Invisible Bassline: Infrasound May Elevate Stress and Irritability
A Frontiers study shows that exposure to infrasound around 18 Hz—below the hearing range—can raise saliva cortisol and increase irritability even when people can’t consciously detect the sound, suggesting that low-frequency vibrations from ventilation or basements could contribute to “haunted” feelings. The effects occurred with brief exposure and were not linked to belief about the sound, but the researchers caution that larger, more diverse studies are needed to understand health impacts and implications for building design and noise regulations.