My family of 4 moved from Iowa back to Texas in 2008 for the summer, and then to Scotland.  We’ve been overseas for 3 1/2 years now with crazy amounts of jet lag numerous times a year.  Jet lag is hard enough on adults who can mentally power through it.  It can be devastating for a family- especially if you really need to function pretty quickly.  For some, they’re on vacation and want to make the most of their days.  For others, like, us it was a matter of finding grocery stores and linens and basics for our new home….all with a 2 year old and a 4 month old who still woke up at night on a normal schedule!

Tips for Jet Lag Reduction

In my opinion, protecting sleep is essential.  Here are some of the ways we ensured our kids (and therefore we) got good sleep:

• Count on 1 day for every hour of change.  We had a 6 hour change- therefore, it took about 6 days for everyone to be completely back on track and feeling well.
• Be reasonable in your expectations- you can’t expect to regain 6 hours in 1 night, no matter how tired you are.  (see #1)
• Eat meals on the NEW time schedule.  This will help your (ahem) bowels, as well as your ability to sleep at the new times.
• Shorten naps- don’t allow yourself or your children to nap for long periods during the day (unless they are infants).  This will only prolong the nighttime troubles.
• Decide on a course of action for middle of the night wakings- will you snack a bit, get a drink of water, watch a movie, etc.?  You’ll make better choices ahead of time than in the moment.
• Get black out blinds- almost everyone sleeps better in a dark room.
• Use white noise.  Chances are you’ll be sleeping at odd times, possibly when the world around you is up and about (and therefore making noise).  Thus, mask it with white noise and they even have jet lag sound machines.
• Be patient- you’ll get on track, I promise.

Check out these tips for reducing the effects of jet lag with simple things such as reasonable expectations and a few products, like a jet lag sound machine.

Kids are loud.  There’s no getting around it.  Whether they’re at home or at play, kids make a ton of noise.  They cry, they scream, they laugh too loud, they tattle, they make believe…they’re wonderful, but they’re loud.  And anyone who has ever spent time with them knows it.  Keeping kids calm and getting them to sleep well is challenging enough with home court advantage.  It gets even harder in nurseries and day care centers because there are numerous kids to balance, all of whom have different needs at different times.

Keeping kids calm and well-rested is extraordinarily challenging in group settings.  That’s where sound masking can really help.  It’s not that these facilities need to boost their productivity like the average place of business, but they do need to cover noise all the same.    Babies and toddlers often cry a lot, while older children have more sophisticated means of being heard, such as yelling or screaming.  Whatever class or facility it is and whatever reason the kids are being loud, the volume level can be quite distracting for other children and certainly for younger kids still needing to nap.

Whether you have 1 child or 5, there are certain things that don’t change- like sleep.  Well, sleep changes drastically, but the need for sleep does not.  You still need a solid 8 {or 12, let’s be honest} of sleep a night and throwing in a kid or 2 or 3 doesn’t make that any different.  Most parents are sleep-deprived and some struggle to find their focus.  It might be an unproductive work day or just an irritable day at home with a fussy baby or demanding toddler- whatever it is, we all need good, consistent sleep.

My husband and I use a sound machine in our room for better sleep.  It’s not that we need the white noise itself or even a totally quiet room to sleep in, we just can’t handle all the ambient noise around us: howling wind, thunder storms, barking dogs, neighbor’s bass lines, street noise as car doors open and slam repeatedly, etc…A problem arises, however, when we need to be able to hear our children.  We have a 3 year old and a 5 year old who recently started rooming together in preparation for the arrival of our baby.  We had quite  dilemma- we originally planned to just quit using the sound machine in our room so we could hear whatever child needed us.  Unfortunately, that meant that every time my son {the loudest sleeper on the face of the earth, which we attribute to his ginormous tonsils and tendency to mouth breath, as well as just randomly call out dead in his sleep} made a peep, I was awake.  Then, I laid there awake listening to our college-aged neighbors party until the wee hours of the morning.  No, this was not going to work.  The sound machine went back on the next day after we chatted with the kids- if you need us, come get us!  We did have the caveat that the need had to be legitimate and not just a desire to get out of bed because they love us so much.

