Hey, OP, consider sleeping with ear plugs. They're scientifically proven to reduce night time awakenings due to audio disturbances. [1]
[1] https://academic.oup.com/sleep/advance-article/doi/10.1093/s...
Hey, OP, consider sleeping with ear plugs. They're scientifically proven to reduce night time awakenings due to audio disturbances. [1]
[1] https://academic.oup.com/sleep/advance-article/doi/10.1093/s...
Don't listen to him– he is a cat burglar, and you being deaf at night helps him steal your cats.
> Don't listen to him
That's the idea
Hopefully the ear plugs are good enough to not hear the "badum tiss" too :)
Is there such a flourishing black market for subtracted cats that would prompt burglars to steal these pets?
You can't subtract cats, you have to concatenate then truncate.
concatenating cats is useless use of cat, you can just provide more arguments instead
You can create a meme by concatenating cats: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longcat
Yeah they just finished their series A funding yesterday. Sorry to hear you missed out
I don't think it will work out. Dwarf fortress got it right. Cats own you, not vice versa.
Which is the infinite money glitch.
You're worth X.
You have 1 cat who owns you, total value X.
Get 10 black market cats for free, now 11 cats own you for a total net worth of 11X.
That's even before considering the compound effect of each cat owning a human worth 11X, which means you can divest from 1 cat for 11X, and still be worth 110*X.
The system basically works like xAI shares. Don't look too close into it.
That's seems like a shady business, I'll have a thousand shares
It's alright, I'll just hide my cats along with my kids and wife.
AFAIK there is some inflammation potential if earplugs are used all night everyday.
https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/advice-wearing-ea...
Trash night (early morning) is once a week in my area. You can use the ear plugs strategically.
I've been using them for decades without issue, FWIW.
You are either a scientific anomaly or a single data point. Or both.
Well, then I am another anomaly and data point. I'm using ear plugs for 30 years at least 95% of nights. Never ever had an ear infection.
I am also a scientific anomaly. Seems there are a lot of us!
Me too, 20 years without a single ear infection and without a single day without ear plugs
I have found it depends on how comfortable the earplugs are. If I feel they are uncomfortable in the ear, there is a good chance I'll get an infection/inflammation in the next few days.
ime finding the right earplugs is the key. there are lots of options a of diameter, density and material to try out. getting the right one made a big difference for me
Foam: cheap, scratchy, ineffective. This one will give you abrasions sometimes.
Silicone: expensive, effective, fussy.
Wax: cheap, effective, disposable. (Needs warming up, slight drawback.)
I have like 20 brands of foam earplugs in my drawer, 5 different pairs of custom silicone airplugs, unusual earplugs from Kickstarter like [1], and so on. What I'm saying is I know my way around the earplug block. Here's what I'd write for your categories:
Foam: The most effective, by far. I suspect many people wear them incorrectly and do not insert them far enough. You can use lube (they make special ear lube for stuff like hearing aids, although I think anything medical grade will do) if you have difficulty doing so. I have unusually small ear canals; the most comfortable and best I've found by a mile are Mack's Ultra Soft Foam Earplugs. These are much more comfortable than slim fit alternatives and also have very high attenuation.
Silicone: expensive (but they're reusable and last years), but the least fussy once you get them. They are moulded to your goddamn ear---it's a perfect, pressure-free fit every time and they go right in. Drawbacks include lesser attenuation and attenuation that isn't immediately at 100%---it takes a while for it to "seal". I abadoned these once moisture started to accumulate between my ear canal and the plug and I'd hear it as I moved and it became very annoying.
Wax: joke attenuations compared to foam, and bad compared to silicone. The most expensive long-term unless you're serious about reuse. Somewhat fussy and may fall out. Very comfortable (little insertion).
Foam + wax: this is what you really want if you care about maximum attenuation. My ear canals are slightly too short to comfortably insert an entire Mack's earplug, so I snip the ends off mine, lube them up, and insert them completely flush into my ear canal. Then, I take a wax plug and mould it on top. It's perfectly comfortable and it performs better than any other option I'm aware of. I tend to also wear a Bluetooth sleep mask and play rain sounds on 100% volume and it just comes through the double earplug situation to mask any very loud/spurious noise. To remove the flush-inserted earplugs, I use a pair of blunt tweezers.
When I used slim fit foam earplugs I'd routinely get ear infections. Switching to silicone fixed that, but suffered from the aforementioned issues. With the ultra soft earplugs + wax method I never get ear infections. I make sure to always insert a fresh pair (but I reuse the wax ones for a few days) and to always do so with clean hands. I think the infections are due to friction between the plug and the canal during insertion as well as plugs that are too large/exert too much pressure once expanded---the lube and very soft plug addresses those issues.
