To think I'll always be a light sleeper

[mrpoopybutthole]

Posting this here for a bit of traffic. So I've always been a light sleeper. Where we now live there's a bit of noise throughout the night, every night from various neighbours in the block. Now I know it's not unreasonably loud, so I can't do much to stop it but I get woken up regularly most nights & am sick of being tired the next day because of this. My DP manages to sleep through it. He says that I need to just become a deeper sleeper & adjust.
Is that really possible? Can you ever go from being a light sleeper to deep sleeper? If so, then how?

Could you wear ear plugs?

Yes I've tried earplugs. I use the silicone ones, which are really good for blocking out noise but unfortunately they pop out at some point during the night & now I think I may have an ear infection from them.
So now I've stopped using them I'm back to constantly being woken up

You need to use foam ones, like below... and practise putting them in properly. They should go in deep enough that you shouldn't have any foam hanging out of the ear and they won't fall out. Sometimes you wake up and your ears are a bitch achy from the foam, but if it means a full nights sleep then it's worth it for me.

Also good about the foam is that they absorb ear wax so your ears are still naturally draining and won't cause an infection. Silicone won't absorb the wax and it'll end up sitting in your ear and causing infections. Your ears are supposed to naturally and gradually drain overnight so using foam will allow that to happen - granted it means you have to buy new ones quite often though as they get very stiff if you reuse them too much

Bit achy not bitch *

I tried foam ones before & they didn't seem to cancel much noise. Maybe I should try them again? I also tried playing white noise through the night on my headphones but I ended up having a migraine. Not 100% sure it was related but it def put me off.
Also I have a tragus piercing & earplugs can irritate it a bit.

You need a white noise machine. I have a different one (sold out) but they are wonderful...have used one for over 10 years now and sometimes it's used because it's too quiet.

www.amazon.co.uk/AVANTEK-Machine-Soothing-Relaxation-Settings/dp/B01NBSUCZ0?tag=mumsnetforum-21

Oh really! Try to shop around with them, I find some foam works better for some than others. I used the ones above and found them pretty good, until my DH brought me loads home from his work and they honestly 100% make me deaf obviously you can get various shapes and sizes so try a few different ones and see what suits you best

I don’t think you can go from being a light sleeper to deeper sleeper. You can have deeper sleep occasionally, you might adjust to some noises and sort of ignore them but it won’t change altogether.

Hmm..the white noise machine looks interesting. Is it any different to if I were to just play a Spotify white noise playlist? As in, it's literally a speaker that plays background white noise?
I have a neighbour who manages to sleep through the noise but she has a fan on all night (as she's alway hot). Maybe the fan works a bit like a white noise machine? Could be something in it?

Also, I'll try some other foam earplugs, although I'm not sure if it's ok to wear earplugs every night. Isn't it bad for your ear?

I got used to the fan as a white noise machine and even used it in winter (pointed away). I always found ear plugs a bit of a pita, exdp used to get up for work at 4am and I'd have trouble waking up with the alarm if they hadn't fallen out in the night.

Just had a thought. I drink a fair bit of coffee during the day. Could be caffeine hindering me sleeping deeper/better, which makes me notice noise more?

Yes change to decaf after 12pm. Remember caffeine is also in other foods/drinks too!

I've ordered one of those white noise boxes, which will arrive tomorrow. Fingers crossed that works!