When our nights are stolen by noise

It is past midnight on yet another Saturday. Once again, the silence in the area has been shattered by pulsating music, turning the once-quiet space into a loud cacophony.

- A resident of Kalapaluwawa, Rajagiriya

The sound from the loudspeakers of a music event pierces the walls of nearby houses. Sometimes it’s so loud that it vibrates the glass windows of my home. I am trying to sleep by reading a book or meditating, but nothing works. I lie awake as sounds echo in my ears. For residents living close to the Waters Edge Hotel in Battaramulla, this has become an exhausting weekend ritual, depriving families, children, and older people of sleep. It is not just an inconvenience; it is a violation of our right to physical and mental health. Epidemiological studies have shown that long-term exposure to environmental noise, particularly night-time noise, is associated with an increased incidence of high blood pressure, heart attacks, and stroke. Sleep deprivation or disturbance in the sleep rhythm can lead to anxiety, daytime sleepiness and chronic stress.