Balancing a Sound Machine & a Newborn’s Needs

However successful this new policy was, I was still plagued with how to hear the baby who would be upstairs and not next to us.  Then I had the brilliant idea of using our sound machine but also using a baby monitor for her {this would also work for the other two if I didn’t trust them to get me when they needed me}.  By using the baby monitor, I could still do just that- monitor the baby and not miss feedings, but be able to sleep through the neighbors’ noise and my noisy son.

If you want to use a sound machine but still be able to hear your baby, check out this tip  for using a sound machine and a baby monitor.

Thanksgiving has come and gone, and you are facing Christmas.  You may have gotten away with staying home for Turkey day, but with more time off, most families find that they end up traveling for Christmas, or at the very least, hosting visiting family for the holidays.  Having family around is actually a blessing most of the time, but finding the space and doing all the planning can be tricky, if not downright stressful.

So, maybe you have lots of company this month, or maybe you’re the company- either way, getting everyone to sleep and sleep well can be a challenge.  There are different bed times, different routine,s different needs, all based on different ages and people just being different by nature.  From snoring to slamming doors to midnight bathroom breaks to coughing to restful kids to rustling sheets, having company {and being company} is an acoustic nightmare, resulting in grumpy, sleep-deprived individuals.  And who wants cranky children, let alone adults, for Christmas morning?

That’s why I’m sharing my best resource with you- sound machines for sleep.  Even if you’ve never needed one before, having a little white noise as a boundary between you and your guests/hosts provides a little bit of freedom so no one feels badly about the extra noise.  Check out the various applications below.

Sound Machine App #1

If your company is making noise, use a sound machine for your own family.  It will help cover the added noise of extra people so that you (and your children) can still get good sleep.

Sound Machine App #2

If it’s your own children making too much noise for grandma or other visiting kids, why not offer a sound machine to your company?  They can choose a nature sound they like and tune out your own rowdy kids.

Sound Machine App #3

If you find yourself traveling for the holidays, it’s time to consider a portable sound machine.  Chances are, you’ll feel more relaxed and more at home.

Whether it’s for you or your guests, sound machines are a wise investment because they protect everyone’s number one concern: sleep.

My family and I recently returned from a lovely trip to the Lake District in northern England.  {As a total side note, if you’ve never been and ever, ever have the opportunity, you really must see this stunning part of the world.}  We do a lot of traveling, as we are ex-pats in the UK and figure we will never have this kind of opportunity again.  We’ve been all over Scotland, parts of England and Ireland, as well as France, Germany, and many trips back to the US to visit family over the holidays.  We usually fly to these places, of course, but the Lake District is just a 5-6 hour drive from our northeastern home in Scotland.  It was a nice change, not having to pack in airplane-friendly bags, but we were still limited to our trunk/boot space.  That might seem like a lot of space, but with 2 small children, we had to include a stroller, all our bags, as well as tons of blankets for making pallets for the kids.  We spent our first night in a youth hostel, and while it was truly beautiful aesthetically, the rooms were still spartan and dorm-like as all hostels are.  We had a set of bunk beds for all 4 of us.  I was almost 34 weeks pregnant at the time, so sleeping on the floor was not an option.  Thus, my husband took the top bunk, I took the lower, and the kids had pallets on the bit of floor allotted to us.

The Challenges of Sharing a Room with Your Kids

I’ll admit, we rarely share a room with our children.  We value our sleep and own space far too much.  However, our kids have started sharing a room at home, so this was not as big of a deal as it could have been.  Nevertheless, sharing a room {and not being in a home with other rooms} is complicated in that you can’t keep the lights on and go about your business as usual.  On the contrary, we turned off the light at 8pm and all went to sleep.  Yes, at 32 and 35, we felt like children again with a far too early bed time.

