The Money Mustache Community
General Discussion => Post-FIRE => Topic started by: smoghat on November 24, 2018, 09:16:05 AM
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Over the last couple of years, I have come to realize that I am overly sensitive to sound. I think it’s near disability levels.
We are at my wife’s parents for the holiday and it’s too loud for me here. Both brothers in law are *really loud*, the parents are constantly making noise (whistling and so on), even the house makes noises (radiators, water hammers, grandfather clock). I had a job doing research and was asked to work in an open office and couldn’t think at all. After FIRE, being at home has become harder since I am around when the laundry goes bonkers, when the dishwasher is on (it’s near silent except my wife never plugs the drains), when the leaf blowers and chain saws come out, etc.
I think some of this is situational: with other families I’ve been to, it’d be just fine, but this one just happens to be very loud (and it’s been 25 years so none of that’s going to change) and if I lived away from suburban lawns, I would at least be able to avoid the leaf blowers, but I’ve sunk a huge amount of effort into my house (I know, who cares) and my kids are in the school district (that’s more serious).
My therapist tells me to take mindfulness classes (I did, helped a little not much), I have noise cancelling headphones on now with music and am in the bedroom with the door shut, but that hardly is social.
Queue the jolly posts about how I just need to blast a noise synth at them (actually I got into eurorack to provide background sound in my office while I worked) because it’s muffwiggler (add a few who will say this doesn’t exist), but has anyone found any sort of therapy or book worthwhile?
I do go to a float tank once a week, it’s pricey, but it’s heaven.
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Right there with you!! (And I *am* designated disabled. This is considered part of a bigger profile in my case.)
My current home is silent and I go crazy with joy. The silence has been SO HEALING for me!
Before that, things were too hard. I spent so much of each day physically cringing, cowering into a ball when the noise would start up... Yesterday I waited 45 minutes for my teen in one of his favourite spaces and I was quickly trembling with the sensory input. It seemed to bother no one else. The sound thing is physically exhausting; I just get profoundly drained by it.
I have awesome noise-cancelling headphones. I used to have to wear them many hours I was at home, because of sound-transfer from adjoining units, but now I only need them when the neighbouring complex mows or blows.
***Sleeping on my main floor carpet helps a lot.***
What I eat and drink makes a massive difference.
Physical pressure (e.g. squeezing my skull, having someone walk on my back, etc) helps a lot.
If I can guarantee enough hours of silence (as I finally can in my new home), I can cope with the sounds in the world.
Recently I learned there is an advantage to my sound-sensitivity: Although a full-on amateur, I'm able to make music quite well. I had never known that before.
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Wow, thanks for posting. At least I don’t feel alone about this. Looking forward to hearing more (yes, I realize it’s a pun).
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What an interesting post and I am so sorry to hear of your suffering. That sounds perpetually exhausting.
I am sensitive to noise but nowhere near like what you describe. My mother says that when she was pregnant with me at a loud party I got so upset inside her uterus that she had to go lie down in a back bedroom. As a baby I’d cry if a big truck pulled up next to us at a red light. I hate loud noises, especially abrupt loud noises to this day.
Separately I am introverted so I find the noise and bustle of people all the time to be wearing. Some is fine, but I really need my quiet space to rejuvenate. Out of curiosity, is it all noise or just “stressful” noise? Meaning, if you were alone in the forest and had the sound of birds and flowing water and scuttering creatures would that be troublesome also?
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...is it all noise or just “stressful” noise? Meaning, if you were alone in the forest and had the sound of birds and flowing water and scuttering creatures would that be troublesome also?
For me it's pretty much all sounds, including those that are supposed to be soothing. Ocean waves, friendly voices, chimes, birds, rain...
I adore some kinds (chirp of small birds, chimes) if I've had lots of silence and my nervous system is regulated. Ocean, wind, rain, etc, generally not.
LOVE the sound of snow :)
And aspen leaves in a light breeze.
And my chopping knife if there is no other sensory input.
And chickens! Always chickens.
A low soothing bass-ish voice is such a godsend to my nervous system that I've accidentally gotten into poor relationships just because it's so rare that I can bear a human voice enough hours.
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I have some level of sound sensitivity, too. Some single noises are enough to bother me (often machinery/engine noises or noises with a whining aspect, like drilling) and sometimes it's just being overwhelmed by too many competing noises (like being in a house full of loud talkers and TV and music and etc.). The effect is to feel sort of mentally/psychologically exhausted or harried, like the people making the noise are trying to drive you crazy on purpose and you feel sort of hunted down by it because noise is so hard to escape.
I have chronic migraines and I think it's related to that - I'm sensitive to certain kinds of light (bright, flickering, fluorescent, etc.) as well as certain kinds of sounds and they are all migraine triggers for me. I wear earplugs to sleep (and occasionally at home while awake if there is construction nearby or I'm just feeling fragile - or even if I'm on the subway by myself and feeling stressed). They help a lot, but of course you can't wear them at a party or something.
It's so hard to explain to people who don't have this kind of sensory problem what it's like, and I get a lot of people who think I'm just some super-picky diva type who insists on having my environment "just so" or I whine about it. It's so much worse than they can comprehend. I'm currently shutting myself in my apartment all weekend recovering from spending three days with family/traveling/etc. because it was all so overwhelming to my poor brain.
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I'm not bothered much by natural noises like wind, rain, ocean, birds, etc. I keep my windows closed, and I'm more bothered / distracted by the sound of trains (the low fequency rumble much more so than the whistle), barking dogs, thumping bass in passing cars, yelling/screeching kids, a basketball bouncing off the neighbor's driveway, an excessively loud condenser unit, gasoline engine mowers, etc. I'm a half mile from the closest train, and it's still way too close. At work, I'm fortunate to have my own office, so the only problem there is the guy that works one office over - through the wall behind me, I can hear him talking on the phone sometimes and his door slamming quite a few times each day (one of those heavy auto-closing fire doors). Thank goodness I don't have to share an office anymore.
