Alaska Sleep Education Center

Sleeping Better Despite the Noisy City

Living in a noisy urban area can affect the quality of your sleep a lot. Some people find street noise to be helpful when it comes to falling asleep because it distracts them from their thoughts, therefore, making it easier to fall asleep.
Others, on the other hand, can’t fall asleep and if they do, they wake up frequently during the night. If that is the case with you, we have some tips that will help you sleep better when living in a noisy urban area.
Change the Order of Your Furniture
The first thing you must do is move your bed away from the window. No matter how much you like looking at the stars from your bed, if you live in a noisy area, sleeping close to your window is not a good idea. Moving your furniture around is a small change but it can be very helpful. But if moving your furniture isn’t possible, it’s not the end of the world.
There are other ways you can isolate yourself from the noises.
Adding new furniture can also be very helpful. Empty rooms seem louder as there is more echo. Buying a new bookshelf for books and other things can help with the problem at least a little as it will lower the echo effect.
Move your bed away from the window.


Acoustic Panels
Acoustic panels aren’t your typical wall decorations but they sure work when it comes to making your room quieter. They absorb noise effectively. Placing these panels on just one of the walls will do the trick. Even this slight change can help you with improving your sleep.
One of the many things people do to prepare for becoming a New Yorker is installing acoustic panels in their bedroom as New York is a very loud city and the walls on the buildings are very thin. Thin walls are definitely a nightmare you don’t want to have. But if that’s the case, acoustic panels will be your best friends.
Sound-proof Your Windows
Sound-proofing sounds very hard to do but it actually isn’t hard at all. In old buildings, you can usually find some gaps between the walls and the windows. These small gaps can easily be filled with an insulating foam sealant made for use on windows and doors. For the extra sound-proof effect, install thick curtains.
How to seep better when living in a noisy urban area (2)These curtains will not only block the noises from coming inside but any unwanted lights too. And if it’s possible, install double or secondary glazing windows. These types of windows work best when you need to block out noises.
Earplugs and Eye Covers
Earplugs work very well when you need to sleep in a noisy area. They help with keeping it quiet.
Eye-covers are very helpful too. Our eyes follow the sound. So when you are trying to fall asleep and there is a lot of noise, your eyes will immediately try to follow the sound. But if you have an eye-cover, your eyes are unable to do just that. Using these will also help you feel more rested. So if you noticed that you are tired even after a full night of sleeping, try using both earplugs and eye-covers.
 You will sleep like a baby using earplugs.


Use White Noise to Help You Fall Asleep
White noise is the noise our electronics make. Air conditioner noise is white noise. Fan and computer noises too. A lot of babies enjoy white noise. It can really help you fall asleep easier. Sometimes it can even block out the outside noises completely.
Play Some Light Music or Sounds
In order to sleep better when living in a noisy urban area, you might need to listen to more sounds. This doesn’t sound like a good idea but it is. Playing light classical music such as Mozart can be very helpful. It will make you fall asleep faster and have a better night of sleep too.
Some people find certain sounds helpful. Sounds such as rain, waves, wind. You can find and listen to these noises on the internet. They are very relaxing. Just make sure that whatever sounds you listen to; you listen to them only when it’s time for sleeping. The same goes for classical music. This will then trigger your brain to create a habit of falling asleep when you listen to those sounds and melodies.
After some time, you will start to feel sleepy as soon as you hear those sounds. Listening to classical music and sounds has been proven to help people sleep better.
alt – headphones
If classical music and various sounds don’t do the trick, listen to the music you love but without the lyrics. If there are lyrics, your brain will focus on understanding what’s happening in the song or even worse, you will start singing the song inside your head.
All of this might sound silly to some people but what they don’t realize is that a lot of people become sleep deprived because of the noises that don’t let them sleep. And sleep deprivation has some spooky side effects.
Use Your Bed Only for Sleeping
Your day can ruin your sleeping. A lot of people make a mistake and use their bed for more than just for sleeping and lounging around. A lot of people eat, study or work on their beds. This isn’t good to do.
You have to train yourself that your bed is meant for sleeping and resting and not for eating, studying or working.
Get a Better Mattress and Pillows
We tend to forget that mattresses and pillows change over time if you use them every day. This is a friendly reminder for you. Buy a new mattress and pillows, better than the previous ones. If your bed is comfortable, the noises will disappear by themselves. Changing these every few years will also keep you healthier. Getting new bed sheets once a year is also a good idea.
Conclusion
In conclusion, living in a noisy area is good for some people and for others – not so much. Those people who just can’t seem to sleep properly even after following our tips should consider going to a doctor. Many serious issues can appear if you don’t sleep well or if you don’t sleep enough. But before you go and talk to a professional, try doing everything you can to fix this problem on your own.our Life.
No matter where you live or how noisy the surroundings may be, you cannot move past a sleep disorder on your own.  If you think you have sleep apnea, call Alaska Sleep Clinic today for proper diagnosis and treatment. 
Improve Your Sleep.  Improve Your Life.
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Alaska Sleep Clinic's Blog

Our weekly updated blog aims to provide you with answers and information to all of your sleeping questions.

Brent Fisher, MBA, FACHE, FACMPE
President and Chief Executive Officer

“Alaska Sleep Clinic has a history of providing the most comprehensive sleep medicine services in the state of Alaska. Its potential has only begun. I am here to take these high-quality, comprehensive services to all Alaskans.”

Experience

Brent Fisher has held leadership positions spanning a wide variety of complex and start-up organizations: manufacturing (pharmaceutical & medical device), software development, hospitals (academic and community), medical groups, consulting, hospice, military, engineered devices, engineered plastics, and private equity.

Publications and Organizations

His writings have been published in various magazines, trade journals, and medical journals, including the Physician Executive Journal, Healthcare Executive, Modern Healthcare, Group Practice Journal, New England Journal of Medicine, and Journal of Healthcare Management (Best Article Award).

He has served on the Board of Directors of professional associations, civic organizations, and businesses.

Hobbies and Activities

Brent enjoys being with his family, serving in the community, hiking, camping, fishing, and hunting.