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05
Oct 2011

Sound Machines & Bedtime Routine

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The Need to Plug In

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.

 

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07
Sep 2011

Tuning Out Noisy Neighbours

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Flats

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.

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17
Aug 2011

Tips for How to Sleep In {even with small children!}

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Tips for Sleeping In

Do you remember the days when you got to sleep in?  Whether sleeping in was every day or just weekends, or 8am or noon, nobody was pounding on your door or just crying to be fed.  It was just you and you were your own alarm.  Now you have little ones whose cries ring a little too early {or hours too early if you ask me}.  If you are a parent like me, you know the woes of trying to sleep in with small children.  It’s not that the joys of kids aren’t worth it, but wouldn’t it be nice to sleep in every once in a while?

Here are some ideas for the next time you’d like to get a little extra shut-eye.

1. Convince your spouse/partner to take care of the kids on the morning you’d like to sleep in. I have heard of couples switching Saturday mornings, so every other Saturday you’d get to sleep in and on the opposite Saturday you’d have morning childcare duty.  {For most of us, though, once awakened by a child’s cries, we can’t go back to sleep, no matter how well our partners do in entertaining them away from us.  I do like the idea, though.}

2. Ensure that you can actually sleep. Unfortunately, even though you are not out of bed, your kids are, and if they are anything like my kids, they are LOUD. It’s so disappointing to beable to sleep in, but not actually be able to sleep because of the chaos ensuing outside your door. I like to employ a combination of white noise and ear plugs. The white noise that the sound machine makes masks the sounds the kids are making and the ear plugs are extra insurance. Don’t want to waste your free morning! {Tip: Black out blinds help as well, but aren’t as necessary. You’ll likely be so tired anyway, that a little bit of light won’t bother you.}

Sleeping in is quite a luxury- make it happen even with small children by being proactive in your planning and safeguarding your sleep with a sound machine.

 

 

 

 

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22
Jul 2011

White Noise for Sleep

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Feeling a Little Unenthusiastic about Nature?

Are you haunted by birds outside your window?  Do they taunt you to the point you feel you may have to take drastic measures just to survive without going completely insane?

To the crows ka-ka-ing outside my bedroom window at 5:30am. Unless you take your morning meeting elsewhere, I may have a bb gun in my future. You’ve been warned.

This reminds me a little too much of Failure to Launch.  Not a great film, but worth a viewing just because of the sideshow bob characters, one of whom {Zooey Deschanel} is been driven mad by a chirping mocking bird.  The poor girl just can’t get any sleep as a result of this bird’s incessant talking.  Her plan of action was not any nobler than my friend’s up above.

White Noise Mimics Nature and Therefore Trumps It

When I hear of these complaints, I just can’t help but think, why?  There are many, many noises that you can’t do much about, such as the sound of your newborn crying inconsolably or a train passing you at 4am.  However, most of nature and its, um, noisiness, can be dealt with in much more humanitarian ways.  At the risk of sounding like a broken record, how about a little white noise?  Ironically, white noise usually mimics nature sounds, which may seem counter-intuitive when trying to cover nature sounds.  However, real nature is sporadic and unpredictable, and while breathtakingly peaceful outdoors on a hike, it is incredibly disturbing while trying to sleep.  In contrast, white noise simulates nature sounds- it’s less authentic, I suppose, but the benefit is a uniform, consistent sound.  This kind of uniformity enables you to sleep and stay asleep because your brain focuses on it instead of errant noises.  Plus, as long as you don’t choose chirping birds, there shouldn’t be any startling tweets that bring you out of slumber.

If nature outside your bedroom window is getting a little too realistic, try a sound machine so you can tune it out and get a good night’s sleep.

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15
Jul 2011

Noisy Neighbors {& Tuning Them Out!}

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Neighbor Nuisances

When wondering if I’m the only loud neighbor or have the only loud neighbors in the world, I have only to read my friends’ Facebook statuses to know that, sadly, I am not.

Ugh. Neighbor’s up, again. He must be excited about his flight- it already sounds like we’re on the Tarmac. I won’t be missing him.

It’s not that I try to be loud or even think that I am, but we do have 2 small children who do not hold the same hours as our older neighbors without kids.  In all fairness, one works the night shift and we can hardly be blamed for living during the day when she is trying to sleep…nor can they be blamed for having a yappy dog.  It all evens out I suppose.  However, I don’t want to be the hated neighbor that always makes noise…like these guys or the one below I heard about from other friend on Facebook:

This person living above me is either working out or doing something I don’t care to know what they are doing, but it is now getting to me! I am now mad!

There has to be a better way of tuning people out...

A very pregnant friend of mine and I just chatted the other day about how we wanted to supply a set of complimentary ear plugs or a sound machine {like this free online generator} to each of our neighbors when we have our new babies.  Like the say, good sound masking makes good neighbors…right?