At home, if I have the TV or stereo playing, that masks out outside sounds pretty well, except the next door neighbors mowing, particularly on the side nearest me.
If I'm around other people or out in public, noises don't bother me as much as when I'm distracted in my own home of office alone.
This topic comes up from time to time.
https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/off-topic/suburban-noise-pollution/
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I enjoy the quietude of a bucolic home.
As I have posted in another thread, I could not bear the incessant din of life in a city or suburb.
During the summer my home (located ~35 miles from Yosemite Park) was in a brush-clearing zone.
The work went on for months.
I HATED the buzz of the chainsaws and the thump and clang of the trucks.
Happily, it's quiet again now that the clearing is finished.
Having lived where it's quiet I've definitely become more sensitive to sound.
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I'm not bothered much by natural noises like wind, rain, ocean, birds, etc.
Same here.
The fauna of my neighborhood includes coyotes, foxes, crows, doves, woodpeckers, quail, and owls.
I know the sound of each.
The squirrels cluck and on occasion, whinny just like a horse!
The swish of the pine trees in my backyard is one of my favorite sounds.
I also like the whistling wind of a winter storm.
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Separately I am introverted so I find the noise and bustle of people all the time to be wearing. Some is fine, but I really need my quiet space to rejuvenate. Out of curiosity, is it all noise or just “stressful” noise? Meaning, if you were alone in the forest and had the sound of birds and flowing water and scuttering creatures would that be troublesome also?
The first time I really recall it being a problem is the sound of birds if I’d stayed up all night. But generally speaking nature isn’t a problem. In the forest, I’d be just fine. I also don’t really mind traffic noises, I used to live on a very busy street (Wilshire Boulevard in LA) and it was fine.
Today I was going to decompress after Thanksgiving at the in laws. It was crazy loud and the house is so badly laid out (I used to work in architecture, it bugged me to no end that they didn’t want me to give my input... and now of course their house is terrible) that there’s no place of refuge for me. This morning I was listening to some quiet music and my neighbor’s boyfriend started up a gas powered leaf blower. She knows very well that leaf blowers bother me and is sympathetic, but this guy, I think, is into it as a sign of being macho. My blood pressure rose sky high.
A while back I was at a house in the countryside. I was talking to the owners and I suddenly stopped. I realized that when we weren’t talking, it was silent. Bliss.
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I can't stand the sound of dogs barking, I mean for long periods of time. As I've gotten older I have a hard time tuning it out.
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I've had what is now called misophonia since I was a child. My biggest triggers are noises people make with their mouths/noses -- chewing, crunching, coughing, sniffling, loud breathing, tongue clucking, swallowing, air escaping through the nose while talking, etc. Also very difficult: dogs barking endlessly, a neighbor using a chainsaw, people talking in the background when I'm trying to concentrate, and multiple conversations (and/or other sounds) going on in the same space simultaneously.
Everyone in my life who matters to me (family) understands that sometimes I just need to leave the room to preserve my sanity. Or that if I occasionally get inexplicably irritable, it's likely because I can't escape and the sounds are driving me crazy. Even though my family is accommodating, it's still a relief to meet someone else who suffers from this, who can understand what it's like.
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Noise pollution is something you get used to. As there is more and more noise pollution, many people have gotten used to it and now hardly know any better.
I am so lucky (by my own choice) that my house used to be in a very quiet area with little traffic noise. When we bought our current house, we ended up buying a house in the same small area, because it was the only place we didn't hear the traffics roads. I even hear those roads on many places deep in the local forest.
I am a little sensitive to sound. When my husband drives the car, he usually turns on the radio. When I drive it after him, I always turn the radio off. But I think for me, it is more the stress that the sounds cause, then the actual discomfort. When I am very stressed for other reasons, loud sounds make it so much worse.
Best thing I know is walking in a forest or on a mountain on a quiet day in a remote area. We have a cabin in such a place and it is really nice to be there. Although there is occasionally sound from the shooting range, the church bell, tractors doing stuff, cross motors. But as the place is very remote, this is not very frequent.
At home it is the barking of the neighbouring dog that is the worse.
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Noise pollution is something you get used to.
Lots of us don’t.
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Does the noise you make bother you?
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I'm sensitive to sounds of a particular pitch and volume, to the degree that I experience loud whistling and operatic soprano singing as physical pain. Three of my children are also affected to varying degrees. When she was very young, one of them destroyed her school classroom because another child was sniffing repetitively.
I'm worse when stressed. When working, I always knew I was having a particularly bad day if I couldn't cope with having the car radio on, and long meetings were a problem as two of my colleagues had voices I found difficult to listen to - one loud and shrill, one with a whining inflection - and I'd sometimes just have to make an excuse and leave.
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Does the noise you make bother you?
[Are you asking the OP, or everyone with sound sensitivity?]
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As the OP:
No. The noise I make doesn’t bother me.
That said, I try to avoid making noises that bother other people.
For years I had a manual push mower. I finally gave in and bought an electric one since the manual one just couldn’t cut as evenly (notwithstanding what the purists say about them) and couldn’t cope with grass that had grown high after we’d been on vacation. All of my neighbors have lawn mowers (one inexplicably has a riding mower for a lawn hardly bigger than mine) and all of them are gas. They are much louder.
My sound sensitivity is related to stress. When I am under stress, it makes me more stressed. When I’m not under stress, it induces stress. There’s no way I can be sitting in my living room and hear gas powered leaf blowers and go, ah, bliss.
