Hávað

Hávað is the Icelandic term for noise, referring to unwanted or disruptive sound. In everyday use it covers environmental noise from traffic, construction, and industry as well as loud conversations, music, or machinery. The concept is linked to sound as a physical quantity that becomes troublesome when it affects comfort, sleep, or concentration.

Noise is measured with sound level meters in decibels (dB). Because human perception of loudness is not linear, measurements often use A-weighting, noted as dBA. Common metrics include Leq (the equivalent continuous sound level over a period), Lmax (the maximum level reached), and day-evening-night levels such as Lden or Ldn. Measurements are taken over defined intervals to assess average exposure and peak events.

Sources of hávað vary by setting and include transportation (cars, trains, aircraft), industry and construction, and neighborhood activities such as loud music or machinery. Time of day matters; many systems implement stricter limits at night to protect sleep.

Health and social impacts can arise from chronic exposure to high noise levels. Short-term effects include annoyance and sleep disturbance, while long-term exposure has been associated with stress, cardiovascular effects, and, with repeated high exposure, hearing impairment. Individual sensitivity and the context of noise also influence impact.

Regulation and mitigation typically involve setting permissible noise levels by time of day, implementing quiet hours, and promoting noise-reducing technologies and practices. Urban planning measures such as sound barriers, zoning, traffic management, and building design (insulation, vibration control) are common tools to reduce hávað and its effects.