In all seriousness, though, I cannot control what my neighbors do- that includes the noise they makes, as well as how the deal with our noise.  But I can take charge in my own home and how we manage less than ideal distractions, especially when trying to sleep.  We use sound machines.  Not every night and not in every room, but where and when it’s necessary to block noisy nieghbors, we turn those bad boys on and we sleep.  You will never see me complaining about an easily remedied problem on Facebook. ;)

If noisy neighbors are getting you down and keeping you from going to sleep, try a sound machine- it’s easy to turn on and just s easy not to use when not needed.

 

 

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13
Jul 2011

How to Get Better Naps {out of your child!}

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The Importance of Being Well Rested

Who doesn’t love a good nap?  Our children, that’s who.  It’s one of the most unfair things in the world {a slight exaggeration, I suppose}- being forced as a child to take a nap you are sure you don’t need and then longing for that protected sleep time as an adult.  We never appreciate what we have, I suppose.

The good thing is that you are the parent, and if you’re wise, you know that sleep is an essential part of all babies’ and toddlers’ lives.  The average baby sleeps 10-12 hours at night with several naps during the day.  The toddler keeps that night time sleep, drops the morning nap, and consolidates day time sleep into one after-lunch nap.  {That’s the ideal anyway.  There are always exceptions.}  Getting the most out of those naps is crucial for maximizing the rest of the day.  The key here is not how long your child sleeps, but how rested he or she is throughout the day.  Quit counting hours and go by how content your child is.  If she’s happy and content, you’re doing well!  If he’s cranky, it may be smart to adjust his sleep schedule so he can be happier and more alert.  Here are some tips for improving your child’s sleep environment so he or she can get the best sleep possible.

Tips for Better Sleep for Your Child

  • Read your child’s signs- there’s no reason to go to all this extra effort if you’re just missing the right time.  Look for yawning, rubbing eyes, ear pulling, dazing off…if you’re child is fussing and irritable, it’s already past when he should be down for a sleep.
  • Darken the room.  A night light is fine, but close the blinds and make it as un-exciting as possible so your child can wind down.
  • The same goes for toys- pull out the million of toys from the crib or bed and limit how many go to bed with the child.  You may decide one special toy or a certain number that can be rotated (usually for an older child).  never put a noisy or interactive toy in the bed unless you want to encourage play time instead of sleep.
  • make sure your child is going down to sleep in cozy clothes- I was shocked how much better my son slept when I put him in pajama bottoms instead of jeans or shorts.
  • Make it relatively quiet.  Sound machines are great for neutralizing louder homes with other kids or activities going on.  No child wants to sleep and miss out on fun- a sound machine covers the fun so she is blissfully unaware.

Hopefully, these tips for getting better naps for your child will accomplish just that!  Even a sound machine can work wonders for the overly excited child.

 

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09
Jul 2011

Why I Use a Sound Machine at Home

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As I was laying my son down for a nap this afternoon, I was reminded of why we love sound machines in our home.  Fortunately, he is a curious and flexible little guy, so the inconsistent, off and on again hammering next door (we live in a town house-type flat that shares walls with 2 neighbors) sparked more curiosity than annoyance- for him anyway.  I am well aware that 1:30pm on a Saturday is a perfectly normal and fair time to have workmen repair something in your home, but it’s less than ideal for those of us who were hoping for a peaceful nap.  I turned my son’s sound machine on a little higher than I usually do and told him they were building something next door.  That did the trick for him- his curiosity was satisfied and much of the noise was off-set by a consistent, familiar noise- white noise.

I did the same for my own nap- I also share that wall with the neighbors, so any chance I had a sleep was through my sound machine.  I have used my sound machine to tune out:

  • neighbor’s barking dog
  • neighbors yelling at barking dog
  • wind, rain, and hail
  • car doors slamming
  • lawn bowlers {not kidding}
  • college students partying
  • my own kids playing

I’ll be honest- a noise as loud as hammering will never be fully drowned out by white noise through a sound machine…I suppose it’s possible, but then the white noise would probably be as loud as an airplane taking off, so what would the point be really?

The way white noise works is to add low-level, soft sound from all over the sound spectrum so that inconsistent sounds {such as nearby conversations, phones ringing, dogs barking, or machines buzzing} fade into the background because the brain can’t focus on them.  That’s why it’s  my go-to for better sleep and even for more focus while I work from home.

Sound Machines are a great resource for sleep {because of the minimization of intrusive sounds}, productivity {because it reduces distractions}, and even tinnitus {because of the effectiveness of sound therapy}.

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06
Jul 2011

Why You Need a Portable Sound Machine {Save Your Vacation!}

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If you don’t know how much I love white noise, bless your heart, you must be a new reader.  I love it because it has solved many a sleeping issue for my family.  When we had Rebekah and Luke, we had to learn to sleep through unimportant, yet incredibly annoying noises, while still be attentive to baby noises.  It was a tricky balance and one that caused me much stress and loss of sleep.  I lay awake, anticipating and dreading any noise, wondering if I would ever fall asleep or sleep soundly.  That’s when we started using white noise, and we eventually shifted to portable sound machines for when we roomed the kids together, traveled, or had to nap our kids elsewhere for any reason, such as Sunday lunch at a friend’s house.

