Minimizing sleep disturbance from blast noise producing training activities for residents living near a military installation

Field research was conducted during 2004 in the vicinity of a United States military installation to determine if awakening of residents due to blast noise from large military weapons might vary during the night. Analysis of the data indicates that awakening from blast noise is significantly less likely during the time period between midnight and 0200 h compared to time periods before midnight and approaching dawn. These findings suggest that postponing noisy evening training until after midnight could effectively reduce the negative impact of nighttime training on local residents and thus help to preserve nighttime training capabilities.