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Noise pollution is something you many people get used to.
Lots of us don’t.
I agree, I don't get used to it, too. But lots of people do, unfortunately. Therefore there is too little protest against the general noise pollution.
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Does the noise you make bother you?
[Are you asking the OP, or everyone with sound sensitivity?]
Everyone. Just trying to understand.
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Yeah, the sounds I make can bother me. I make weirdly little sound. I live like a rabbit, generally. They do a big squeak or thump when stressed, but otherwise are soft-footed and silent. I do make music, too, but when I do an off note or other unintended sound, I have the same response of pain and cringe. If I talk “too much” the sound of my voice feels very grating on me. If I bang a dish or pot unexpectedly, it’s the same as if someone else does.
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I wear musicians ear plugs if the sounds are too annoying, especially at the movies. They have filters that allow the sounds but not at full volume. It's hard to believe that in school bands most of the kids don't wear ear plugs, probably doing long term hearing damage.
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Any sounds that I make don't really bother me at all. There may be sounds coming from equipment that I'm using that bother me, mostly due to loud volume, but I would use earplugs for that. But it's not like I'm distracting myself the way outside noises do that are out of my control.
I have some of those musician's earplugs also - don't use them that often. Simply having earplugs in my ears bothers me, so I mostly use them for loud environments to protect my hearing rather than trying to tone down distracting noises. Sometimes earplugs make it worse for me due to some tinnitus that is filtered out by environmental sounds that becomes noticeable when using plugs, plus earplugs can make those low frequency sounds even more noticeable as they filter mid and high frequencies while very low frequencies penetrate through anything, like the rumbling of the freight train and subwoofers thumping in cars, which seem worse when the higher frequencies are filtered out.
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Noise has always bothered me to some extent, but I find it getting worse with age (57) and, ironically, the less noise I'm exposed to, the more it bothers me when I am exposed. I used to work in an open area with lots of cubicles, and the noise was annoying and made it hard to concentrate, but the worst thing was meetings. Most of them were with women (I'm female too), so maybe it was the pitch of their voices, but after awhile, my head just felt like it was vibrating. Voices are definitely the biggest issue, even my own starts to make my head vibrate if I have to talk too much. This includes speaking voices on TV or radio, with singing or music bothering me much less. (The weather people on TV drive me nuts, because they talk a mile a minute and never take a breath! I have to mute them.) I'm also sensitive to other things, like bright light and some tactile sensations. There's a book called "The Highly Sensitive Person - How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You" by Elaine Aron. I've found it describes me pretty well.
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I didn't even know this was thing. No wonder people thought I was crazy when I was younger and would have to leave the room or would complain if:
- The teacher wrote on the chalkboard the wrong way and the chalk squeaked against the board
- Someone in the room was holding a balloon - that horrible rubbing sound of fingers against the balloon makes my blood run cold
- Someone popped a balloon
- There were fireworks in the distance
- Someone turned on a vacuum cleaner
- Someone put the lid on a pot too loudly
- Someone kept sniffing
- Someone was using a mechanical pencil and the lead was squeaking against the paper
- Someone chewed their food too loudly or chewed with their mouth open, making a noise
- Someone typed too loudly on the keyboard
- There were too many people talking at the same time -- I spent my lunch hours in the library during high school
I also thought it was normal to be able to hear every single word someone was saying from the other side of the room when talking at a normal volume. Bright lights and too much movement also bother me -- I hate going to the movies, and 3D movies make me nauseous.
I don't know if I like pathologizing what I have though. In some ways, being hyper-sensitive has worked out well for me. I think part of the reason why I do so well in my job is because I notice and take in more information than the typical person. Sure, I have to work around it sometimes (like spending at least one-two days per week sitting at home in the dark without interacting with anyone or keeping earbuds on at all times while outside or dealing with migraines or constantly asking DD to blow her nose rather than just sniffing all the time), but it doesn't really keep me from achieving what I want to do.
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^ Yes, I don't consider mine a disorder. Am I sensitive to sounds? Yep. Is it disordered? No. I have to work around it in many environments, but it's also helpful and wonderful.
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This is a real thing. Some guy started a website for help and support for fellow sufferers. Please see: https://www.allergictosound.com
You may also consider that you could be on the spectrum. Many, many adults are unaware that they have Aspergers or other symptoms of autism, as they are otherwise so high functioning except in a few particular areas, such as sensory processing.
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@smoghat and all the other sufferers, I am very sorry about the trouble you have with noise. I have a different version of noise problem, and it is torture. I was always a person who loved silence, the kind where I could sit quietly and hear the soft ticking of the kitchen clock.
My stressful job gave me cause to grind my teeth. I tried all kinds of things to stop the grinding, because it broke teeth. The last attempt was using a biofeedback device. The user straps a band around the head and over the forehead, and trains during the day to open the jaw and relax whenever a high-pitched tone sounds, prompted by grinding or tensing. After a few days, the user wears the device only at night and the jaw relaxation happens naturally during sleep.
I was very excited about less grinding, but then an awful thing happened: the device caused me to have tinnitus. I called the inventor and he said it was a possible outcome. I put the device in a drawer and later threw it in the trash.
The noise in my head got progressively louder. It’s like a constant loud dentist drill noise and I experience it more in the main part of my head than my ears. It never goes away, but sometimes, especially if I’ve eaten lightly for a couple of meals, it gets a little softer.
