How to Sleep with Lots of Noise

Sleeping Through Loud Noises

Use white noise. Ambient sounds such as white noise are often helpful for blocking out louder, sharper sounds by "masking" those noises with a gentle, tolerable sound. That's because white noise delivers a uniform amount of sound at every audible frequency. White noise reduces the difference between typical background sound and sudden noises, like a door slamming or a car honking, that could potentially interrupt sleep. You can buy a specialty white noise machine, download white noise tracks online, or simply keep a fan blowing in your room while you sleep.

Play something distracting. If you don't have a white noise machine or fan handy, you can try using household items to distract you and drown out undesirable noise. A television or radio can help block outside sounds, but researchers caution that leaving a TV or radio on all night could disrupt your natural sleep patterns. Researchers recommend using a timer to ensure that the radio or television will automatically turn off at a certain time for best results.

Wear earplugs. Earplugs are an effective way to help block outside noises while you sleep. They're even more effective if you combine earplugs with white noise in your room. You can buy earplugs at many pharmacies, or online. Earplugs may take some getting used to and be uncomfortable at first. Always wash your hands before putting in earplugs to minimize the risk of infection. To remove, twist the earplug while slowly pulling outwards. If an earplug doesn't seem like a good fit, don't force it. Every brand shapes their product differently, and you may simply have to try a different brand. Familiarize yourself with the risks of earplugs before you use them. Removing them too quickly or pushing them in too far can lead to a ruptured eardrum. They can also introduce bacteria into the ear canal, which could cause an infection. In addition, the earplug may muffle important sounds, such as your alarm to wake up, a smoke alarm, or the sound of someone breaking in.

Move your furniture. If you share a wall with a loud neighbor or a noisy street, rearranging your furniture could help quell some of the sound coming into your home. Adding additional furniture to your bedroom can help muffle sound, and rearranging existing furniture could help distance your bed from the source of the noise. Move your bed to the side of the room farthest from the noise source. If you share a wall in an apartment building, for example, and your bedroom wall is in your neighbor's living room, try pushing your bed to the far side of the room. Positioning large, thick pieces of furniture against a noisy wall can help absorb and muffle some of the sounds. Try putting a bulky bookshelf against the wall and filling it with books to help block out noise.

Cover your walls. To absorb noise effectively from a wall that lets a lot of sounds through, try covering the wall with absorbent material. Acoustic panels work best, and for added absorption, you can opt for acoustic panels wrapped in thick fabric. Choose panels that have a noise reduction rating of 0.85 or higher. Try acoustical blankets. These specialty clothes are designed to be hung on the wall to muffle outside sound.

Insulate the floor and ceiling. If the noise in your home is coming from below, you can reduce noise by insulating the floor. You can do this by putting down carpets, or by actually insulating the floor below the baseboards. Cork works best for flooring materials. It insulates sound much better than most woods. If you can't put wall-to-wall carpeting down, opt for a thick, large area rug. If you own your own home and have an attic above your bedroom, you can also insulate the floor of the attic. Use R25 fiberglass at least eight inches thick to help insulate the space above your room. Use acoustically-rated ceiling tiles with a ceiling attenuation class (CAC) of at least 40 and an NRC of at least 55. This should help block most types of noise, as these ceiling tiles are designed for use in homes located near an airport.

Sound-proof your windows. If noise keeps coming in from the street or other noisy neighbors, you can try soundproofing your windows. Be sure to latch down your blinds because they may rattle. This option will require a bit of work and may get costly, but it should prove effective at blocking out the sound. Install double or secondary glazing windows. Both types of windows are effective at insulating your home and blocking outside noise. Hang thick curtains in your bedroom windows to help block some noise. Check the windows for gaps. These tiny spaces between the window and the wall don't just let in a draft of air, they can also let outside noise slip in. Use a safe insulating foam sealant made for use on windows and doors to stop up these gaps and help seal your room off from the noise outside your home. Purchase blackout curtains to keep light out if this is also an issue.

Addressing Noise Problems

Identify the source of the noise. The cause might be particularly obvious, but before you can address the problem you need to know its underlying cause. How you proceed will depend on the cause of your noise problem. Oftentimes, unwanted noise is caused by neighbors. Do you have a neighbor who plays loud music or throws loud parties while you're trying to sleep? Do you live next door to a particularly noisy couple? Depending on where you live, your noise problem may be caused by nearby bars, clubs, and restaurants, or traffic centers like airports, train tracks, and highways.

Talk to noisy neighbors. Being honest and direct is the best approach, but it can be tricky. You don't want to upset your neighbors, but you also don't want to with perpetual noise, unable to sleep. Polite and friendly communication is generally considered the best way to address the noise problem when your neighbors are the cause. Don't come banging on the door while the noise is happening. That will only create tension and force your neighbor to feel defensive. Wait until things have died down, or approach your neighbor the next day. Likewise, don't call the police over noise complaints. The police generally have better things to do, and your neighbors will resent you. They may even try to retaliate or escalate the situation. No one likes having the police called on them, so be open and polite with your neighbors and leave the law out of it. Approach your neighbor with courtesy and kindness. Be honest about the problem and maintain an even temper and a friendly demeanor. Say something like, "Hi neighbor. I was wondering if I could talk to you about something. Do you have a few minutes?" Then speak with them about the noise issue. It might be best to approach them with a reasonable plan. For instance, you might say, "I hear you playing your guitar at night. That's cool, but do you think you could practice before 11 pm? I have to get up early for work and it's difficult for me to get to sleep." If all else fails, contact your landlord or try bringing in a professional mediator. These professionals are trained to work with both parties to arrive at a mutual understanding.

Address environmental noise. If the noise is caused by things in your community, such as traffic or construction, you can raise those concerns with a municipal representative. Some communities have a noise code task force in place. Others have a municipal noise control officer in place to review complaints and determine a course of action. For other communities, you may have to simply bring the issue before your local city council, and a vote may be taken on how to proceed. The process for filing a city complaint over urban noise pollution (i.e., noise not caused by a loud neighbor or other direct sources) is vastly different from one community to the next. Search online to learn about the process in your community, or contact a representative at city hall to inquire about how to address noise pollution in your neighborhood.