ear plugs...

[Brandi]

I wear ear plugs every night to sleep. I have to cause everything wakes me up. My ? is do you think it is bad to wear them every night. I can't sleep without then now unless I am dead tired. It is almost like I am addicted to them. I still hear things. As a matter of fact I here alarms and what not. It just helps block certain noises out.

[mimitabby]

I don't think it's bad.
I prefer running a fan which makes white noise that masks the other noises
as I am a terribly light sleeper too.
I bring earplugs with me whenever I travel because you never know.

Make sure you don't reuse the plugs too much or you they can get dirty and perhaps cause infection on the skin inside your ear.
I worked for 10 years in the factory noise part of my company and we taught people how to wear earplugs. that was a complaint we heard occasionally.

[Blueberry]

I wouldn't think so, unless you have ears that are prone to infection (i.e. swimmer's ear). My Grandma just had to change styles of hearing aids (sorry, but it's a valid comparison) because she kept getting fungal ear infections from trapped moisture.

Good luck!

CA

[sbctwin]

Brandi, I wear ear plugs almost every night because my DH's snoring is soooo loud. I wear really soft ones and there are some nights I can tell that I must have shoved them in too far the previous night because they hurt . Then I have to go several days without wearing them until my ears are comfortable again . I have to cut mine down to better fit because they are too long. I often wonder the same thing if I should be wearing them every night...I do change them every other night because I can tell when they become too soft, they don't work very good.

[East Hill]

Mimitabby and I do the same thing. As someone who's worked graveyard almost all her adult life (and no one make cracks about how long that is!), I've had to use a fan or the air conditioner fan to mask noise. I can't handle earplugs. They are actually a migraine trigger, as the amplified body noises are too disturbing.

On the other hand, Mr. East Hill doesn't snore.

East Hill

[five one]

I have been wearing ear plugs for years (the soft spongy ones) with no ill effects. Changing every few days is important, as others have said, to prevent the possibility of infections. I am a very light sleeper, too, and have gotten to the point where I can't sleep without them. DH occasionally snores, but he also breathes loudly and that's enough to keep me from falling asleep.

I don't think you have anything to be concerned with as long as you're careful inserting them and make sure they're clean. A good night's sleep is so important!

[mimitabby]

let me put it another way, we have employees in our factories that wear ear plugs every day (8-10 hours a day) and have for years for hearing protection.

I think you're safe!

[annie]

I wear earplugs most night. DH can be quite a snore machine sometimes. They've never caused me any trouble. I do not reuse them more than a few times, tho'.

annie

[Pax]

Now there's a thought...earplugs or a fan for white noise! Like some of you, I'm an incredibly light sleeper and many nights I'm awake for hours. When I was younger it used to make me so angry and now I just don't mind. I've gotten used to being quite functional on four hours of sleep.

[Lifesgreat]

but during the C O L D we are having here in Utah, I have been wearing my Buff on my head at night, kind of like an old fashioned nightcap. It keeps my head warm but doesn't squeeze. DH thinks it looks kind of weird and you should see my hair in the morning

[Pax]

but during the C O L D we are having here in Utah, I have been wearing my Buff on my head at night, kind of like an old fashioned nightcap. It keeps my head warm but doesn't squeeze. DH thinks it looks kind of weird and you should see my hair in the morning

Funny! I sleep in a balaclava when I winter camp around here (15-25 degrees out) and in the morning I look like I washed my hair in crisco and combed it with an eggbeater.

[Denise223]

Hi Brandi:

Ear plugs....... I really don't know what I would do without them . I use them every single night (they're yellow; made by e-a-r).

I have terrible insomnia -- couple that with living in the city and on a VERY main street! And, a husband whom I love dearly, but -- he snores. (He says that I do too )!
We have two precious furcats.... My sweet girl, Lucy -- she sleeps right above my pillow (I give her about 10 - 12 inches of room), snores very loudly .

I have used a fan before (love the white noise), but my husband doesn't like it.

Wishing you all a good 7+ hours !

Denise

[Brandi]

It is funny that so many of you wear these. My husband thought it was kinda funny when I started but understands now. I don't get ear infections though so that is good cause I use 1 pair for at least a couple weeks till they get to soft. You can tell when that happens. I keep my ears really clean by the way.
The interesting thing is now get this, I used to sleep very poorly and I used to get up in the middle of the night and crave cookies which i would give into that craving. But since i started using the ear plugs i sleep more through the night and don't seem to get up for cookies anymore. And this is something i have been doing since I was little. Is that not strange?

[7rider]

Well, sleeping through the night will certainly help keep the midnight munchies at bay!
I also sleep with an ear plug most nights. I only use one in my left ear, as I usually sleep on my right side - so that ear is buried in the pillow.
I am a light sleeper and although my husband snores sometimes, occasionally just his breathing (or rather, his "whistle breathing) will wake me up and I won't be able to get back to sleep. I can't stand erratic noises (like breathing, wind, creaking of the house, furnace kicking on, etc) when I'm trying to sleep. I think DH was insulted when I first started wearing them, but since I also wear a night (mouth) guard and keep a raquetball under my shoulderblade to massage out knots in my upper back, he's gotten used to my quirky nighttime rituals!