I asked a nutritionist if any foods could help and she said no, but emotions might affect it. That is not true for me, the part about emotions. I can never escape the torture, 24/7, and it has been going on for years. The things that help a little are pleasant ambiant noise like birdsongs and my HEPA air filter, distraction, and occasional medication to make me sleepy and help me care less about the problem. Loud noises outside my head make it worse. During the first few months of the constant loud noise, I thought I might go insane. Fortunately, as a retiree now, a happier lifestyle supports better balance in my life, which helps me cope.
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It is a question of threshold and mental training. If you want to learn to put up with outrageous noise levels, you sort of have to be exposed to it more and train your brain to accept it. Or stuff cotton in your ears. I think as we age hearing fades which confuses the brain and makes chaotic noise (think Christmas party) hard to digest.
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It is a question of threshold and mental training. If you want to learn to put up with outrageous noise levels, you sort of have to be exposed to it more and train your brain to accept it.
Nope. I've lived a half mile from train tracks for about 17 years, with trains passing by regularly, and it's still just as distracting as it ever was. Same thing with barking dogs and thumping subwoofers in passing cars.
Or stuff cotton in your ears. I think as we age hearing fades which confuses the brain and makes chaotic noise (think Christmas party) hard to digest.
Nope. Putting anything in the ears, whether cotton, musicians earplugs, or regular earplugs, actually makes the problem worse in many cases as I mentioned a few posts up:
https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/post-fire/sound-sensitivity-disorder/msg2221849/#msg2221849
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Salim, that sounds AWFUL!!!!!!!!!! I’m so sorry!!!
SnackDog, your ideas have been untue in my case too.
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White noise helps me, particularly in sleeping. It needs to be the white noise closest to the ambient sound. As part of my job, I traveled constantly. When I was in a city, I would use “city” white noise. If I had a loud air conditioner, I used “air conditioner” white noise. If it was a hotel near a highway, I used “highway” white noise. Somehow the closest sounding white noise smoothes out the sound around me.
In our bedroom in Florida we have a room air conditioner, since we like to sleep slightly cooler than the temperature the house is kept at. It’s very quiet, but seems to muffle house noises, like mechanical systems and restless cats.
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Salim, that sounds AWFUL!!!!!!!!!! I’m so sorry!!!
Jooni, I am sorry for your troubles with sound, too! When I’m around loud noise now, I cover my ears and want to run away (sometimes I do run away), which may be somewhat similar to your reaction. Like you, I love to study, do research, and make art. All those things are good distractions that make my life so much better and can help me stop noticing the noise.
Does it help others deal with unpleasant noise (inside or outside the body) to be in the “zone” or some kind of zen state that comes with concentration?
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Salim, I don’t feel I suffer. i.e., I do suffer upon too much noise, but four of the last five years I’ve had a beautiful life when it comes to sound (silent housing), so it hasn’t generally been an issue. For over 40 years I tried all the things to be able to handle sound and silent housing was the only thing that worked. (The soft, external, NC earphones are excellent when I’m stuck with it outside the home, though.)
To have the sound *inside* one’s body like you’re having, oy!!
I spend a lot of time in the zone, but can only get or stay there if things stay quiet. Once a sound starts up, it’s over :(
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Jooni, I am very glad you found a quiet, happy place to live. I think you would like where I live, too, out in the country. I am far away, but you are welcome to visit if you are ever in the area :-)
@pbkmaine, white noise can be very helpful to me, too. I like birdsongs, Gregorian chants, my air cleaner (that seems funny!), podcasts, NPR, and sometimes just TV shows turned down low in the background.
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I have mild misophonia --mouth sounds drive me nuts! Especially crunching. The sound of someone munching a bag of chips at work can make my blood boil. Meditation practice helps a lot, that is when I keep up on it.
I recently learned that there's a gene associated with misophonia! 23andme's DNA tests look for it. I got a DNA analysis for myself and my mom for Christmas, and it'll be interesting to see if I have this gene.
https://www.23andme.com/topics/traits/misophonia/
23andMe researchers have identified one genetic marker associated with feeling rage at the sound of other people chewing. This genetic marker is located near the TENM2 gene, which is involved in brain development. Keep in mind that the genetic marker associated with this trait is just one piece of the puzzle, and that non-genetic factors also play a role.
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I was always a person who loved silence, the kind where I could sit quietly and hear the soft ticking of the kitchen clock.
This is interesting to me because although I don't have this experience at nearly the level others are mentioning, I do love silence. No background music at home, no loud restaurants, etc. But ticking clocks!! Nooo!!! I once removed a ticking clock from the wall of my workplace because it was so irritating. To each his/her own, I suppose.
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I was always a person who loved silence, the kind where I could sit quietly and hear the soft ticking of the kitchen clock.
This is interesting to me because although I don't have this experience at nearly the level others are mentioning, I do love silence. No background music at home, no loud restaurants, etc. But ticking clocks!! Nooo!!! I once removed a ticking clock from the wall of my workplace because it was so irritating. To each his/her own, I suppose.
This reminds me that as a kid we had a cheap-o Kmart wall clock in our room. I told my mother it made way too much noise ticking and I had trouble falling asleep at night. She took it back and got another that was just as loud. I ended up taking the battery out.
Now I suffer through a husband who normally snores ridiculously loudly, except he got a CPAP at my strong insistence. It helps a lot but he will occasionally whistle and hiss instead from the blowing air.
At least we didn’t have to get separate bedrooms.
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I was always a person who loved silence, the kind where I could sit quietly and hear the soft ticking of the kitchen clock.
This is interesting to me because although I don't have this experience at nearly the level others are mentioning, I do love silence. No background music at home, no loud restaurants, etc. But ticking clocks!! Nooo!!! I once removed a ticking clock from the wall of my workplace because it was so irritating. To each his/her own, I suppose.
Ticking clocks were s nightmare to me since I was small. I also can’t stand clocks that chime. Church bells are ok, grandfather clocks are not.
