Does the design of the street where you live affect sleep patterns?

By Stephen Beech

Sleep patterns can be affected by the layout of the street where people live, according to a new study.

Researchers found that residents of areas with lots of greenery get more shut-eye and are less likely to suffer from insomnia.

But people living on roads with lots of sidewalks and traffic signs tended to sleep less because they don't feel as safe, suggest the findings.

A neighborhood's look and feel may affect the duration and quality of shut-eye, say scientists.

They explained that the "streetscape" — the physical environment of a road — is something that most residents probably never consciously think about, despite seeing it every day.

But the new research, published in the journal Building and Environment, suggests streetscapes may affect people on a subconscious level, disrupting their sleep.

Japanese scientists used artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze more than 200,000 Google Street View images to identify visual neighborhood characteristics.

They then linked those characteristics to the self-reported sleep of 1,089 working adults living on the lower floors of apartments in Tokyo, who were most likely to be affected by the streetscape.

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The findings showed that those living in neighborhoods rated as having a stronger sense of safety tended to sleep longer, and that the rating appeared to be shaped by the streetscape.

Generally, people slept longer in areas with lots of greenery — such as leafy trees — on the street.

Similarly, high "enclosure" — meaning many tall vertical buildings and few wide-open spaces — was also associated with longer sleep and fewer insomnia symptoms.

However, the study also made a surprising discovery.

The researchers found that highly walkable streetscapes, such as those with more sidewalks and traffic signs, were associated with a lowered sense of safety and shortened sleep duration.

The research team says that suggests that walkability does not always represent a reassuring environment.

Instead, a possible explanation is that streets with extensive pedestrian infrastructure are often busier, more crowded and used by more strangers, which may be perceived as less safe or less relaxing than quieter residential streets.

Study leader Daisuke Matsushita, of Osaka Metropolitan University, said: "This study demonstrates the potential for evaluating streetscape characteristics across large geographic areas in a cost-effective manner.

"Based on the technique used in this study, cities could potentially measure perceived safety, beauty, liveliness, and enclosure as well as pollution and noise."

Matsushita added: "We hope that opening up this new perspective creates further possibilities for designing healthier neighborhoods."