To think you do not need the TV on in order to fall asleep?

[Boomerwang]

My OH and one of our lodgers reckon they can't fall asleep without putting the tv on first. I couldn't do that, the rise and fall in pitch and volume would drive me mad, if the flashes across the room didn't.

I think it's a waste of electricity. My OH often falls asleep on the sofa as I will not have a tv in our bedroom. I get cross when he's lying there drooling as I'm trying to find a spot to sit down and feed our baby at 5am.

Who else needs noise to sleep? Why??

[fuzzpig]

Can I ask how you do this timer thing? Mine has a shutdown thing but not for several hours. Is there a way of changing it or do I have to buy a widget for the plug or something?

[YouSmegHead]

I used to be like that and it is just habit. What stopped me? Having a baby I was so exhausted I just couldn't even be bothered to put it on!

[BitOutOfPractice]

I have the radio on very low. I am going through a very painful break up and I'm lonely - especially at night. It keeps me company :(

[picnicbasketcase]

I used to always have the tv on to fall asleep to but then the tv in my bedroom died and never got replaced. I listen to podcasts now instead.

[JodieHarsh]

I have to have the radio on, but it is for a very specific and sensible reason.

Ever since I was born I have been followed around by a monster that lives under the bed.

Now, I have never seen it, but I do know that it has sharp teeth and claws and lurks just at the foot of the bed waiting to grab my toes.

For this reason I have to always have my feet completely tucked round in the sheets (if it is very hot I am nekkid and uncovered but my feet will be tucked in, on account of the monster).

The sound of the radio doesn't STOP the monster exactly, but if the radio is on I won't hear little snuffles and scritches coming from under the bed. If the radio is off I just lie in silence WAITING to hear something (sometimes from the wardrobe, the little bugger!)

So there it is, a reason why a perfectly sensible adult cannot sleep in silence.

[ThatBintAgain]

Ha, Jodie, I can totally relate to that. No matter where I am or how hot it is I can't sleep without covers on.

I also couldn't sleep without tv for years, is get quite panicky if I had to lie in the dark. Have not done it for 3 years now, I have self hypnosis sleep tracks on my iPod now if needs be.

[ShellyBoobs]

I always go to sleep with the TV on the sleep timer.

Like many others in this thread, left with just my own thoughts as I try to drift off, I tend to start thinking about things instead of relaxing.

[BitOutOfPractice]

bran what's that app called? It could be just what I need

[ShellyBoobs]

Lots of people do get into that habit but it's awfully bad for you - radio or audiobooks in the dark much healthier.

'Healthier'?

What's unhealthy about switching the TV onto sleep timer for 20mins as I drift off?

Are you sure this isn't just one of those excuses to use the word 'healthy' in a totally inappropriate way?

[DilysPrice]

With a timer it's arguably less risky, but sleeping with the light from a TV on your face all night screws your melatonin and is under suspicion for breast and other cancer risk, so yes, unhealthy.

[DilysPrice]

Btw the Breakthrough Breast Cancer questionnaire asks you about how dark a room you sleep in - so whilst it's not proven it's a highly respectable theory not just another Daily Failism.

[hoopieghirl]

My dp needs to have background noise on to fall asleep drives me crazy mythbusters or how its made at 3:30am in the morning drives me nuts :(

[Glittertwins]

I often have the tv on to fall asleep to. DH hates me doing this so I usually use my iPod or iPad, both of which have time outs. I usually put something on that I know inside out so there are no surprises. I couldn't have my music on ad I'd be wondering what would come on next!
If I'm really tired, I can sleep through anything, including falling asleep with my head resting on a bass amp during band practice.

[ShellyBoobs]

Thanks, DilysPrice.

So (going slightly OT here) is there a similar risk for night-shift workers who have to sleep in the daytime and hence very likely in a non-darkened room?

[LittleprincessinGOLDrocks]

When I worked nights I could only sleep when I put a film on in the morning when I got in. Usually it was "Pretty Woman" and I never got past the part where Richard Gere drives off up the hill at the begining of the film.
Without that on I would just toss and turn for hours.

[YouSmegHead]

There are some really good free ones aimed at babies too

[SchrodingersMew]

I need the TV on, I have an over active imagination and get really scared and teary at night and if there isn't anything to distract me from that I will not sleep and will lie scared.

[DilysPrice]

Unfortunately it does seem that working nights long term will increase your breast cancer risk measurably yes, there's a bunch of good quality research on the subject. I don't know what tactics might work to counteract that risk.

[littlemisssarcastic]

I used to sleep with the bedroom door ajar, so the light was coming in, but now sleep with the door almost closed so it's quite dark, and silence.
I think I prefer it that way so I can hear DD in the night. For some reason, I don't like to close the door properly, but could easily sleep if I had to.

DD sleeps in the dark with the door ajar and complete silence and has done since she was born.

OTOH, my mother has the tv on every night to go to sleep, and when I asked her why, she said it was because it made her less afraid of burglars.
If a burglar was going to break in, surely the quieter it is, the better, so you can hear them properly?

[izzybobsmum]

I have tinnitus, and always have the TV on to fall asleep to. Like a lot of others who've commented, I set the timer so the TV turns itself off. I'm on my fifth night of trying to watch Serendipity all the way through, but I can't seem to get past the first 15 minutes! Mind you, watching John Cusack over and over's not a bad way to fall asleep :-)

[TrinityRhino]

Fuzzpig, I could have written your post