[1] https://paxauris.com/
Oh well lube would make a huge difference, it's true. Some places require me to wear foam ones for health and safety reasons, and I always put water on them, for softness and a good seal. By calling the silicone ones fussy I just meant that they need washing, really (I am lazy). I buy big boxes of wax ones, they cost approximately nothing and come with a little storage container, and then I throw the current pair away after a week or two, mainly because they start to look gross (I suspect bacteria don't actually find paraffin wax hospitable).
I have the same experience with foam being best at noise blocking. The brand makes a big difference. 3M ear plugs are terrible. Best brand is Oropax.
Foam are indeed the best, but there's a lot of variation in sound blocking quality and ear comfort. Experimentation is needed to find what works for you.
White noise also helps without the need for ear plugs. Depends how loud the disturbances are.
> they make special ear lube
huh, potentially a game-changer. Thank you!
That's bad, because I suffer from pulse-synchronous tinnitus and they help. Can't find a cause though, on some days it's gone completely.
yeah my wife has some custom made silicon ones. She frequently gets external otitis from wearing them too many nights in a row.
I guess it depends on the person because I've been wearing them every night for years with no side effects. I use those laser lite ones and use a new pair every night (they're very cheap).
The only downside is you get used to the quiet and it means when I don't sleep with them I get a worse night sleep than I used to. (But I still get a better night sleep with them than when I didn't use them.)
Question: Doesn't this just allow ear wax to get impacted for 8 hours?
I have custom molded ones. They help a lot, however high pitched sudden noises still get through and wake me up. I never managed to sleep without earplugs since moving to this city. Not considering moving due to the quality of life (apart from the noise)
Are custom molded ones better?
I’ve been using swimmers plugs for a few years now and they’ve been fine. Do you use an eye mask too?
There are special molded ones optimized for sleep. Cost me around 100€, never going back.
But I think you need to get lucky with the ear canal print. Mine had 30 days return policy of they don’t fit well. I did it in a local store
They are pretty comfortable, though they take getting used to because the seal is perfect and you'll slightly pressurize your ear canal which is a strange feeling. They'll also fit slightly inside your ear, so lying sideways is fine.
The downside is they're very expensive, relative to other earplugs and mine no longer seal as well as they used to so I'd need to get a new pair. They're still better than nothing. I started using earbuds around the same time, from using cans, and I wonder if I've very slightly widened my ear's opening.
I also use an eye mask if I'm somewhere that doesn't have good curtains or blinds. Really works very well, but I recommend one that wraps around and doesn't have an elastic band to dig into your ears (Matador makes a good one).
Yes. Wearing regular earplugs will change the shape of your ear, and many people can't tolerate it every night.
They don’t block much more noise but they’re much more comfortable
I am curious: What city?
Barcelona, Spain. Basically narrow streets, full of loud motorbikes, mostly single glassing in windows, trash collection happens for some reason at night, noisy culture. Still love the city though. But originally grew up in a quiet country and on the outside the city with 0 noise during day and night
Interesting. Taipei, Taiwan has a similar problem: Endless motorbikes and motorscooters. The droning background noise of two stroke engines is awful (plus air pollution!). However, it is improving quickly with the arrival of electric equivalents. Is Barcelona pushing to replace two stroke engines with electric? It will make a huge difference! Also, I wonder if electric garbage trucks could also help.
I've been using those for a few years. I also cover my eyes with a sleeping mask in the summer. In this part of the world (Berlin) it gets light around 4am in the summer. About 3-4 hours before I want to wake up. I'm sensitive to light, I sleep longer in the winter.
Or as an alternative I use blackout curtains.
Once I also had automatic blackout blinds, they would slowly roll up before my my alarm rings. All controlled by home assistant, which can read the phono alarm time. Waking up slowly by light is nice :)
Heavy / blackout curtains are great for noise insulation / echoes / reverb / heat management, too. But there's often some leakage above and below, so a combination of blackout curtains, blinds, and / or outdoor blinds is likely the best option. But that's three separate investments and may not be possible if you rent.
Depending on your setup it might not be enough. I have those in the bedroom, but I can't install them on the rest of the flat (they're not the most beautiful). Leaving the bedroom door open for proper air quality leads inevitably to light coming in from other rooms. Yes it's that bright in Berlin at 4am in summer. Therefore I second the mask. There are a lot of option that are super comfortable and cheap on Amazon.
What about your rouladen? Articulated steel blinds block quite a lot of light, don't they?
You mean "Rollläden", Rouladen are the rolled meat things.
