Soundproofing....

[DumbledoresWand]

I don't have nuisance neighbours, I have elderly neighbours who are hard of hearing.
We live in a pair of bungalows, with very thin dividing walls.
I work shifts, some night, and during the day it can be difficult getting enough sleep.
I've tried earplugs, lots of different types, none of which work as I seem to have very small ear canals, so earplugs are very uncomfortable, even the ones for small ears.
Just wondered if anyone has used anything on their dividing wall to absorb some of the sound next door?

We attempted to soundproof with expensive insulation backed plasterboard and a replaster. It cost us £££ and made no difference as the sound travels through ceiling joists, not just brick.
We had to move.
Would white noise help? If you play rain or the sea on a device, so white noise, it should stop you tuning in to hear their tv noise.

@AnaBeaverhausen ... I've tried listening to an audio book, and sometimes can fall asleep to that.. might give white noise a go... I had looked at the plasterboard, but you're right its certainly not cheap!

I can't advise on soundproofing but I can tell you I got some foam earplugs that are a bit like putty in terms of shaping them, and I cut the bottom third off because I am a side sleeper and can't stand stuff poking out, and they worked. Just the one third in each ear.

Unfortunately I couldn't get used to the feeling but these things didn't budge. Had to pluck them out in the morning with fingernails.

Let me know if you want a link.

I'm in the same position (or will be when I move in). I'm renovating and had soundproofing incorporated along the whole boundary wall. Stud walls have been added with mineral wool insulation and plasterboard over the top. It seems to block the TV noise very effectively. I suspect plasterboard on its own wouldn't make much of a difference.

@KievLoverTwo
@ClematisBlue49
I'd love a link for the earplugs - thank you!
I think stud walls and insulation may be an eventual solution when it's time to re-decorate, pleased you seem to have found a solution

https://amzn.eu/d/dKbccjA

Good luck.

I put soundproofing along one shared wall when I lived in a row house and it was brilliant. It was quite expensive and I then had it plastered.

@ClematisBlue49 @user1471538283
Could you tell me how thick your soundproofing was? I'm thinking of having it done but my rooms are quite small and I need to weigh it up against how much space I'd lose. Thanks

I second white noise. I also use Boots wax ear plugs. They are cheap and effective and you can make them smaller by pinching the end off. They work well for me.

@Squooka - the soundproofing I bought was the thinnest you could get at the time and we lost some space but we didn't notice it. We had shallow base boards and with the soundproofing on the wall and the baseboards look flat against each other.

I didn't frame it though. It went straight on the wall.

I am an earplug addict and pusher 🤣
I got my friend this tester pack with different ones to try as she was having similar issues to you, OP.

https://amzn.to/402cr24

I estimate I've lost about 3 inches of width, which is not really noticeable, but of course it depends on how wide your room is to begin with, and how important soundproofing is to you. For me it was a priority, since the walls were so thin, and it isn't just about the current elderly neighbours, but the potential for things to get worse if noisier neighbours move in at a later point.

NB I've also removed the chimney breast which I think has offset the loss of width, and the room will be painted in an off white. The walls have just been undercoated so far, but the room actually feels wider than it did before.

I vote for a fan, I love a cool bedroom so have a fan on all year round but the sound really does block out incidental noise.

@Cheeesus ... what a great idea!
@Tulipvase a fan is a no-no, as is white noise after trying it yesterday... I was more frustrated by that than the neighbours lol!
I have some of the Macks Slimline earplugs on order, but I think soundproofing may be the way to go in the long term. Like @Tulipvase says, its not just the elderly neighbours, but also who moves in after them

The noise does take a bit of getting used to but I can’t sleep without it now, which is a bit of a downside too.

These silicone ones are the bomb! My husband snores like a freight train!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07PZMJD78?ref=nb_sb_ss_w_as-reorder-mobile-t1_k1_1_3&amp=&crid=22468OSCGD2IC&amp=&sprefix=ear

I second (or third) white noise, we had to use it for the baby and it was awful at first, couldn't sleep unless it was quiet. Now I'm so used to it after a few years I forget how to sleep in the quiet!
Definitely start with it on low and crank it up over a period of weeks, and you'll soon start to forget it's on.
You can get apps with all sorts, I write like a mix of a little train noise plus plenty of "brown" noise (who knows why it's brown, it reminds me of this, worth 5 minutes on YouTube https://www.google.com/search?q=Mitchell+and+webb+clarinet+tuba )

For disguising very loud noise such as building works I'd recommend Sony noise cancelling headphones. They're not cheap, but they are essential for urban living in my view, especially if you work from home.

Agree on the sound apps - there is one called Atmosphere which is very good. Layering up different sounds, as PP recommends, and playing music at the same time works for me.

We put soundproofing in in our old house, a 1950s semi. It was an absolute game changer. We lost around 3 inches but it was totally worth it. We just did downstairs and were considering upstairs but moved to a detached instead. Honestly it bought us another 5 years in that house because suddenly we could not hear next door!!