How to Sleep With Lots of Noise

You're up late at night, tossing and turning. Instead of a work or family problem on your mind, the real issue you're struggling with is the noise keeping you awake. Whether it's the traffic outside, the party next door or the baby upstairs, noises that impede your sleep can be more than an annoyance. They can be a detriment to your health. Here's how to deal.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Plug in to tune out. Invest in some quality earplugs that stay put in your ears. If you don't have earplugs handy, stuff your ears with cotton or bathroom tissue.
2. Close your window. If outside sounds keep you up at night, it's best to close your window. If you feel too stifled during the hot summer months, then keep a patio door open instead, and sleep in a nearby room with your window closed and your door open to allow a cross breeze.
3. Drown out sounds with white noise. You can purchase a white noise machine, run a fan, or simply use a radio set to static.
4. Remember that location is everything. For apartment dwellers, choose a building that is away from high-traffic areas, is far from late-night party spots and has concrete walls and ceilings instead of wooden ones. If possible, choose an apartment suite that faces the back rather than the front road. For homeowners, choose a neighborhood that has a reputation for peace and quiet.
5. Report the noise if it's a violation. If you live in an apartment, report it to your landlord. If you live in a house, report it to the police. Just remember to pick your battles. If you know the noise is temporary (your neighbor only blasts his stereo for a half hour on Sundays or only has a blow-out party once a year) then it might be best to save your complaints for more chronic cases of noise.

Tips & Warnings

• Try not to scream obscenities at the noisy culprit. It's easy to lose patience in the moment (particularly if you're sleep-deprived) but a hostile reaction to the source of the noise can sometimes backfire and result in a spiteful increase in noise.
• Don't drown out emergency sounds such as the smoke detector or your telephone. Ensure that you can still hear these things through any noise obstructer you use.