I have a brain injury, TBI, physical & mental disiabilities. Small bungalow, trrraced, neighbours bothy sides, thin walls.
My brai n injury caused a hypersensitivity to noise and/or machines. Neighbours to one side either produce banging noises or wash and dry clothes overnight. ....to be continued because this ite won't let me copy paste from a text file.
The banging wakes me up every time- asingle bang will do it. Recently they started using machines overnight. As long as these are on I am wide awake.
I need to ask the community if you've had this experience and what , if any, solutions you found to help.
The thing is I can block/mask the sound from the machines so it's something else they're producing keeping me awake.
Maybe the steel drum being rotated by the electric motor - electromagnetric field. Or the particular frequency the machines operate at. I sleep as far away as possible but its not far enough. O the machines produce a subsonic frequency that my damaged brain picks up on and reads as a signal to wake up.???
I have chronic Insomnia due to the noises and all the pills and potions and clinical help/advice has not helped. a house move is not possible.
Does anyone have a similar problem and have you found a way to counter/ overide noise ? Thanks.
Hi blacksailedtraders
I don't know your layout of course, just have a few ideas that may or may not help.
I like PairofBoots idea to talk to occupational therapy or adaptive therapy and see what they can come up with.
I used to fall if one of my neighbours fired up the lawn mower or a leaf blower, or a truck beeped driving in the street. I ended up getting my windows replaced with laminated glass - this cuts noise transmisison by 30%. I realize this may not be possilbe for you.
The other thing that can work is putting layers of bubble wrap in the window and then covering it up with a heavy blackout curtain. (Obviously you can't do your whole place like this but maybe one room.)
You can perhaps also do something with the wall you share - I'd discuss with occupational health. I know one person, for example, put up egg cartons and then stuff on top of that. If it is transmitting through shared floor boards, maybe not much you can do except try to isolate the vibrations coming to the furniture you are sitting on, or the bed you use.
I couldn't use ear plugs as I couldn't handle anything being in my ear, but if you can there are a few options. You can go fancy and get silicon ones custom made for your ears, or go off the shelf with say Loop protectors which offer I think 3 different choices of decibel reduction.
Maybe you could put another layer of curtains around your bed.
In days gone by people actually build cupboard type contraptions to sleep in - extra sound and light protection.
In my experience you have to know your neighbours well before you bring such things up. Some of them will try to help, and some will just try to rub it in more, unfortunately. They also may be doing laundry at night, for example, as power is often cheaper at night during off peak hours. (I don't live in the UK and this is the case, maybe not the same there.)
Or, if they are very routine people you may have to change yours, if you can. Not fair, but it might work.
I read what you said again and you feel it isn't the sound as you can block that. Oh well, I'll leave it in in case someone else is looking for ideas for that.
OK. there is a fabric you can get that will keep electromagnetic fields from passing through. I have seen those on sites geared for people with environmental sensitivities. And, don't feel weird about that - I used to go to a therapist and there was one of those big electrical boxes on the street near her place - I was in literal pain going past the thing for the longest time.
(With these just don't do 3 or 4 sides and then use electronics inside - it'll bounce around in there and torture you.)
If it is a vibration there may be some kind of aborbant material you can put under the legs of the bed or furniture so it doesn't transmit. Rubber? I have seen tiles for gym floors.
A hammock?
I am sure the OTs would have some ideas.
These things can be hard to figure out, for sure.
I know here they also have a project at the local uni that makes adaptive things for people with disabilities. They may have something similar there. (Though I think mostly we get left to come up with things on our own... but, you may get lucky.)
Keep us posted.
Leaf
Hi, I can appreciate how difficult noise can be. It still has an effect on me at times, but luckily not at times that would cause problems, although it can be distressing.
I don't know how well you get on with your neighbours, if at other times you have any social interaction. Sometimes if you do chat, you can slip the subject in almost without being overt. Sometimes people don't appreciate how much their life choices impact on others, and even without making a big point, it can cause people to reconsider how, or when they do certain things.
Unfortunately life isn't always as simple. Sometimes it is a case of adapt and conquer life's challenges. You say about sleeping as far away from the noise, are there other things that may be of help, further sound proofing measures, you maybe able to get assistance from occupational therapy.
Do you have someone that can advocate on your behalf? If the noise is what could be considered a noise intrusion, then environmental health may be able to intervene.
I'm sorry I don't have any off the peg solutions. Noise is something that can cause major problems at the best of times. 🍀
"I have a brain injury, TBI, physical & mental disabilities. Small bungalow, terraced, neighbours both sides, thin walls."
- I too get very irritated by noise of varying sorts and that situation would be my worst nightmare. I live in a semi had a few issues over the years. If you or someone on your behalf could educate them on your condition and it's unusual effects then they may be more considerate? Not sure what pills or potions you've taken but something for overnight anxiety would be something I'd try. I sleep with a foam ear plug in one ear, which is the most sensitive to noise and an eye mask (about 3 or 4£ off e-bay) which mean that if you wake you don't get bothered by the light and it's much easier to drift off again.
Hi and thanks for the replies/ideas. I always sleep with a radio on at a low volume, a noise machine playing, white noises etc. An ear plug in one ear and a air tube ear bud speaker connected to an old mp3 player, playing thunder and lighting.
I usually spend around 10 -12 hours in bed because I'm woken so many times by the bangs. (very strong and deep loud bangs - shockwave). It takes me hours to get back to sleep. ( the lack of regular sleep has hit the immune system - healing takes longer for cuts & bruises).
Good ideas about floor mats to absorb any vibrations. Have put rubber feet under bed legs for a start.
I can measure electrical and magnetic levels and they are very low at bed level. I also cover my eyes when I sleep.
Now Sleep Hallucinations!
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