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I've had what is now called misophonia since I was a child. My biggest triggers are noises people make with their mouths/noses -- chewing, crunching, coughing, sniffling, loud breathing, tongue clucking, swallowing, air escaping through the nose while talking, etc. Also very difficult: dogs barking endlessly, a neighbor using a chainsaw, people talking in the background when I'm trying to concentrate, and multiple conversations (and/or other sounds) going on in the same space simultaneously.
My wife is exactly like this. We used to fight about it, because she would get really irritated when we were eating. But I understand now that it's a real disorder, and that she's not just being mean :).
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What's a muffwiggler?
I'm pretty sure I'm not one of them, but I also have the same problem with sensitivity to noise and partially to people who get in my face.
Ptf for now, will share mord details later.
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I become instantly enraged at the sound of leafblowers. What a ridiculous invention. Definately a disorder ( but l also have depression and anxiety issues).
Question: Do NC headphones work for noise only ( ie. without music or audio input)?
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I become instantly enraged at the sound of leafblowers. What a ridiculous invention. Definately a disorder ( but l also have depression and anxiety issues).
Question: Do NC headphones work for noise only ( ie. without music or audio input)?
Yes, noise cancelling headphones will work without listening to music. That said, they aren't the best at cancelling dynamic noises (voices, external music), but they are great for cancelling out ambient noise.
And I would never fly without them, makes the engine noise some much more tolerable. Plus they are much more stylish than yellow safety earmuffs with earbuds under them (what I used to wear on planes).
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I have them at work. I don’t think they work that well, and then I turn the noise canceling feature off and am shocked at how much ambient noise is around me. That said, I find that sometimes I feel they produce this weird pressure on my eardrums that is weird and slightly uncomfortable. Is that just me?
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Yes, noise cancelling headphones will work without listening to music.
+1. They don't make everything go away, but my awesome ones reduce the sound enough that I can feel sane and happy :) I mostly use them with no additional sound (music, etc), just the active noise-cancellation.
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Hmm. I was thinking of getting noise-cancelling headphones for air travel, but not for the sound of the plane itself, which doesn't really bother me. It's the loud talkers and the screaming babies that get to me. Do NC headphones not take care of those?
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Hmm. I was thinking of getting noise-cancelling headphones for air travel, but not for the sound of the plane itself, which doesn't really bother me. It's the loud talkers and the screaming babies that get to me. Do NC headphones not take care of those?
They definitely help and make it quieter than not wearing anything. But if it's talking and screaming you are trying to drown out, ear plugs or earmuffs would give you more bang for your buck.
These were my go to, basic uline provided by my work. I'd wear ear buds under them to listen to music. This setup was better at drowning out all noise than noise cancelling headphones are. But you look goofy as fuck on a plane or walking around an airport with them on.
(https://images.uline.com/is/image/content/dam/images/S/S21000/S-20706LIME.jpg?$Small$&iccEmbed=1&icc=AdobeRGB)
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Hmm. I was thinking of getting noise-cancelling headphones for air travel, but not for the sound of the plane itself, which doesn't really bother me. It's the loud talkers and the screaming babies that get to me. Do NC headphones not take care of those?
They definitely help and make it quieter than not wearing anything. But if it's talking and screaming you are trying to drown out, ear plugs or earmuffs would give you more bang for your buck.
These were my go to, basic uline provided by my work. I'd wear ear buds under them to listen to music. This setup was better at drowning out all noise than noise cancelling headphones are. But you look goofy as fuck on a plane or walking around an airport with them on.
(https://images.uline.com/is/image/content/dam/images/S/S21000/S-20706LIME.jpg?$Small$&iccEmbed=1&icc=AdobeRGB)
Thanks! I wear earplugs at night to sleep, but it hadn't occurred to me to wear them on a plane. I'll give it a try! Might save me a lot of money!
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Hmm. I was thinking of getting noise-cancelling headphones for air travel, but not for the sound of the plane itself, which doesn't really bother me. It's the loud talkers and the screaming babies that get to me. Do NC headphones not take care of those?
They definitely help and make it quieter than not wearing anything. But if it's talking and screaming you are trying to drown out, ear plugs or earmuffs would give you more bang for your buck.
These were my go to, basic uline provided by my work. I'd wear ear buds under them to listen to music. This setup was better at drowning out all noise than noise cancelling headphones are. But you look goofy as fuck on a plane or walking around an airport with them on.
(https://images.uline.com/is/image/content/dam/images/S/S21000/S-20706LIME.jpg?$Small$&iccEmbed=1&icc=AdobeRGB)
Thanks! I wear earplugs at night to sleep, but it hadn't occurred to me to wear them on a plane. I'll give it a try! Might save me a lot of money!
I always carry earplugs in my purse/pocket and especially when I am on planes. Those damn in-flight announcements have gotten so loud that they are physically painful to me. I always ask them to turn the volume down and usually I am told there is no volume control. Arrrrgggg
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I can somewhat relate OP. My hearing deteriorated while in the military. I was diagnosed with tinnitus. The ringing really isn't that bad but I also developed a bit of a sensitivity to loud noises. Most particularly raised voices, yelling, loud singing etc. It's weird because it's a hit or miss for me. Some loud noises really don't bother me.
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I always carry earplugs in my purse/pocket and especially when I am on planes. Those damn in-flight announcements have gotten so loud that they are physically painful to me. I always ask them to turn the volume down and usually I am told there is no volume control. Arrrrgggg
I'm going to have to move my earplugs from my toiletry bag to my pocket!