In the last few years, we’ve been to Germany, the States, Paris, London, and all over Scotland.  This summer we’re hitting Ireland, London again, and Rome…then back to the US for some family time.  So, okay, we may travel more than the average family, but most people travel at least a little…right?  Whether you’re visiting family for the holidays, doing some summer travel, or just spending time with friends, more than likely you’ll find yourself in a strange place at bed time.  And chances are, you’ll toss and turn just like we do when we’re not at home.  And while there are worse things than getting poor sleep, a bad night can ruin any day and certainly a vacation.  It only gets worse when kids are involved- you’ve worked so hard to establish a routine at home only to have it wrecked abroad, so to speak.  I’m just gonna say it again- you can use a sound machine at home or not, but it can be a priceless resource on the road.

And when you travel, sleep is frequently in jeopardy, especially when children are involved.  Why not travel with a portable sleep aid?  One that will benefit all of you- because when your kids sleep well, so do you!

 

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29
Jun 2011

Giving Yourself a Little Freedom

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4th of July

It’s almost the 4th of July, and we’re all thinking about freedom {and hamburgers and hotdogs and swimming}.  Anyway, this Independence Day why not treat yourself to a little freedom?  You already have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, but do you have peace and quiet?  If not, sometimes it can be hard to live well, and even harder to sleep well.

So, that’s what I’m suggesting- a way to find peace in a busy and chaotic world.  Don’t worry, I’m not trying to convert you to anything…just make you aware of how awesome sound masking is.  Crazy, I know.  But sound machines have literally improved tons of people’s productivity, ability to relax, and sleep patterns.

Productivity

The average worker wastes/loses 2 hours a day to distraction.  Note, this is the average worker, not just slackers in general.  The main culprit, surprisingly enough, is conversational distraction.  It’s just too hard to tune out…unless you use a sound machine, which pulls in sound from all over the sound spectrum to mask the unwanted sound.  The result is that your brain doesn’t focus on that one sound, but tunes it all out.

Relaxation

If you live in a noisy apartment, on a busy street, or even have roommates or kids who are overly loud, you know how hard it is to relax.  This is particularly true for college towns and areas with a hopping night life.  Another application of a sound machine is for simple relaxation- turn on some nature sounds and drown out the craziness.

Tinnitus

Millions of Americans suffer from tinnitus, or a ringing in the ears.  It can range from mildly annoying to extremely distracting and debilitating.  Sound therapy sound machines can greatly reduce or eliminate the effects of tinnitus so you can work or sleep better.

Sleep

A final common use of sound machines is for improved sleep.  Some struggle to fall asleep, while others awaken throughout the night because of noise.  Whether you keep the machine on all night or use a timer to help you fall asleep {or even take a nap!}, sound machines are great resources for poor sleep.

This Independence Day, treat yourself to a little freedom from a loud and distracting world with your own sound machine, so you van work, relax, and sleep better.

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22
Jun 2011

Nature Sounds vs. Nature {& Why Sound Machines Work}

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Nature vs. Nature Sounds

The other night, I contemplated not using my trusty sound machine.  We have quit using one in our daughter’s room because she is finally old enough and a sound enough sleeper that noise doesn’t bother her too much.  So, I thought maybe I would give it a go, too.  All went well the first night.  The second night, however, proved to be quite different.  As I was pulling the curtains closed and preparing to hop in bed, the loudest imaginable wind I have ever heard whipped through our not so well insulated house.  It shook the windows and made for a breezy good-night {and incidentally tore down huge trees and wreaked havoc throughout the city}.  I tried, I really did, to not turn on my sound machine, but when push came to shove, or in this case, when the wind practically whipped through my room, I just couldn’t resist.

The funny thing is that my sound machine comes equipped with nature sounds.  You would think that trading actual nature for simulated nature sounds would not be effective.  However, I will say that simulated nature sounds provide a great background for sleeping, whereas actual nature is preferable for an outdoor experience.  That’s because real nature varies and is inconsistent by nature {pun intended}; nature sounds , by design, are uniform and cover the sound spectrum for the purpose of covering or masking unwanted sounds.  That’s why white nose works- it actually allows the brain to tune out unpleasant or distracting noise{s} so you can work more efficiently, or in this case, sleep more soundly.

So, I have come to a place in my adult life in which I don’t need sound masking to sleep, but I really appreciate having a sound machine as an option for those times when external noises keep my brain going.  I often opt to use my sound machine for naps since they’re during the day and most of the world around me is still going.  Yet, at night,  I just use it when I can’t sleep because of street noise, a dog barking, or in this case, the howling wind.

If you struggle to fall asleep or sleep soundly through the night, you might also benefit from a sound machine.

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