Shut the (noise) up

When I lived on campus at the start of my undergraduate degree, I would go insane with all the noise swirling around- my roommates talking late at night, the TV, the neighbor's banging on the wall, the other neighbor's playing music- it seemed like there was a never-ending supply of noise. I'll admit that I was pretty paranoid about it because I was getting up at 6.30am for cross-country practice, but still- it was noisy.

Then I discovered fans and earplugs. They saved my sleep.

This article looks at other ways to block out noise for the sake of our sleep. As I'm sure you've heard by now, sleep is like the cure of all evils, so if noise is what's keeping you up, it is worth reading about and finding a solution that works for you.

According to U.S. Census Bureau data, people consistently rate noise above traffic, crime, and other social problems, as a primary reason for wanting to move (which, I can totally understand).

Experts tips for reducing noise include:

1) Block off any opening where air can get in. If air is getting in, noise can too.
2) Use white noise- water fountains, fans, little machines that spit out soothing bird chirping, or cds designed to do the same job, are all options that can work.
3) Make friends with the neighbors- don't go and tell the neighbor's that they're crappy people because they're so noisy. Instead, make friends with them and they will more likely respect you and be a little quieter (mind games- see, they do work).
4) Earplugs- I personally endorse this one. I just have one tip- if you're sleeping with someone, put the earplugs in when you've said your goodnights and everything, because it's kind of annoying to half hear that he/she loves you.
Also, not all earplugs are created equal. This link provides you with one guy's rating test.
5) Try acoustic barriers or soundproofing blankets- this one sounds a little extreme, but if nothing else works, then maybe try this.

Hopefully this list helps with anyone of you that are having sleep problems because of noise. By the way, "noise" comes from the Latin word "nausea." Interesting to know.