Can't sleep because of the noise?

Jeremy Palmer said:Look, let me try to explain my point.

My husband can fall asleep right on the couch with the TV blaring while my friends and I are in the living room chatting over coffee and laughing. Even if someone rings the doorbell or the dog starts barking, he doesn't even stir. A person can pretty much sleep through anything if they really need to.

But in your case, you can't sleep because of those little drips, rustling sounds, or the wind blowing. It really comes down to your personal noise tolerance being a bit lower.

What you might want to consider is whether you're generally this sensitive to other things too. Do you react strongly to light, or maybe an argument, or certain smells?...

I’m just suggesting you look into whether you're naturally more sensitive than most people, or if you're just feeling more irritable lately. Can you tell the difference?

Thanks, hollowtinker8, you're totally right. It's worth thinking about. I can hear everything in the bathroom, and now I can hear them watching TV and stuff like that too.
And there's always something going on inside the walls, but that's not the point. The issue is when you have a problem, you tend to blow it way out of proportion and obsess over it. Now, I catch every tiny little sound in the city that I used to completely ignore...
and honestly,
it's not like I'm sensitive to light or anything else besides sound. I think I've basically conditioned myself to view this as a massive problem, and now that's how I experience it. It bleeds into everything else, too.
Like, take this morning—I was up at 6 AM.
I haven't slept all day. Some people could crash for 15 hours straight, but I'm already sitting here dreading the fact that I'll be awake again at 6 AM tomorrow. My brain just works that way; I already know exactly what's going to irritate me. That's why I figured I should probably talk to a psychologist—to see if I'm just losing it.

Brenda Allen2 said:Thanks, hollowtinker8, you're totally right. It's worth thinking about. I can hear everything in the bathroom, and now I can hear them watching TV and stuff like that too.
And there's always something going on inside the walls, but that's not the point. The issue is when you have a problem, you tend to blow it way out of proportion and obsess over it. Now, I catch every tiny little sound in the city that I used to completely ignore...
and honestly,
it's not like I'm sensitive to light or anything else besides sound. I think I've basically conditioned myself to view this as a massive problem, and now that's how I experience it. It bleeds into everything else, too.
Like, take this morning—I was up at 6 AM.
I haven't slept all day. Some people could crash for 15 hours straight, but I'm already sitting here dreading the fact that I'll be awake again at 6 AM tomorrow. My brain just works that way; I already know exactly what's going to irritate me. That's why I figured I should probably talk to a psychologist—to see if I'm just losing it.

You haven't told us everything, but you don't have to, Brenda Allen2.🙂
There are probably other reasons why sleep is eluding you, and the noise is just adding fuel to the fire.
Going to see someone to talk it out is actually a great idea. A psychologist might be more than enough; you likely won't even need a psychiatrist.

One practical tip from my side—whenever I can't sleep, I just get up and start doing something productive. I've always been a night owl, so if I realize sleep isn't coming and I still have energy, I just channel it into a task. Usually, once I do that, the sleepiness hits me naturally, even if it's noisy outside.

Hang in there!🙂

Jeremy Palmer said:You haven't told us everything, but you don't have to, Brenda Allen2.🙂
There are probably other reasons why sleep is eluding you, and the noise is just adding fuel to the fire.
Going to see someone to talk it out is actually a great idea. A psychologist might be more than enough; you likely won't even need a psychiatrist.

One practical tip from my side—whenever I can't sleep, I just get up and start doing something productive. I've always been a night owl, so if I realize sleep isn't coming and I still have energy, I just channel it into a task. Usually, once I do that, the sleepiness hits me naturally, even if it's noisy outside.

