If you live on a busy street or your home has thin walls, you may hear a lot of annoying noises that keep you awake at night. Being unable to sleep due to noise can be extremely frustrating, and a lack of sleep can negatively affect your health. Whether the noise comes from outside or the thin walls make the neighbors seem very noisy, there are several ways to reduce and block it at night.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Change the Bedroom
Step 1. Arrange the furniture in the room in another way
Sometimes, moving them around the room can significantly reduce nighttime noise pollution. You need to make sure that large, thick objects get in the way or separate you from the noise source. For instance:
- Place a heavy bookcase against the wall that adjoins the noisy neighbor, to muffle the din; the more books you put on the shelves, the more you can reduce the sounds;
- If the bed is leaning against the wall that you share with the living room of the neighboring apartment, move it to the side of the room farthest from the source of noise;
- Move the bed away from the windows to reduce street noise.
Step 2. Install acoustic panels
Usually, they are used in music recording studios and theaters to absorb and muffle sounds; however, you can use this technology to block out noises at night. You can find acoustic panels for sale online, in hardware stores or in shops specialized in sound insulation and they are available in various shapes and colors; when installed, they often appear as a wall decoration.
- You can apply them permanently, if you are the homeowner, or temporarily, if you are renting. Install them on the walls from which the noises come; the panels will be able to absorb and muffle the noises of the night.
- If you can't find them or don't like the way they look, you can hang a thick tapestry or rug on the wall for a similar effect.
- You can also install acoustic panels or thick carpets on the ceiling, in order to block out the noises coming from the upper floor.
Step 3. Soundproof the windows
When loud noises are coming from outside, this is the best way to block them. If you choose to install new double-glazed windows in your home, be aware that this could be a rather expensive solution; however, there are other cheaper methods to achieve similar results:
- Seal cracks and crevices in windows with insulating foam that you can buy at hardware stores. This substance does not damage window frames or sills, but blocks noises that can no longer filter through the cracks.
- Hang thick or insulating curtains on all bedroom windows. Their fabric often makes it possible to effectively muffle and reduce the noise coming from outside.
Step 4. Insulate the floor
If the loud noises are coming from the downstairs apartment, insulating the floor is a good solution, as you create a thicker layer between your home and the source of the noise. If you are renting, you can put rugs or very dense carpeting or install a new one if the homeowner agrees.
- If you are the owner, but don't like carpet, you can install insulation material between the slab and the wooden floor. Cork is the best type of insulating material for floors, but there are other solutions as well, such as fiberglass inserts and floor tiles specifically made for sound insulation.
- To effectively block noise from the floor below, double the insulation effect by adding a layer under the parquet and placing thick rugs in the room.
Step 5. Change sleeping room
Sometimes, night noises are amplified simply because the bedroom is somewhere in the house. Whether it's facing the main road or near a screaming baby's room, switching seats can save you a lot of trouble at night.
This solution is not always feasible if you do not have other rooms to change with, but if possible try to stay a few nights in the new room to see if the noise level is reduced enough to allow you to sleep
Method 2 of 2: Coping with a Noisy Environment
Step 1. Put on your ear plugs
They are an effective way to block out noises when you sleep, because they muffle and reduce them, helping you to focus more on sleep. There are several models, but the simplest ones are available in the best-stocked pharmacies or supermarkets.
- Look for ones that carry the SNR 33 mark, which means they reduce noise in the room by 33 decibels, just enough to provide you with relief from most noises.
- Make sure you wash your hands before putting the caps on and replace them regularly or clean them according to the directions on the package.
- These devices are most effective when worn properly. For best results, roll them to shape into a thin cylinder, insert them into your ears, and wait for them to expand filling the ear canal.
- Never push the plugs deep into your ears; you must be able to remove them easily, by pulling and twisting them; if you put them too far, you can cause yourself discomfort and injury.
Step 2. Cover the noises with white noise
It may seem strange to think of defending yourself from noises with more noise, but the white one allows you to perceive the one coming from the outside in a less intense way. This is why you don't hear the tap dripping during the day, but at night it's the only noise you hear. White noise is constant, with no recognizable changes or variations, so you don't really realize you hear it. You can buy a specific device for this purpose, download a smartphone application or use some home appliance. Among the most common ones that produce white noise are:
- A fan;
- The falling rain;
- Ocean waves crashing on the shore.
Step 3. Make some noise that distracts you
If you don't get satisfactory results with white noise, you can use other types to block out the night noise. White is one of the "colors" of noise, which also include other types. Blue is a more whimsical version of white noise and includes sounds like birds chirping or children's laughter. Pink noise implies warm, resonant tones, like the sound that shells make when you blow inside. Many people also find ambient music or the hum of people talking comfortable, so you can try turning the TV or radio on at a low volume to try to fall asleep if that helps.
- Since keeping the TV or radio on all night can interrupt the natural sleep cycle, it is recommended to activate a timer to automatically switch off the appliance after a certain period.
- If you can, reduce the light intensity of the TV screen so it doesn't disturb sleep.
- If you choose ambient music, try listening to it during the day to see if it actually relaxes you before attempting this sleep solution.
Step 4. Invest in high-tech products to suppress noise
If the night sound is so piercing that simple white noise or earplugs are ineffective, it may be a good idea to get the most technologically advanced products to block the noise. You can find different devices and tools online, so do a little research to choose the one that best suits your needs. Keep in mind that some high-tech tools can be expensive, but they can be worth it if they allow you to get a restful sleep. Among these, the most widespread and common are:
- The hi-tech earphones that contain a very small microprocessor that allows the passage of delicate noises, but blocks the loud ones that exceed a certain level in decibels. This is a great solution for people who want to be able to hear the call of their child or partner talking, but at the same time want to block out horn or construction site noises.
- Active Noise Canceling Earphones use small microphones to recognize ambient sounds and create an "anti-noise" signal that blocks them. They are perfect for constant, low-frequency noises, such as those found in the cabin of an airplane, but they are not always the best solution to avoid those that cause a sudden surge in decibels.
- The earbuds work much like earplugs and block out noise, but have a small speaker that emits white noise or ambient music. They are great for people who want to completely isolate themselves from outside noise and find white noise soothing.
Step 5. Try mindfulness-based noise reduction techniques
For some individuals, blocking nighttime noise and distracting attention is a simple technique for managing the experience rather than reacting with frustration and despair. Just like with the relaxation techniques that are put into practice during the day, you can manage to sleep well by becoming aware of the noise, your reaction to it and changing it. Your goal is to reduce the discomfort to night noise and you can achieve it in several ways:
- Focus on your breathing, inhaling slowly and deeply through your nose and then exhaling through your mouth. Focus on how the diaphragm moves and the lungs fill with air as you listen to the sound of the breath.
- Try to work hard to completely relax each part of your body, working one section at a time. Start at the feet and move towards the legs, torso, arms, fingers, finally the neck and face.
- Try to take a new attitude towards noise. Forgive who or what is causing it and remember that you will get used to it over time.
