A new study by University of Michigan researchers suggests that working in loud places can raise blood pressure levels.

Sally Lusk of the university's School of Nursing explains the importance of the findings:

"The literature suggests bringing down your blood pressure will help prevent heart disease and stroke, so understanding the relationship between noise and blood pressure is important."

The research conclusions, published in a recent issue of the Archives of Environmental Health, were based on a study in a Midwest auto-assembly plant.

Lusk and colleagues studied different types of noise in the factory setting.

While others have looked at blood pressure in production workplaces before, the team took a new approach--outfitting participants with mobile monitors to take blood pressure readings and record noise levels throughout the day.

Noise readings were taken every minute, while heart rate and blood pressure were recorded every 10 minutes.

The researchers found that blood pressure was more affected by overall noise exposure, while peaks in noise affected heart rate.

An increase of 10 decibels in average noise exposure resulted in a systolic blood pressure increase of 2 millimeters.

Lusk noted that a long-term reduction of 6 millimeters in diastolic blood pressure has been associated with a 35 percent to 40 percent reduction in strokes and a 20 percent to 25 percent drop in coronary disease.