Once again, I will say that having a sound machine made a world of difference.  The amount of shuffling sheets and night time snores and grunts amongst 4 people is quite astounding.  Plus, hostels aren’t exactly known for being particularly quiet, and with most people going to bed after 8pm, there were a lot of slamming doors and hallway chatter.  Having a sound buffer was crucial in any of us getting a full night’s sleep.

And, so, for the millionth time, I say a heartfelt thank you to my trusty sound machine for affording us yet another hard-won night of sleep.

Sound machines really are clutch in these situations.  I know some people worry that once they get used to using one for sleep purposes, they won’t be able to sleep without one.  I personally have not had that problem, nor have my children.  We just use them to cover noise.  If there’s not noise to cover, we don’t use it.  It’s as simple as that.  I have found that varying sounds at home, and especially on the road when traveling, really mess up sleep.  I am not a woman who can function on too little sleep.  Thus, I will forever keep a sound machine {or two…or three} around for a while.

While I’m at it, I’d like to recommend a portable sound machine- that way you can travel with it for yourself and for your kids, or just move it around the house or to a friend’s place for kids’ naps, etc.  Having a battery option, as well as adapters is great for home, work, and travel.  Most portable machines are quite small and very lightweight, too, making them an easy addition to a carry-on bag or even a handbag.

Sleep is precious- using a sound machine can preserve your night time rest in spite of ambient noise.

5 Ways to Use Sound Masking

1. For work. The average worker (including you!) is distracted up to 2 hours every day.  This distraction usually comes in the form of conversational distraction.  Thus, an individual sound machine on your desk (or even this free online generator) is great for tuning out this kind of noise. Better yet, sound masking throughout the office space can provide this benefit to the entire office.

2. For sleep. This is one of my favorite ways to use white noise.  I hate lying in bed, listening to the wind howl or car doors slam on the street. Using a sound machine next to your bed will mask the annoying sounds from neighbors or street noise, helping you sleep better and stay asleep with fewer interruptions.

3. For kids. Sound machines can work wonders with kid’s sensitive sleep schedules. Maybe your children are sharing a room for the first time, or you want them to easily sleep through the noise of your dinner party. White noise can ensure good, uninterrupted sleep for your little ones, which means better sleep for you, too.

4. For relaxation. After a long day at work, you want to come home to relax and unwind, but a barking dog across the street is interrupting your reverie. You can relax to the sounds of nature found on many household sound machines. Enjoy the sound of the sea as you sit down to read a good book.

5. For tinnitus. Ringing in your ears, also known as tinnitus can be very distracting and uncomfortable. The irritation caused by tinnitus can be lessened though the use of sound therapy, letting you relax.

A sound machine provides a more focused environment, free of intrusive and distracting noise. This can increase your productivity at work, or provide you with a more restful night’s sleep. Sound masking can also be utilized throughout a open office space to provide better productivity and confidentiality for everyone. Try sound masking for yourself, and begin enjoying the benefits of improved concentration and better sleep!

I had never heard of white noise or sound machines before I had children.  I knew my parents used a really, really loud fan to sleep at night, and I just assumed you had to have a lot of volume to block unwanted sounds, such as our slumber parties.  I never understood why they needed noise to block our noise, being a young, good sleeper.  Then, I went to college and had roommates who kept different hours than I did.  Not everyone believed in the 1-3 siesta, nor did they stay quiet just because I did.  I found this shocking and quite eye-opening.  I still didn’t know about sound machines, but I wish I had.  I think a friend recommended them when we found that we had a very alert baby who could hear the carpet crunch as we crept by.  As I have recently been contacted by 4 or so people interested in sound machines, I thought I would shed light on their various uses.