I thought of this thread today while wearing my husband's ear protectors (or whatever those things are called -- for working with loud machinery, yard tools, etc.) while using my blender and food processor. He gave me his old ones a couple of years ago, and now I don't know how I ever managed to stand all the racket in the kitchen without them! I also vacuum with them on, with earbuds underneath for listening to a podcast. The noise of the vacuum never really bothered me much, but now it's a much less boring task! :-)
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We buy earplugs in buckets of 100 from Target or online. I used to wear them every night until I started getting a series of ear infections. I’m pretty sure the earplugs had nothing to do with the infections, but I stopped just in case.
They lose their effectiveness I find over time, and they are toast if they go through the laundry cycle (I did a lot of that when my baby was young).
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I just spent two days in FIL's house where also BIL with wife, a three years old and a baby were. What a stressful experience. Children are very noisy, especially when one of them is coughing a lot. The house has bad acoustics and sounds are very loud. When it is quiet FIL turns on the TV quite loud. This morning DH and I were reluctant to leave the bedroom, which was the most quiet room in the house.
It is nice to see relatives, but I was (acoustically) glad BIL and family left early because of the sick child.
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I have found sound sensitivity to be an issue for me too, the past few years. I moved to a home out in the country a year ago, and I LOVE it. It is so nice to come home after a stressful day working in our "open office" environment, to my house and yard that is so peaceful and quiet. I do have the nearby highway sounds, but otherwise it is just nature sounds for the most part.
At work, I cope by keeping headphones nearby, and using them to listen to "Classical for Focus" or similar on Amazon Prime music. Sometimes I just put them on so people won't try to pull me into their conversations. Alot of people do really struggle with our open office!
Before moving to this house, I had a neighbor who used to drive me batty - he was always making noise. Either talking / laughing loudly in his yard, using power tools/equipment at all times of day, yelling at his dog, etc. He also smoked and used an outdoor fireplace, and was always outside. I got a fence but could still hear and smell him. It was so very frustrating, when I just wanted to relax and unwind. Now my nearest neighbors are some space away in all directions, and they are all quiet anyway. I am so much happier living here.
I never noticed sound bothering me when I was younger. Maybe I was one of the people MAKING noise then. Maybe my intolerance to noise is payback for all that loud music I used to blare in my car and apartment - Haha!
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Some days ago I was onan airplane with lots of noise. My in ear headphones don't block sound very well unless I press them constantly into my ears. Later I used my sleeping earplugs, formed after my ears. They worked better.
Now we are at our cabin for the 5th day. Despite all cabin neighbours being there, it is nice and silent both day and night. We have been on several ski trips where you sometimes meet another person, but often not. With little to no noise from roads.
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I can somewhat relate OP. My hearing deteriorated while in the military. I was diagnosed with tinnitus. The ringing really isn't that bad but I also developed a bit of a sensitivity to loud noises. Most particularly raised voices, yelling, loud singing etc. It's weird because it's a hit or miss for me. Some loud noises really don't bother me.
I can definitely relate. I've become accustomed to tinnitus, but some noises just drive me crazy. For example, building a silent PC became an interesting side hobby. FWIW, I personally found that magnesium supplements reduce the volume of the ringing. Obviously YMMV, but you might give it a shot.
I used to travel a lot for work, and there's no way I could have survived so many flights without my in-ear headphones. Just think of them as earplugs that also play music at a reasonable level.
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My Bose noise-cancelling over-ear headphones make long air flights much less tiring for me. I need to remember to use them when the gardeners are using blowers.
There is traffic noise if my windows are open. I am thinking of fountains on my patios to mask the sound of the traffic.
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Although I do have very good hearing, and *may* be a bit sensitive to noise, for me the problem of noise is not so much source/type, rather in what it represents - a further coarsening of our society, lack of any basic courtesy and respect for others, no enforcement to attenuate, and complete selfish entitlement by a bunch of hypocrites. It is true my current location is not the best for living the life of lowish noise; just the same it has become apparent in a very marked way, to just how little many folks respect others right to not have to be involved with your piss-poor manners, or forced into having your *lifestyle* invade in my home. I guess as with light pollution, noise pollution is only going to increase, and it seems little care as if some fait au compli, or "quit yer bitchin, deal with it".
Over the years the increase in Harley type motorcycles, very loud automobiles (even factory stock), and especially truuuucks is crazy, along with a bunch of folks who will not repair a cracked flexpipe, muffler, ect. same for neighbors/strangers who allow their dogs to bark on sight of me, all the time, etc without so much as a "hush". When asked politely to please stop it, you will gets responses from "that's what dogs do", to F you, to not saying a word. Same pretty much for children running amok screaming in quiet public places, eateries, stores, you name it. Apartment/condo living... Good lord, it's the mecca for inconsiderate noise dwellers, and I'd love to find a complex that somehow only allows quiet folks in, and boots any quickly who are not. I know this can be relative, just the same you know what I mean.
I used to think living in the country would be better, but that has changed so much too... Now it's so much dirtbike/quad noise, playing with binary explosives that used to almost break my windows from many hundreds of yards away, shooting at inappropriate times, etc. It can be noisier in the 'country' than folks realize, especially so because noise can carry so well at certain times, and locations. I simply miss hearing wind rush through branches, Owls hooting, the silence of a big snow without it seems it being interrupted, washed out by the almost constant drone, din, and spasms of obnoxious noise. Not trying to post a rant, or somehow I expect silence - It would just be nice to be able to enjoy my home, and not live with such a lack of peace.
Anyone have any suggestion where a quiet fella might move, to truly enjoy some peace and quiet, with good folks as neighbors? Thanks.
