File this under things we already knew but now have the data to prove. According to research gathered by Tennessee-based company Sound Proof Pros, eating with your mouth open absolutely infuriates people.
The website, which specializes in soundproofing technology, conducted a small but impactful study that surveyed 200 Americans to find out which noises are most frustrating. To get the most accurate results possible, researchers monitored participants' heart rate and blood pressure levels before and after listening to a variety of noises, including dogs barking, babies crying and knuckles cracking (anyone else's heart racing already?).
Loud eating beat out the rest of the atrocious melodies, with the average participant's heart rate jumping to 135 beats per minute, a 68 percent increase from the average resting heart rate (between 60 and 100 beats per minute). Second place goes to cutlery scraping against plates, with netted an average of 130 beats per minute and a blood pressure reading of 130/88 (a "normal" blood pressure reading is 120/80).
Take a look at the top 10 most annoying sounds out there (and, uh, avoid making them), listed with average beats per minute and blood pressure readings, respectively.
- Loud eating: 135bpm, 136/94
- Cutlery scraping on plates: 130 bpm, 130/88
- Cracking your knuckles: 120 bpm, 132/89
- Clearing the throat: 109 bpm, 129/84
- Dogs barking: 102 bpm, 127/84
- Nose blowing/sniffing: 101 bpm, 126/85
- Blowing raspberries: 99 bpm, 125/83
- People kissing: 98 bpm, 125/82
- Burping: 95 bpm, 124/80
- Babies crying: 94 bpm, 122/82
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