• For sleep. Sound machines provide the same noise blockage as my parents’ loud fan but at a lower volume so you can sleep.  White noise is effective as a low-level background noise.  This is helpful because you don’t have to blast them to get their benefits.  When you run the machine low enough, you can block unwanted noises, but still hear the necessary sounds, such as a child’s cry, a burglar, or even the phone.    So, you can get a good night’s sleep without sacrificing your own or your children’s safety.
• For work. This is another great application of sound machines.  Instead of blocking noise to sleep, you can block noise so you can focus better.  If you don’t have a noisy, distracting office, consider yourself lucky (and in a very small percentage!).  The average worker is distracted more than 2 hours every day, usually by conversation.  That includes conversations workers want to be a part of and the ones they’d rather not.  White noise serves as a buffer so you can keep your mind on work and as productive as possible.

Sound machines are great resources for sounder sleep and more productive work.

You may recall all the recent storms related to Hurricane Irene.  The fall-out was catastrophic, leaving many without electricity for days on end.  A friend of mine who lives on the northeast coast had days of power outages, too.  However, much to her relief her landlord supplied them with generators.  Interestingly, she itemized a list of her top priorities for power necessity: sound machines, night lights, a refrigerator, a light, and a tv.  While a refrigerator, lights, and a tv may not seem too far a stretch for most, many people may be surprised at the inclusion of sound machines and night lights.  I would wager those people do not have children.

Why Sound Machines are Top Priority

As a mother of soon to be three, I can relate to the desire to plug in.  Hurricanes notwithstanding, I have had my share of power outages, and the first things I think of are our sound machines and night lights.  It’s not that we can’t live without them, it’s just that they are part of our routine, especially our bed time routine.  And as all mothers know, bed time routines are sacred.  There is little a mother won’t do to soothe her tired child to sleep.  For us, sound machines have been a staple almost since day one of new baby.  We had barking dogs, noisy neighbors, loud phones, heaters and air conditioners that turn off and on all the time, as well as just general noise.  Thus, having a little white noise was comforting for us all.

It was when we added baby #2 that we really appreciated our sound machines.  They did the same noise control for our baby and protected our toddler from all the baby’s sounds/crying in the middle of the night.  It’s hard enough to get up with a newborn for midnight feedings- there is no reason to be getting up for your disconcerted toddler, too.

Sound machines can be an essential and comforting part of your bedtime routine with your children.

We recently moved flats…that’s just a fancy British term for apartment.  The interesting thing is how different “flats” can be.  Our first flat was a traditional apartment- on the “first” floor, called the second floor to Americans, surrounded by numerous other flats with all the traditional noise.  Our second flat was more like a shoe box turned on it side- it had a basement, ground floor, first floor, and loft with neighbours on both sides but no one above or below us.  Our most recent move has brought us to a semi-detached “house” of flats.  It is like a little house with neighbours on one side.

Noisy Neighbours

The common thread through them all is that we have neighbours who share at least one wall with us.  I can’t say what their feelings are on the matter {well, I can tell you about one set’s opinions but I’ll spare you the gory details}, but I know for our part it has been tricky.  Going from owning your own home to renting a place with other renters all around you can  prove quite a disconcerting change, especially with regard to sleep.  It may seem strange to mention sleep, but when you have to factor in other people’s schedules {or lack thereof}, your own schedule gets rocked, and that includes sleep.

For us, a workable solution has been a sound machine {or 2 or 3}.  We moved to  the UK with a 2 year old and a 4 month old…they are 5 and 3 now.  Though they are not as sensitive to noise as they were, they now share a room and are across the hall from the bathroom and down the hall from the living room where we entertain guests and watch movies.  Thus, for the last 3 years we have employed sound machines in their rooms and even in our own to cover neighbour noise, as well as seagulls calling and typical street and night time noise.

If you have noisy neighbours, it’s far better to cover their noise with a sound machine than to develop bad relations that will plague you daily and nightly.