Myth:
Wind turbines are a danger to human health, as they cause dizzy spells and sleep deprivation on the part of those who live nearby.
Fact:
Wind turbines produce what is known as infrasound. Infrasound is defined as any sound below 20Hz, meaning it is usually inaudible. It occurs naturally, but can also be man-made. Numerous studies have been done on the infrasound produced by wind turbines, and none have shown there to be any adverse physiological or psychological effects on those exposed to it. In fact, infrasound levels from wind turbines are usually lower, and certainly no higher, than those we are already exposed to in nature.
A recent study conducted by Sydney University’s Woolcock Institute of Medical Research looked at the impact of infrasound from wind turbines on sleep patterns and found there to be none at all. To quote the study’s lead author, Associate Professor Nathaniel Marshall, “We’ve been able to show conclusively that the infrasound generated by wind turbines doesn’t make you dizzy or nauseous, doesn’t impact heart health or mental health, or impact on sleep.”
A wind farm in California. [Source: Wikimedia Commons]
Sources:
Nathaniel S. Marshall et al, “The Health Effects of 72 Hours of Simulated Wind Turbine Infrasound: A Double-Blind Randomized Crossover Study in Noise-Sensitive, Healthy Adults,” Environmental Health Perspectives, 22/3/23
Sophie Vorrath, “Wind farm noise not harmful to health: New study finds no evidence of wind turbine syndrome,” Renew Economy, 23/3/23