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Although I do have very good hearing, and *may* be a bit sensitive to noise, for me the problem of noise is not so much source/type, rather in what it represents - a further coarsening of our society, lack of any basic courtesy and respect for others, no enforcement to attenuate, and complete selfish entitlement by a bunch of hypocrites. It is true my current location is not the best for living the life of lowish noise; just the same it has become apparent in a very marked way, to just how little many folks respect others right to not have to be involved with your piss-poor manners, or forced into having your *lifestyle* invade in my home. I guess as with light pollution, noise pollution is only going to increase, and it seems little care as if some fait au compli, or "quit yer bitchin, deal with it".
Over the years the increase in Harley type motorcycles, very loud automobiles (even factory stock), and especially truuuucks is crazy, along with a bunch of folks who will not repair a cracked flexpipe, muffler, ect. same for neighbors/strangers who allow their dogs to bark on sight of me, all the time, etc without so much as a "hush". When asked politely to please stop it, you will gets responses from "that's what dogs do", to F you, to not saying a word. Same pretty much for children running amok screaming in quiet public places, eateries, stores, you name it. Apartment/condo living... Good lord, it's the mecca for inconsiderate noise dwellers, and I'd love to find a complex that somehow only allows quiet folks in, and boots any quickly who are not. I know this can be relative, just the same you know what I mean.
I think I'm kind of the same way. I'm not bothered much by natural noises like wind, rain, ocean, birds, etc. I keep my windows closed, and I'm more bothered / distracted by the sound of trains (the low frequency rumble much more so than the whistle), barking dogs, thumping bass in passing cars, yelling/screeching kids, a basketball bouncing off the neighbor's driveway, an excessively loud condenser unit, gasoline engine mowers, etc. I'm a half mile from the closest train, and it's still way too close.
There don't seem to be a lot of good country places, but moving isn't a practical option for me until I retire, anyway.
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When I was deployed recently as a medical support asset, I lived in a tent about 50 feet from a mortar pit for a month, that could go off any time day or night (usually 5-6 times a 24hr period), with sudden extreme noise. I bit the inside of my mouth about 20 times, being woken up from the boom. You would sometimes hear them shout (Hang it!) , which was about 1 second before it would go off, but that was the only warning most of the time. I wouldn't say I'm sensitive to loud sounds now, but I'm still kind of on edge.
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Although I do have very good hearing, and *may* be a bit sensitive to noise, for me the problem of noise is not so much source/type, rather in what it represents - a further coarsening of our society, lack of any basic courtesy and respect for others, no enforcement to attenuate, and complete selfish entitlement by a bunch of hypocrites. It is true my current location is not the best for living the life of lowish noise; just the same it has become apparent in a very marked way, to just how little many folks respect others right to not have to be involved with your piss-poor manners, or forced into having your *lifestyle* invade in my home. I guess as with light pollution, noise pollution is only going to increase, and it seems little care as if some fait au compli, or "quit yer bitchin, deal with it".
Over the years the increase in Harley type motorcycles, very loud automobiles (even factory stock), and especially truuuucks is crazy, along with a bunch of folks who will not repair a cracked flexpipe, muffler, ect. same for neighbors/strangers who allow their dogs to bark on sight of me, all the time, etc without so much as a "hush". When asked politely to please stop it, you will gets responses from "that's what dogs do", to F you, to not saying a word. Same pretty much for children running amok screaming in quiet public places, eateries, stores, you name it. Apartment/condo living... Good lord, it's the mecca for inconsiderate noise dwellers, and I'd love to find a complex that somehow only allows quiet folks in, and boots any quickly who are not. I know this can be relative, just the same you know what I mean.
I used to think living in the country would be better, but that has changed so much too... Now it's so much dirtbike/quad noise, playing with binary explosives that used to almost break my windows from many hundreds of yards away, shooting at inappropriate times, etc. It can be noisier in the 'country' than folks realize, especially so because noise can carry so well at certain times, and locations. I simply miss hearing wind rush through branches, Owls hooting, the silence of a big snow without it seems it being interrupted, washed out by the almost constant drone, din, and spasms of obnoxious noise. Not trying to post a rant, or somehow I expect silence - It would just be nice to be able to enjoy my home, and not live with such a lack of peace.
Anyone have any suggestion where a quiet fella might move, to truly enjoy some peace and quiet, with good folks as neighbors? Thanks.
This is me. It is hard to find quiet places, even out in the country. In my local area, most houses hear the constant noise of the roads. In my neighbourhood you don't, but there are the dogs, children, snow blowers, lawn mowers, etc. Even in the local forest you hear the noises of "civilization". Sometimes, in the mountains, pretty far away from any road, you can experience silence. It has become a seldom thing, like dark places, as you mentioned. I am also afraid there isn't much you can do about it. You can't go to the police and complain your neighbour does a perfectly normal thing like having a small dog in his garden most of the day. Neighbour probably can't help it is a constantly barking dog rase...
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Although I do have very good hearing, and *may* be a bit sensitive to noise, for me the problem of noise is not so much source/type, rather in what it represents - a further coarsening of our society, lack of any basic courtesy and respect for others, no enforcement to attenuate, and complete selfish entitlement by a bunch of hypocrites. It is true my current location is not the best for living the life of lowish noise; just the same it has become apparent in a very marked way, to just how little many folks respect others right to not have to be involved with your piss-poor manners, or forced into having your *lifestyle* invade in my home. I guess as with light pollution, noise pollution is only going to increase, and it seems little care as if some fait au compli, or "quit yer bitchin, deal with it".
