Sleep impacts every aspect of our lives, from mood to the ability to concentrate. However, getting high-quality sleep can be difficult for people who share a living space with someone else (or many others). College parties, guests and late-night study sessions can all contribute to a noisy sleep environment.
Sleep deprivation symptoms
If you aren’t getting enough sleep, you may struggle with the following:
Stress
Anxiety
Depression
Low mood or frustration
Difficulty concentrating, making decisions and reasoning
Brain fog
Behavior changes
Tips for sleeping in a loud environment
Getting enough sleep is vital to your wellbeing and academic performance when you're in school. Dealing with a loud environment can make sleep difficult, but you can find ways to cope, these include:
Use earplugs. Earplugs are an excellent option to block out sound. Try foam earplugs to start or, for a more comfortable option, invest in ones made specifically for sleep.
Use white or brown noise. While not as effective as earplugs, sleeping with white or brown noise can minimize the impact of nighttime disturbances.
Headphones or earbuds. Headphones or earbuds also help block out noise. Playing the same song, podcast or spoken word recording every night helps develop a routine that teaches your body to sleep when you hear those sounds.
Hang noise-canceling tapestries or curtains. If you share a room, use noise-canceling tapestries to make a canopy around your bed. If you have your own room, hang them on the walls or over your door to block out as much sound as possible.
Communicate with your roommate. Finally, one of the best things you can do is communicate. Talk to your roommate about the noise level. They may not realize the sounds are disturbing your sleep. Together, you may be able to find a solution.
