You can just imagine what drove New Yorker Tim Robbins to take the lead role In the not-widely-seen 2007 vigilante movie "Noise," actor Tim Robbins plays a New York City man who’s had it up to “hear," and is driven to destroy any parked car that has an ear-shattering alarm going off.

The constant din of urban life can push anyone over the edge; it also can trigger hypertension, heart disease, and heart attack.

In fact, one Danish study found that every sustained 10-decibel increase in the noise level you normally are exposed to increases your risk of a heart attack by 12 percent.

Noise is particularly tough on folks who are noise- or sound-sensitive, triggering insomnia and muddled thinking. Depression and anger can become chronic.

According to the American Public Health Association, 104 million Americans are at risk because of increased exposure to the harmful health effects of environmental noise.

So what should you do for protection?

1. Invest in noise-canceling headphones or earplugs.

2. Seal sound-leaky windows and use sound-dampening drapes and shades; install sound-absorbent carpeting.

3. Use white-noise machines (if they don't bother you), especially when sleeping.

4. Try sound-desensitization training.

5. Got to www.noisefree.org to discover ways to lobby local, state and federal officials for noise-abatement legislation and ordinances.

One more thing: Sound sensitivity isn't all bad. A study in the journal Neuropsychologia found that folks with "leaky" sensory gating (that's sound sensitivities) may be more creative.