…

Yeah, but they're still whistling the theme. Anyway, the environmental impact of impact noise is poorly known, which is why Müller-Trapet and a team of researchers set out to measure how annoying it is.

How do they do that? By recording a range of impact sounds and presenting them to test subjects for evaluation.

Where is it? Because I think they could be conducting these experiments in the apartment above mine. There is also an online survey you can take where you listen to impact sounds and rate how annoying they are.

That's more or less what I do, anyway, when I work from home. The rise in working from home has made noisy neighbors a real problem, with people saying they have become more sensitive to noise since the pandemic.

What can be done? In the long term, it is hoped that the research will enable city planners to create a more livable built environment.

Can't I just go upstairs and their say shut up? Maybe try earplugs first.

Say, "With a little understanding, you can find the perfect mix…"

Don't say, "Sorry, man. These bowling balls I polished are incredibly slippery."