You thought your one-bedroom in the West Village was a steal…and thennnn you spent your first night there. Between the thumping bass from the club next door, the cabs honking all night long and the garbage trucks that do pickups every hour on the hour, you haven’t had a good night’s sleep in months. We’re here to help. Here are six ways to get a better night’s sleep (besides wearing earplugs).
How to Sleep When You Live on the Loudest Street Ever
If you’ve already tried everything
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Published Jun 27, 2016
Twenty20
Rearrange Your Furniture
First, pinpoint where the noise is coming from. If it’s noise from the street outside, it’s probably coming through your window. If it’s noise from your neighbors (or the bar next door), it’s likely coming through the wall. Move your bed as far away from the noisy window or wall as possible, even if it means swapping it with your desk or dresser.
Turn On The Air Conditioner Fan
Even if you don’t need to make your bedroom any cooler, turning on your air conditioner fan will muffle the noise. Add some soft, soothing music and you’ll barely hear those NYU students yelling on the sidewalk outside.
Try A White Noise Machine
If the air conditioner fan works but doesn’t quite block out enough sound, invest in a white noise machine. The soothing sound of rushing air will come in handy when your upstairs neighbor is blasting the Hamilton cast album at midnight (not like there’s anything wrong with that).
Apartment 34
Add Curtains And A Rug
Soft surfaces absorb sound, so add as many rugs, pillows and curtains to your bedroom as possible. (Plus, it’s a great excuse to buy that throw rug you saw at West Elm last week.)
Hang Tapestries
Have you ever seen the foam squares they line the wall with at a recording studio? Try this prettier version at home: Buy thick fabric tapestries (like these loomed wall hangings from Anthropologie), then hang them on the loudest wall to dampen the sound.
Twenty20
Drink Sour Cherry Juice
If all else fails, try this trick we swear by: Drink one eight-ounce cup of tart cherry juice in the morning and one in the evening. It’s a natural source of melatonin and tryptophan, so you’ll sleep like a baby right through those honking cab horns. Sweet dreams…