Over the years the increase in Harley type motorcycles, very loud automobiles (even factory stock), and especially truuuucks is crazy, along with a bunch of folks who will not repair a cracked flexpipe, muffler, ect. same for neighbors/strangers who allow their dogs to bark on sight of me, all the time, etc without so much as a "hush". When asked politely to please stop it, you will gets responses from "that's what dogs do", to F you, to not saying a word. Same pretty much for children running amok screaming in quiet public places, eateries, stores, you name it. Apartment/condo living... Good lord, it's the mecca for inconsiderate noise dwellers, and I'd love to find a complex that somehow only allows quiet folks in, and boots any quickly who are not. I know this can be relative, just the same you know what I mean.
I used to think living in the country would be better, but that has changed so much too... Now it's so much dirtbike/quad noise, playing with binary explosives that used to almost break my windows from many hundreds of yards away, shooting at inappropriate times, etc. It can be noisier in the 'country' than folks realize, especially so because noise can carry so well at certain times, and locations. I simply miss hearing wind rush through branches, Owls hooting, the silence of a big snow without it seems it being interrupted, washed out by the almost constant drone, din, and spasms of obnoxious noise. Not trying to post a rant, or somehow I expect silence - It would just be nice to be able to enjoy my home, and not live with such a lack of peace.
Anyone have any suggestion where a quiet fella might move, to truly enjoy some peace and quiet, with good folks as neighbors? Thanks.
Try northern NV. Lots of quiet, empty space out here.
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I've read that sound sensitivity can be a symptom of magnesium deficiency. I certainly don't think the sole cause of the sensitivity so many of you are experiencing, but Mg deficiency is extremely common and really can't be tested for properly... and supplementing might help reduce the intensity of the sensitivity. If you want to try it, Mg bisglynate is the most absorbable form, citrate is 2nd best, and carbonate is a complete waste of time.
Mg deficiency has some other fun symptoms like muscle cramping or all kinds (including menstrual),extreme fatigue, and irritability. Some meds remove Mg from the body (a lot of heart meds) so if you've started getting a lot of cramping that only started after new meds that could be why.
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Although I do have very good hearing, and *may* be a bit sensitive to noise, for me the problem of noise is not so much source/type, rather in what it represents - a further coarsening of our society, lack of any basic courtesy and respect for others, no enforcement to attenuate
This. The noise is one thing, but it's the contempt for others that puts me around the bend.
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I’ll try the magnesium. I have some. Who knows, maybe it will work!
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I've read that sound sensitivity can be a symptom of magnesium deficiency. I certainly don't think the sole cause of the sensitivity so many of you are experiencing, but Mg deficiency is extremely common and really can't be tested for properly... and supplementing might help reduce the intensity of the sensitivity. If you want to try it, Mg bisglynate is the most absorbable form, citrate is 2nd best, and carbonate is a complete waste of time.
How about Mg taurate?
Only bad thing about Mg is I have IBS, so they don’t mix well.
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Although I do have very good hearing, and *may* be a bit sensitive to noise, for me the problem of noise is not so much source/type, rather in what it represents - a further coarsening of our society, lack of any basic courtesy and respect for others, no enforcement to attenuate
This. The noise is one thing, but it's the contempt for others that puts me around the bend.
I work in downtown D.C. near the tourist attractions We have a lot of street musicians. Most are not very good, but tourists think it's great "atmosphere" so they contribute money and the musicians persist. Many use electronic amplifiers and you can hear them blocks away.
I firmly believe one person's music is another person's noise. I have earbuds, if I wanted to listen to music I would use them.
I'm a musician myself and have fantasized about going up to one of these annoying people to give them an uncharitable critique of their technical skills and understanding of music.
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Jesus, I hate street musicians. The Andean pipers make me think of HP Lovecraft.
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Jesus, I hate street musicians. The Andean pipers make me think of HP Lovecraft.
Have you considered building a soundproof room for relaxation? Or sleeping for that matter? There are lots of methods to accomplish this without breaking the bank.
I can relate somewhat to your predicament as noises are very distracting to me. If I am in a room with two televisions on two different stations it drives me nuts. Same with radios or stores that play music with static. Bonkers.
Loud people on their phones or in a restaurant having a good time also drive me crazy. I can't tune them out.
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I just got a book called "The Empath's Survival Guide" https://www.amazon.com/Empaths-Survival-Guide-Strategies-Sensitive/dp/1622036573 (https://www.amazon.com/Empaths-Survival-Guide-Strategies-Sensitive/dp/1622036573). It talks about introvert empath is especially sensitive with sound (and light, smell). It gave me many aha moments on why I dislike strongly with artificial light, loud noise, and house cleaning product smell. When people use hand-dryers in bathroom, I want to run away. After reading the book, I respect my boundary better, e.g. if I sit next to a person who I don't feel the right energy, I will move. This book offers some concrete suggestions on how to setting protective boundary to empath, both physically and energetically.
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I've read that sound sensitivity can be a symptom of magnesium deficiency. I certainly don't think the sole cause of the sensitivity so many of you are experiencing, but Mg deficiency is extremely common and really can't be tested for properly... and supplementing might help reduce the intensity of the sensitivity. If you want to try it, Mg bisglynate is the most absorbable form, citrate is 2nd best, and carbonate is a complete waste of time.
How about Mg taurate?
Only bad thing about Mg is I have IBS, so they don’t mix well.
I don't know anything about taurate. But I suggest you split the Mg into multiple smaller doses spread through the day and you'll tolerate it better.
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If the misophonia is debilitating maybe look into Tomatis or other forms of sound therapy. We did Tomatis for my son with autism, but I understand it's supposed to help also with sound sensitivity and misophonia. It was near miraculous for the autism. It's just a little on the expensive side, and also not that easy to find clinics in the U.S. But there are also home-based programs where you can rent the equipment.
The clinic that we go to has some good information on their site: http://www.sacarin.com/
I notice that they specifically mention misophonia in their adult section: http://www.sacarin.com/code/adult.php