Hang in there!🙂

You don't get it. I am freaking exhausted. I feel like a zombie from the second I wake up because I'm taking Lexapro before bed, and they tell me it's because I'm overthinking things. But last night, for example...
I was trying to sleep, and some idiot was tossing and turning and banging around on my floor the whole time, and honestly, it pissed me off so much.
I couldn't fall asleep, and then once I finally drifted off, I woke up around 3 AM, and then obviously again at 6 AM, and I couldn't get back to sleep for shit. Then around 7 AM, the shifting and banging starts all over again and that's it, game over.
And don't even get me started on how I can't even go out at night. If I get home late, I'll only get like two hours of sleep before this happens, and that's it. I don't know, maybe I'll look for a different apartment next month, seriously, I have no clue, but believe me, this is driving people crazy.
There are 12 apartments on this floor and every single one is tiny—like, under 150 square feet—so you hear absolutely everything.
You wouldn't understand...
I don't even know.
Maybe I'll just hunt for a house with multiple floors, haha.
But man, this is driving me insane. It's not even about how tired you are; it's about how much certain things just grate on your nerves, and I've been dealing with this same bullshit all day long.
Seriously, if you've been getting less than four or five hours of sleep a night for fifteen days straight, that's just not enough.

Look, if you see a psychologist, they’ll try to help you out just like everyone else here—give you some solid advice and tools to work with. But if you go to a psychiatrist, they're mostly just going to hand you a prescription for sleep.
The second thing is, you already know deep down that you can't keep living like this.
If I were in your shoes and had the means, I’d honestly start looking for a new apartment right away.
Insomnia is brutal on your body—it really wears you down—so you need to tackle that issue as soon as possible.
Yeah, dealing with all the paperwork and the logistics of moving is a massive headache😳 but I promise you, it'll be worth it!
And for now, you aren't doing anything wrong by seeing a psychologist.

Brenda Allen2 said:You don't get it. I am freaking exhausted. I feel like a zombie from the second I wake up because I'm taking Lexapro before bed, and they tell me it's because I'm overthinking things. But last night, for example...
I was trying to sleep, and some idiot was tossing and turning and banging around on my floor the whole time, and honestly, it pissed me off so much.
I couldn't fall asleep, and then once I finally drifted off, I woke up around 3 AM, and then obviously again at 6 AM, and I couldn't get back to sleep for shit. Then around 7 AM, the shifting and banging starts all over again and that's it, game over.
And don't even get me started on how I can't even go out at night. If I get home late, I'll only get like two hours of sleep before this happens, and that's it. I don't know, maybe I'll look for a different apartment next month, seriously, I have no clue, but believe me, this is driving people crazy.
There are 12 apartments on this floor and every single one is tiny—like, under 150 square feet—so you hear absolutely everything.
You wouldn't understand...
I don't even know.
Maybe I'll just hunt for a house with multiple floors, haha.
But man, this is driving me insane. It's not even about how tired you are; it's about how much certain things just grate on your nerves, and I've been dealing with this same bullshit all day long.
Seriously, if you've been getting less than four or five hours of sleep a night for fifteen days straight, that's just not enough.

Man, honestly? Just find another place. You aren't the first person to deal with this, and you definitely won't be the last. There's no point in saving up money if your mental health is completely trashed in the process.

I keep trying to tell myself, "noise doesn't bother me, noise doesn't bother me." It’s basically what they teach you in those mindfulness sessions—maybe if I just drill it into my head, I'll stop being such a sensitive wreck. You have to be relentless with it. Maybe it'll actually work.

I was actually planning on hunting for a new apartment next month, but now everything's gone sideways because work is absolutely burying me...
So, yeah, I end up taking some melatonin just to try and chill out and get some peace
But even then, I’ll pass out after a few hours only to wake up at the crack of dawn, totally wired and unable to drift back off. Anyway, sorry if I'm being a total pain and bugging you guys with all this

Brenda Allen2 said:I was actually planning on hunting for a new apartment next month, but now everything's gone sideways because work is absolutely burying me...
So, yeah, I end up taking some melatonin just to try and chill out and get some peace
But even then, I’ll pass out after a few hours only to wake up at the crack of dawn, totally wired and unable to drift back off. Anyway, sorry if I'm being a total pain and bugging you guys with all this