Are you sure they're not the same thing? I'm quite certain I've heard people talk about "beef curtains."
Same for Seattle! And I got one for the exact same reasons. Once you got used to them, a sleeping mask and earplugs is pure bliss.
I have fallen into the (questionable) habit of sleeping with Airpods. I used to wake up with my mind racing and not be able to fall back asleep. The Airpods helped distract and sedate my midnight thoughts such that I would fall back asleep much quicker than without. I've progressively shifted towards falling asleep listening to the droll of engaging non-fiction, but keep them in my ears in noise canceling mode with no media for the remainder of my night.
Again, not medical advice, just anectdotal experience..
Edit: this is entirely due to the 'Stop playing when falling asleep' function of iOS 26, which I loathe. But this feature barely make it worthwhile.
I was wondering how good their noise cancelation would be for night-time sleeping, how effective would you say it is?
The tinnitus is deafeningly loud with earplugs for me. Better to have a white noise generator or a fan running.
I sympathize with you, but there are people who don't have a tinnitus, and for those, they might be a solution...
How can anyone sleep with these things? My ears get extremely sweaty and sore after half an hour.
I've been sleeping with ear plugs for well over 10 years at this point, so I feel qualified to answer.
1. You have to find the right ear plugs for YOU. Everyone has different ear canal size, shape, sensitivity, etc.
2. They should never be painful unless you are doing it wrong. Yes, they are likely to be uncomfortable at first, but the first time you wake up feeling like a million bucks because you got 8 uninterrupted hours of sleep for the first time in your life, you will happily accept the temporary discomfort.
This, this exactly. Uncomfortable and itchy to the point of keeping me awake until I take them out. Do not understand how anyone can sleep with them in!
I take ear plugs with me when travelling but I really hate wearing them. I've tried all kinds. Silicone is best. There is a knack to making them a bit more comfortable, but they're still not great. I sleep on my side which probably doesn't help. If I wear them for more than a couple of nights my ears get really sore.
What they're good for is sleeping due to desperation while travelling. I couldn't imagine having to wear them every day at home. That sounds like hell.
Yeah, this seems like a way overengineered solution.
I moved to the US 15 years ago and it was too noisey for me to sleep well (fire trucks, cars, etc), but ear plugs solved the problem and are portable to other places you might need to sleep.
I recommend these: Mack's Pillow Soft Silicone Earplugs. Can be found on Amazon. Block out A LOT of noise.
They’re little putty molds that you shape to fit your ear.
I also rip them in half before molding so I get 2 ear plugs from 1 putty.
Quies foamies. After wearing military issue 3M foamies around jet engines for years, I bought some of these Quies and were very surprised to discover that they could be made so comfortable, and also long lasting.
Wax-style earplugs like you describe are the only kind that a friend of mine uses. The foam ones never fit them.
I would think earwax build up would increase with that
Definitely does.
I used to wear them every night and they definitely improved my sleep. But then I also had instances where my ear was blocked with wax for several days.
YMMV
My suspicion from regular use of ear plugs is that the wax sticks to the plug every night. I use a new set every night. Pretty wasteful, but man, I need my sleep.
I use Loop silicone earplugs, they’re reusable and washable. Used to use the disposables but got tired of the waste.
I can confirm. I also use in-ear headphones daily which I think exacerbates it further. It can be fixed by an occasional ear wash though.
Yeah, they can block drainage
I used to have lots of earwax buildup that kept me from using earplugs.
Then I fixed my health.
What did you do to fix your earwax buildup?
Leave the environments that stimulated it.
Stop eating the foods that stimulate it.
I now have visible production on a tissue or cotton swab once a week or fewer.
There’s no real evidence linking specific foods with ear wax production.
Also, for anyone getting reading this, cotton swabs in your ears is a bad idea and usually makes the problem worse (pushes wax in and compacts it).
> There’s no real evidence linking specific foods with ear wax production.
That’s not what’s being discussed.
They asked what I did.
This is anecdata.
and anecdotally:
I no longer make enough wax to see in a month.
You’re free to share your anecdata.
But you also shouldn’t be surprised if someone challenges the implications or merits of your anecdata, for the benefit of others that might take it as good advice.
Yes, it’s no longer good advice to
checks notes
consider switching up environment
or diet/things you’re ingesting,
if you’re generating excess goo known for waste-carrying,
and protection from environmental debris...
Are you serious?
Feel free to struggle until a peer-reviewed study gives you permission not to,
but don’t be surprised if others continue making basic observations and improvements for themselves.
I didn’t refute a link between environmental factors and ear wax production. Nor did I say improving diet isn’t a good thing in general.
