How to Block out Noise While Sleeping

Noise seems to be everywhere these days- we even hear unwanted sounds in our bedrooms. If the noise isn’t coming from the busy street adjacent to your house, it comes from the neighbor next door or even your roommate- probably a newborn baby or a snoring partner. That is why most people struggle to find a good sleep cycle. And because you need at least 7 hours of sleep for a healthy life, you cannot afford to continue with your current irregular sleep pattern. In this article, we explain 7 techniques that will help you cut down the noise that leaks into your bedroom or at least reduce its impact on your quality of sleep.

Rearrange your furniture

The basic solution to your problem is to move your bed as far from the noise as possible. If the noise is coming from the streets, move the bed away from the door or windows that leak in the noise. If it is coming from a noisy neighbor, move the bed to the wall opposite the wall where the offending sound is emanating from. You can also create a soundproofing wall by moving other furniture to the offending wall. These include tall furniture such as wardrobes, cupboards, and bookshelves.

Exterior barriers

Create a solid mass at the wall that brings in noise from the streets and other exterior sources. You might need to hire a siding contractor to renovate the exterior walls in case of cracks, or replace the siding altogether. Some of the siding materials that block out noise optimally include fiber-cement and wood.

Other exterior barriers that you can consider are trees and fences. A brick fence will block a significant amount of noise from the streets. Planting trees around your home, say, conifers, balsam firs, or loblolly pines will help you block noise by as much as 40 percent. Plants are great absorbers of sound waves.

Use earplugs

Fit low-tech foam earplugs in your ears every night before going to bed. This method is the most inexpensive yet very effective noise-blocking technique.

Leverage white noise

White noise is known to calm troubled and anxious minds and help people sleep better. If you suffer from tinnitus (or your child does), white noise can also silence those imaginary noises running in your head (or the child’s). If you sleep at off-hours- say, during the day after a night shift, investing in a white noise generator could be your best solution.

Soundproof your bedroom

There are many ways of soundproofing a room. One way is hiring a professional to soundproof the room structurally. Installing sound-absorbing acoustic tiles on the walls, sound-blocking doors, replacing the floor, adding an extra wall, or replacing the ceiling are some of the structural changes that you can try to give your home extra soundproofing.

Another way is soundproofing using DIY methods. Consider adding soft materials to the walls, doors, and windows because they are good absorbers of sound waves. These include heavy curtains, rugs, blackout blinds, or drips. Upholstered furniture are also good sound-absorbers.

Noise-canceling headphones

Wearing headphones all night might not be too appealing, but this could be your best short-term solution. They will help you get a silent noise, the discomfort no withstanding. You will get used to them after some time.

Listen to guided meditation programs

Just like white noise, guided meditation brings in more noise to your sleep, but this is a good form of noise. Instead of blocking out annoying and bothersome noises, choose to drown it out with peaceful meditation. Meditation shifts your focus from the loud noises outside to your inner peace. You focus more on your breathing, consequently setting your body up in a peaceful, deep, sleep. Take your time to pick the meditation programs that work best for you- what works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for another person.

Conclusion

If your neighbor has developed a habit of playing loud music at night or making lengthy, strange calls early in the morning, the 7 techniques will help you drown or block out the noises. Don’t allow noisy neighbors and barking dogs to keep you up or disturb your peace every night. Take action today!

About The Author: Anda Warner is an architect – specialized in home renovations and a writer for different design websites. She is young and ambitious, with a degree in architecture. She has eight-plus years of experience in home renovations as well as installations. Her mission is to inspire others to live their dreams and create their perfect sweet home. She puts a big effort into working with her clients and tried to help them in the best way she can.

Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash