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Sleeping With Ear Plugs

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James B.

MyPTSD Pro
Probably old news for many here...

Had terrible insomnia much of my young adult life. When I was in my early 30's a person I met said he had the same problem, and always slept with earplugs. I tried it, and it really helped. I always have some with me, can't sleep in a motel room or a hospital room without.

Seems I used to wake myself up just from the sounds of moving a little, rustling blankets etc. Plus all the ambient sounds of the urban or suburban world. Guess this is from hypervigilance.

Last November I moved here, a somewhat remote rural setting where its very quiet at night. For the first time in many years I have been sleeping without earplugs. Used to always use them camping too: wind blowing the tent, and its amazing how loud crickets can be. :-)

The best earplugs I've found are the foam bullet shaped ones. Home Depot has these, but have recently found really good ones like this at Rite Aid, a pack costs maybe $3.50. Really good earplugs, long enough to work well, and easy to take out. One set might last a week, maybe less.

I squeeze the foam tight, then insert the plug and let it expand as I enjoy the relative silence. Rite Aid stocks these in the accessories department, same place I found my eye-patch. There are purple. They also have them in the ladies department, same ear plug, in pink. Think I like the pink ones better as they seem easier to see in the dark.

Clearly this won't solve a lot of people's problems with insomnia, but it sure made a big difference to me.
 
I can't live without my earplugs. I can't read or write without them and they come in handy for swimming, concerts, clubbing ect. I take them everywhere. I use waterproof ones that you roll into a ball and squash up to your ear to create a seal/suction. One day I may invest in custom, professional grade earplugs for extra protection from loud noises (I like to go to concerts and out dancing)! Young people really should take better care to protect their hearing.

Bottom Line: earplugs are awesome.
 
Yeah they are pretty good, although I find that if I'm really wound up then all I can hear is my pulse loudly in my head, so then I debate about removing them and listening to all the noise near our bedroom instead. But once I have relaxed enough to sleep earplugs can make the difference for a longer sleep.
 
Thanks thats just reminded me to get a new stock from ebay! Ive been using ear plugs for a while now aswell as its really noisy where I live. If I havent slept at night I can put them in anytime and have a catch up sleep. Theyve been a saviour at times.
 
Always use them to sleep. ALWAYS. the only trouble is that they do not work alone so I also have to use these very huge ear muffs that go over the head for shooting whch means I can only sleep on my back. Once everyone is in bed, I can take them off.

But one little rustle.......one car.......boom........it's all over and I am wide awake as if I had a jolt of coffee.

My defalt is NOT SLEEP, so it takes a lot to get there.

My senses are so acute as If I am still in cave man mode? WTH??
 
When my late husband and I were still together. As well as the snoring like a freight train he was also a bed hogger and pushed me out a few times. Just what I didn't need with my very bad back. So the couch was best for me.
 
See, ear plugs can save relationships....ear plugs can mean "love" or no love....:roflmao:

well alright because i will tell you snoring was/is a problem for me too! I didn't know what to do. I would snore and wake up the GF (this is back in 86/87). She would wake me up, to stop the snoring. I don't blame her. I was probably a bed hog too. probably just a crummy BF in general - lol. Too funny.
 
Yeah, my husband snores really loudly which only bothers me if I'm having trouble going off to sleep.

Okradlak I can relate to the not sleeping default setting. I sleep reasonably well most of the time but when I am going through a dissociated phase (can last 3 - 6 months) I barely sleep at all whic is extremely stressful. So when I finally do fall asleep plugs mean I can make the most of it.
 
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