But changing your diet won’t help with ear wax. And cotton swabs are a bad idea.
You seem upset; this is just a discussion on an internet forum. It’s ok for people to have different opinions and share them in a thread :)
You changing YOUR diet may not help your earwax.
Changing mine does - and I can reliably show it - and I’m what was asked about.
Also, cotton-swabs or a tissue aren’t a bad idea (again, anecdotally for me - what was asked about)
unless one has build-up,
and/or the ear opening has become smaller as a protective measure,
ensuring one rifles the gunk in from the walls,
instead of going past it in the center,
and then pulling out and around the walls.
Most have ear-openings too-tight to even know what I’m referring to.
Anyway, not upset, just steadfast that words matter.
and that individuals don’t need the permission of peer-reviewed studies (or you!) to make basic improvements in their lives.
Just because someone has perceived that doing X leads to Y doesn’t mean there’s causation. Easy and common mistake to make though.
Anyway, I’m not trying to convince you of anything. My comment was aimed at other readers; further discussion between us won’t be necessary. Good day! :)
Cotton swabs were/are the problem. Using them can cause impacted earwax.
If there's enough earwax in there to get pushed around and compacted, then it seems like there is some other issue going on? Is having small mounds of wax per permanently living in the ear canal normal for some people?
I have been wearing ear plugs every night for over a decade and cleaning my ears with cotton swabs at least every other day for my whole life and never once had ear wax build up.
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Whenever I sleep with ear plugs, I wake up with brain fog.
i find earplugs so uncomfortable that it ruins my night
Get custom fitted ones at an audiologist.
They are very comfortable, at least in the upward facing ear, for me. Foamies are only tolerable a couple of nights for me.
Do they suppress as much noise?
The ones I have are rated at about 20db, compared to approximately 30db for the best foam earplugs, but they are much more comfortable for every-night wear. I use foam ear plugs occasionally when I know I'm going to be in a very noisy environment or need perfect sleep.
I was dealing with longterm chronic infections, when my ears were that sensitive.
Maybe I've seen too many horror movies, but aren't you concerned about not hearing an intruder and being able to respond? Maybe I'm paranoid. :)
Yeah this is my primary qualm just as a dad with four young kids, I’m addition to needing to hear them if they have a night terror or something. I still use them occasionally though.
Wear earplugs and adopt a dog. Best of both worlds.
Is the risk of intruders a real or a perceived problem? How does it weigh with sleep quality?
Frankly, my sleep is so poor that if they mind the noise level they can take what they can carry.
A would be intruder did bang on my door at 3am (I guess to test if anyone was in) and I looked pretty pissed off and menacing when I opened the door (ex prop forward rugby player) and they ran off. Maybe not the smartest move on my part.
Apparently they immediately decided to break into my neighbours a few doors down while people were sleeping.
As I sit in bed at midnight, winding down from my day, this comment gave me a great belly laugh. Thanks!
Smoke detectors are another reason
You will never not hear a smoke alarm while wearing ear plugs.
They are effective at attenuating noise, ineffective at eliminating it.
Except for me… I sleep through smoke alarms without any earplugs or medications. :/
Luckily smoke detectors and true (loud) emergencies seem to punch right through without any issues.
I wear ear plugs every night. The disposable foam ones are good enough to prevent me from being woken up by my partner getting ready before me, but I would most certainly hear a fire alarm. I'm laying in bed right now with them in and I can still hear the fan pointed at me. They significantly reduce low-mid range frequencies, but they're not 100% soundproof
No no, we first need to adopt a technology that consumes more water and energy than a small town to solve a problem we've already solved!
Jokes aside: overengineering issue like this to LEARN a new coding language, hardware setup, platform etc. used to be a great opportunity for skills growth. Now honestly it's hard to justify, if you're using AI to do it. With the added insult that the sycophantic AI will also make you feel like a genius for overthinking a stupid idea.
take your anti-technology sentiment back to reddit please. very annoying to hear same thing repeated 100 times on every post.
It's especially tiring how apparently datacenters were invented last year. Datacenters were fine when you were using them to encode video for the billionth mindless TikTok short, but AI suddenly made them the scourge of the earth?
Most disingenuous or misinformed or both take of the week
Have you thought about the fact that people are expressing a valid consensus on how the technology is being appropriated and deployed, and used to concentrate wealth for a limited few faster and more worryingly than ever before?
This comment is particularly infuriating, because I FUCKING LOVE TECHNOLOGY, my own entire existence is built around the fantastic opportunities to do good that tech opened for us, before it was appropriated and capitalized and optimized and turned into a tool of domination.
So, franly GO FUCK YOURSELF, simp.