Sleeping with earplugs, anyone?

[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.

I've never seen "brand name" earplugs - other than Mack's silicone plugs, which I've used and are okay, but I got tired of pulling my hair out of them each morning. I've tried pink ones, green ones and the red ones shaped like a bell (store brand, all from CVS or whatever drug store I'm in at that time). Currently, I'm using some super soft green ones from CVS and they seem to work okay. Not a huge sound barrier, but enough to sleep (along with a melatonin pill). The bell-shaped ones I found to be nearly impossible to get into my ear. Useless. If anyone wants what I have left - let me know and I'll send them your way. I never heard of Hearo's, and I sent away on their website for a free sample. 6-8 weeks to deliver - we'll see how it goes.

[OakLeaf]

I've only found the Ultimate Softness ones at Walgreens. CVS definitely doesn't have them. The red and yellow ones are just super painful to me.

[emily_in_nc]

7rider, I've always gotten my Hearos at Wal-mart and have never had problems finding one. I bought a plastic jar of something like 50 pairs!

[malkin]

Howard Leight
Lite Sleepers or Lazer Lite. Pink and yellow ones.

[WindingRoad]

Funny i just stumbled upon this thread as my upstairs neighbors have been driving me absolutely insane. They are the type of people that must walk on their heels. As hard as I hear their heels hit the floor I don't know how they have any feet left. Also they are the 'never sit still' type and the 'just getting going at 11:30 at night' type too. Not to mention the 'lets scream and yell and fight then have sex' types. Soooo sick of these two people. I have asked them numerous time to turn music down too and that never lasts for more than a day. I have been documenting their shennanigans for my land lord and since he has opted NOT to renew their lease. I too have been wearing earplugs, running two fans and I STILL get awoken by these two people. I don't know what kind of earplugs I have but they are white and moldable. They are OK but wearing out. Are their any that target particular noises. My neighbors are stompers so its the low base noises that wake me up most often.

[ny biker]

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.

[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!

[OakLeaf]

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

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.

[badger]

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.

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

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