Sleeping with earplugs, anyone?

I've been using the Hearos Ultimate Softness ear plugs. They have the highest decibel rating and are soft enough not hurt my ears. Though if I push them in too far, I get an earache. Also, it took LOTS of practice for me to get them in my ears correctly.

I still have the white noise machine on max volume. These two things generally work, but at least once a week the self-centered **** upstairs still manages to wake me up, usually because the dog running back and forth and back and forth and back and forth and back and forth across my living room ceiling, or because she simply must vacuum first thing in the morning. These noises on my living room ceiling are loud enough to wake me up in my bedroom with the ear plugs and the white noise and a pillow on top of my head. I do not hear my alarm clock most mornings, but I can still hear her.

Anyway, I don't think any earplugs will block out all noise, and I think the low rumbling tones are the hardest to block.

We have already learned our lesson about living on any floor but the top. We lived in houses for years, then moved into an apartment for a bit over a year. We were in the top floor, and we could still occasionally hear the couple below us, when they had a party with kids running around. But they came up and asked us to tone it down when we were playing with our dog (throwing her stuffed dog for her to retrieve). We had no idea how loud a 16 lb. dog running on carpet must be above their heads. So, that stopped us from playing indoors with her the rest of the time we lived there.

Now we live in a first floor condo. We thought the noise would be minimal since this is a brand new concrete building, but we hear the people above us walking across their floor like elephants, we hear music, etc. Never again. We will only live on the top floor (if in a condo/apt) or in a townhouse, or in a single-family home. Even the top floor is not great because of worrying about our dog making noise and bothering those below us.

Earplugs are a way of life for me! :(

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Originally Posted by emily_in_nc

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Now we live in a first floor condo. We thought the noise would be minimal since this is a brand new concrete building, but we hear the people above us walking across their floor like elephants, we hear music, etc. Never again. We will only live on the top floor (if in a condo/apt) or in a townhouse, or in a single-family home. Even the top floor is not great because of worrying about our dog making noise and bothering those below us.

Earplugs are a way of life for me! :(

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Much of this, I think, has to do with how the building is constructed. I live in a first floor apt, and there are people over me with dogs - several people have moved in/out since I've been here and my apartment is as silent as a house. I NEVER hear anything from my neighbors, very occasionally I MIGHT here a hint of a sound from their washing machine but that is it. Quietest place I've ever lived...

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Originally Posted by 7rider

I sleep with one in my left ear (right ear is smooshed into the pillow for the most part). Mainly, it's because I"m a light sleeper and poor DH has this habit of breathing (imagine that!) loudly - not snoring - at night, which is like finger nails on a chalkboard to me.

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I could have written this, only my DB DOES snore.

I also sleep with my eye shades; I must like sensory deprivation.

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Originally Posted by emily_in_nc

We have already learned our lesson about living on any floor but the top. We lived in houses for years, then moved into an apartment for a bit over a year. We were in the top floor, and we could still occasionally hear the couple below us, when they had a party with kids running around. But they came up and asked us to tone it down when we were playing with our dog (throwing her stuffed dog for her to retrieve). We had no idea how loud a 16 lb. dog running on carpet must be above their heads. So, that stopped us from playing indoors with her the rest of the time we lived there.

Now we live in a first floor condo. We thought the noise would be minimal since this is a brand new concrete building, but we hear the people above us walking across their floor like elephants, we hear music, etc. Never again. We will only live on the top floor (if in a condo/apt) or in a townhouse, or in a single-family home. Even the top floor is not great because of worrying about our dog making noise and bothering those below us.

Earplugs are a way of life for me! :(

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The key is that you actually care about bothering your neighbors. The **** who lives upstairs from me knows she is bothering me, and she doesn't care. She prefers to pretend she is the only person who lives in the building.

And she's a dentist. Considering the ungentle way she lives (always slamming things), I can only imagine how awful it is to be one of her patients.

Oh, and did I mention how she treats her dog? When she first got the dog, it barked nonstop for hours while it was home alone. So I left a note saying that the dog was in distress. I really wanted to say that the noise was bothering me, but I figured I'd get better results if I concentrated on the dog's well-being. Anyway, instead of training the dog, she dealt with it by always taking the it with her when she leaves the house. Which means she's leaving the dog in the car while she goes shopping and runs errands. In all kinds of weather. I have no idea what happens to it while my neighbor is at work all day.

I've lived in apartments and condos for 30 years now, and the noise transfer does vary depending on the building. Unfortunately the place I live now is really bad for up-down noise transfer. On the other hand, I never hear a peep from the people next door.

The best was the pre-war building I lived in when I was in NYC, and the apartment I had in Chicago at the corner of Clark and Fullerton. Though the one in Chicago had lots of street noise, especially sirens.

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Originally Posted by ny biker

it took LOTS of practice for me to get them in my ears correctly.

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It's mainly a matter of figuring out exactly where on your ear you need to pull to open your ear canal. That's different for everyone, and your right ear might be different from your left. Once you have that down it's a breeze.

When the plugs start getting hard to roll, and/or won't hold their shape long enough to get them into my ears, that's a sign they're wearing out and it's time for a new pair.

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Originally Posted by ny biker

The key is that you actually care about bothering your neighbors. The **** who lives upstairs from me knows she is bothering me, and she doesn't care. She prefers to pretend she is the only person who lives in the building.

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True -- we were mortified to find out that Paisley's cavorting was loud enough through carpet to bother the couple below. We hated not being able to play with her indoors, but tried to make up for it by plenty of outdoor play sessions.

Our best friend and neighbor in the building who lived on the first floor lived below a single mom and 10 year old boy. He ran loudly around the apt., and she (a very large woman) stomped. When we would visit our friend, we were amazed by how loud it was up above her. She said she'd asked them to keep it down, but "Mom" acted like she was being ridiculous and refused to change anything. I can't imagine. After living in a single-family home for most of my adult (and child) life, going back to multi-resident housing has been a difficult adjustment, to be sure. It has its advantages, but I find myself yearning for the peace and quiet and privacy of a home and yard. The grass is always greener on the other side, that's for sure!

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Originally Posted by Muirenn

My grass is very green . I need to mow it. And rake the yard. Power wash the house, re-paint the eves....

OTOH, I can't imagine having to deal with that kind of noise. Think it would drive me nuts.

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Yep, that's the dilemma. We were really glad to lose the yard work and house maintenance, but condo/apartment living comes with its own set of challenges.