Hi there,

I have a noisy upstairs neighbor, thin walls/floors and poor
soundproofing and I can hear lots of walking around, water running,
etc. at night. This is keeping me up.

I've started using the cheap foam ear plugs from CVS and they work OK,
but you really have to jam them in there to get a good seal, and still
you can feel some pressure and slight discomfort when sleeping on your
side. Also, although they are cheap, they wear out quickly (they seem
to lose their ability to puff up again after being squished after a few
days of use).

I tried some rubber (?) ones called Hearos -- they're blue rubbery
plastic and come in a tube-shaped carrying case and I think they're
actually meant for swimming (to keep water out). They make a great seal
and keep a lot of noise out. I use those for studying or reading but I
can't sleep with them because they stick out a lot and it would be
extremely uncomfortable.

So what do people recommend?

Also, I read on another thread that using ear plugs for sleeping on a
regular basis can cause (or at least worsen) tinnitus! Is there any
factual basis for this? That has me a little bit worried.

Thanks

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News Reader wrote:
> Hi there,
>
> I have a noisy upstairs neighbor, thin walls/floors and poor
> soundproofing and I can hear lots of walking around, water running,
> etc. at night. This is keeping me up.
>
> I've started using the cheap foam ear plugs from CVS and they work OK,
> but you really have to jam them in there to get a good seal, and still
> you can feel some pressure and slight discomfort when sleeping on your
> side. Also, although they are cheap, they wear out quickly (they seem
> to lose their ability to puff up again after being squished after a few
> days of use).
>
> I tried some rubber (?) ones called Hearos -- they're blue rubbery
> plastic and come in a tube-shaped carrying case and I think they're
> actually meant for swimming (to keep water out). They make a great seal
> and keep a lot of noise out. I use those for studying or reading but I
> can't sleep with them because they stick out a lot and it would be
> extremely uncomfortable.
>
> So what do people recommend?
>
> Also, I read on another thread that using ear plugs for sleeping on a
> regular basis can cause (or at least worsen) tinnitus! Is there any
> factual basis for this? That has me a little bit worried.
>
> Thanks
>
Have you tried masking the noise with a fan? I keep one going on medium
speed and it makes just enough noise to block most of what is going on
outside. I tried earplugs but found them generally uncomfortable enough
to be a sleep hindrance, especially when I tried sleeping on my side.
A white noise generator blocks most sound, unless you have a really loud
neighbor, then moving starts to look good. Even with a fan and earplugs
I can still hear low, rumbling kinds of sounds, like trains a half mile
away. Sometimes you can't win.
Bill

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Bill Baka wrote:
> Have you tried masking the noise with a fan? I keep one going on medium
> speed and it makes just enough noise to block most of what is going on
> outside. I tried earplugs but found them generally uncomfortable enough
> to be a sleep hindrance, especially when I tried sleeping on my side.
> A white noise generator blocks most sound, unless you have a really loud
> neighbor, then moving starts to look good. Even with a fan and earplugs
> I can still hear low, rumbling kinds of sounds, like trains a half mile
> away. Sometimes you can't win.
> Bill

I can give that a try.

Unfortunately, the shower (well, the noise of the water going through
the pipes more so than the shower itself) sounds like a jet engine in
my bedroom.

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News Reader wrote:
> Bill Baka wrote:
> 
>
>
> I can give that a try.
>
> Unfortunately, the shower (well, the noise of the water going through
> the pipes more so than the shower itself) sounds like a jet engine in
> my bedroom.
>
Not much you can do about that kind of noise, but maybe you could talk
to the neighbor and get him/her to change the shower head. A different
head might make a lot of difference. I had that problem with my own
shower and putting a low flow head on got rid of the noise.
Good luck,
Bill

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Bill Baka wrote:
> News Reader wrote:
> 
> Not much you can do about that kind of noise, but maybe you could talk
> to the neighbor and get him/her to change the shower head. A different
> head might make a lot of difference. I had that problem with my own
> shower and putting a low flow head on got rid of the noise.
> Good luck,
> Bill
I recommend trying a sound machine, too.  You can put them on pretty
loud and still sleep.  It takes some getting used to, but I stuck with
it and now it's difficult to sleep without it even when it's quiet.  My
favorite sound is rain.  I thought I would like the ocean sound the
most, but it turned out that the rain sound is more steady and lulls me
to sleep.

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That's not a bad idea -- can you recommend a particular machine? Which
one do you use? About how much do they cost?

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News Reader wrote:
> That's not a bad idea -- can you recommend a particular machine? Which
> one do you use? About how much do they cost?
>
I have this CD Player/Sound Machine from Sharper Image:
<http://www.sharperimage.com/us/en/c..r />
676889513>

It sells for $149.95.  I received it as a gift.  You can buy a simple
sound machine for as little as $20 at Walmart.  Before you try that, you
might consider tuning a radio between stations so that you get white
noise.

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News Reader wrote:
> Hi there,
>
> I have a noisy upstairs neighbor, thin walls/floors and poor
> soundproofing and I can hear lots of walking around, water running,
> etc. at night. This is keeping me up.
>
> I've started using the cheap foam ear plugs from CVS and they work OK,
> but you really have to jam them in there to get a good seal, and still
> you can feel some pressure and slight discomfort when sleeping on your
> side. Also, although they are cheap, they wear out quickly (they seem
> to lose their ability to puff up again after being squished after a few
> days of use).
>
> I tried some rubber (?) ones called Hearos -- they're blue rubbery
> plastic and come in a tube-shaped carrying case and I think they're
> actually meant for swimming (to keep water out). They make a great seal
> and keep a lot of noise out. I use those for studying or reading but I
> can't sleep with them because they stick out a lot and it would be
> extremely uncomfortable.
>
> So what do people recommend?
>

Super Leight ear plugs:

http://www.drugstore.com/qxp40605_3.. />
_plugs.htm

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I have had this problem, and after buying every type of earplug I could
find I settled on mouldable wax.

They were the only ones comfortable enough to sleep on my side all
night.

The ones I bought were British Boots own brand. Small cylinders of pink
wax (I think reinforced with a matrix of cotton wool).  You hold them
in your hand until they have warmed up, and then mould them into a
rugby ball shape and stuff them in your ear, pressing them down so they
mould perfectly to your ear canal shape.  Subsequently your body heat
keeps them soft, so they are completely sealed to the canal but don't
exert any pressure on it.

I think there is a branded version called 'Mufflers' in Britain.

I didn't find the silicone wax ones as good as these.

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Wolstan Dixie wrote:
> I have had this problem, and after buying every type of earplug I could
> find I settled on mouldable wax.
>
> They were the only ones comfortable enough to sleep on my side all
> night.
>
> The ones I bought were British Boots own brand. Small cylinders of pink
> wax (I think reinforced with a matrix of cotton wool).  You hold them
> in your hand until they have warmed up, and then mould them into a
> rugby ball shape and stuff them in your ear, pressing them down so they
> mould perfectly to your ear canal shape.  Subsequently your body heat
> keeps them soft, so they are completely sealed to the canal but don't
> exert any pressure on it.
>
> I think there is a branded version called 'Mufflers' in Britain.
>
> I didn't find the silicone wax ones as good as these.
>

I agree.

I used pink moldable wax earplugs, as you describe, when going to
college.  Lived in a noisy dorm.  Didn't know I had them in, except that
I couldn't hear a thing.

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