Srećko, I can tell just by the way you're typing that you are chronically sleep-deprived. Look, try this: take a stronger dose, put some earplugs in, get all tucked in under the covers, and just try to slowly shut down for the night. 🙂

Nicole Davis7 said:Srećko, I can tell just by the way you're typing that you are chronically sleep-deprived. Look, try this: take a stronger dose, put some earplugs in, get all tucked in under the covers, and just try to slowly shut down for the night. 🙂

And sorry, but yeah, I am beyond exhausted. I’ve tried three different kinds of earplugs and nothing works, but hey, we'll see what happens.

Maybe try some sleeping pills... start with 5 mg, or maybe bump it up to 10 mg if 5 doesn't cut it. You'll need a prescription, but you can just grab one from your primary care doctor.

And seriously, move out in February... you’ll hear the cats fighting through the walls too.

That’s basically my plan soon. The workers in the unit above me... neighbors who are constantly banging, ringing bells, begging for money for all sorts of nonsense... they just won't stop bothering me with the noise, always with some "valid" excuse.

Peace and quiet? You can't put a price on that. I wouldn't even live in those conditions for free. Honestly, just stay away from apartments with crappy soundproofing—there are tons of them in cities like Chicago, and I honestly don't get how anyone can stand living like that.

Just pack up and go, and let us know how it turns out once you find a spot. Wishing you the best of luck!

(I actually vented about my own miserable situation over on the Housing forum, under that 'Workers...' thread)

I’m probably gonna move next month. I was just talking it over with a friend, and honestly, I'm losing my mind here. I’ve got some Ambien in my bag right now, and man, I am desperate.
g I have it in my pill bag, and I don't give a damn about anything else at this point.
So, should I just take it along with my Paxil or something? What do you guys think? Peace of mind isn't something you can put a price tag on. Seriously, just peace and quiet.

Andrew Stewart2 said:Maybe try some sleeping pills... start with 5 mg, or maybe bump it up to 10 mg if 5 doesn't cut it. You'll need a prescription, but you can just grab one from your primary care doctor.

And seriously, move out in February... you’ll hear the cats fighting through the walls too.

That’s basically my plan soon. The workers in the unit above me... neighbors who are constantly banging, ringing bells, begging for money for all sorts of nonsense... they just won't stop bothering me with the noise, always with some "valid" excuse.

Peace and quiet? You can't put a price on that. I wouldn't even live in those conditions for free. Honestly, just stay away from apartments with crappy soundproofing—there are tons of them in cities like Chicago, and I honestly don't get how anyone can stand living like that.

Just pack up and go, and let us know how it turns out once you find a spot. Wishing you the best of luck!

(I actually vented about my own miserable situation over on the Housing forum, under that 'Workers...' thread)

Brenda Allen2 said:I’m probably gonna move next month. I was just talking it over with a friend, and honestly, I'm losing my mind here. I’ve got some Ambien in my bag right now, and man, I am desperate.
g I have it in my pill bag, and I don't give a damn about anything else at this point.
So, should I just take it along with my Paxil or something? What do you guys think? Peace of mind isn't something you can put a price tag on. Seriously, just peace and quiet.

Skip the Paxil. The sleeping pills should do the trick. 👍

analogsailor98 said:Skip the Paxil. The sleeping pills should do the trick. 👍

Alright, thanks for the input,
but am I just gonna be a total zombie tomorrow morning after taking Ambien? Like, am I supposed to pass out immediately or

Brenda Allen2 said:Alright, thanks for the input,
but am I just gonna be a total zombie tomorrow morning after taking Ambien? Like, am I supposed to pass out immediately or

Nah. You'll be fine in the morning. Ambien knocks you out quick—supposedly it's the closest thing to natural sleep you can get. Just don't go mixing meds without asking a doctor first... that's how people get hurt.
Good luck. Hope you get some rest😉

Anyway, I’m out. We'll see what happens, I guess. Catch you guys later.

Just thought I’d drop a quick update: my alarm actually went off at 6:30 this morning and woke me up, rather than me somehow beating the damn thing. Honestly, maybe that's some kind of major life breakthrough right there.

My friends, you all seem to be treating sleep aids like they’re candy from a vending machine. Just slow down with the heavy-duty sleeping pills—I see you're popping Praxilene like it's my morning chamomile tea.
Look, listen—sleep disorders don't necessarily have to stem from the noise you mentioned, though technically, we aren't talking about simple noise, but rather auditory disturbances.

As for Ambien, please be careful. I took it once on a doctor's recommendation and I was essentially out of commission for over 24 hours. From the moment I swallowed it on Friday night until Sunday, I was completely groggy, lethargic, and totally disoriented. It wasn't until Sunday afternoon that my head finally cleared enough for me to actually interact with the world normally.
I am never putting that kind of chemical cocktail in my body ever again.

Keith Doyle18 said:My friends, you all seem to be treating sleep aids like they’re candy from a vending machine. Just slow down with the heavy-duty sleeping pills—I see you're popping Praxilene like it's my morning chamomile tea.
Look, listen—sleep disorders don't necessarily have to stem from the noise you mentioned, though technically, we aren't talking about simple noise, but rather auditory disturbances.

As for Ambien, please be careful. I took it once on a doctor's recommendation and I was essentially out of commission for over 24 hours. From the moment I swallowed it on Friday night until Sunday, I was completely groggy, lethargic, and totally disoriented. It wasn't until Sunday afternoon that my head finally cleared enough for me to actually interact with the world normally.
I am never putting that kind of chemical cocktail in my body ever again.

Yeah, well, I take Ambien without a second thought, haha. Haven't tried Lunesta yet, and honestly, probably won't. As for the ringing in my ears... man, what am I supposed to do? It sucks...
but yeah, definitely gotta be careful with those pills.

Brenda Allen2 said:Yeah, well, I take Ambien without a second thought, haha. Haven't tried Lunesta yet, and honestly, probably won't. As for the ringing in my ears... man, what am I supposed to do? It sucks...
but yeah, definitely gotta be careful with those pills.

Look, I'm only saying this because I care—I truly feel you're far too young to get hooked on sleep medication. I went through a nightmare phase where I couldn't sleep for anything, and believe me, everything was an irritant. My husband snoring right next to me, the baby waking up every few minutes—I was tempted to just plug my ears with cotton balls, but then I’d worry about whether I'd actually hear the baby if they woke up! On top of that, I was juggling various exams and stressing over those, too. Everything—absolutely everything—was getting under my skin. Because of that constant state of anxiety, I wouldn't sleep for four or five hours at a stretch, and even when I finally drifted off, the baby would wake up, and we'd just go round in circles.

What actually helped me was talking things out and tackling my daily stressors head-on. Once I finished my finals, one major weight was already lifted from my shoulders. Plus, my husband started taking over some of the nighttime baby duties; there were even nights where I'd just go sleep in the living room. And you wouldn't believe it—suddenly, the ticking of the wall clock didn't bother me anymore, nor did the hum of the refrigerator in the kitchen or the neighbor's dog barking outside...
It turns out, all my worries and responsibilities were manifesting as this intense restlessness—an inability to truly relax enough to fall asleep—which made it feel like "noise" was the problem when, really, it was my own mind.

I totally hear you. That clock is driving me nuts too, but I just yank the batteries out to get some peace. Honestly, though, I don’t have a formal list of grievances to hand over—I’m just out here hunting for work, hitting up these training courses, and everything seems to be moving along fine. It’s just this one nagging thing weighing on my mind, you know? Like, maybe if someone actually signed off on it, I'd feel better about it, haha.
you feel me?