A poll....out of my own curiosity

[Lothlorien]

My difficult child sleeps with a sound machine. She has been for at least since she was about 3, maybe younger. Can't sleep at night without it. If the power goes out, we put batteries in. She has complained that she hears this hu hu hu (almost like a heavy breathing) in her ear or buzzing or ringing.

My father has slept with a sound machine since I was 9 or 10. he has buzzing in his ears and is losing his hearing, but I think it's because of him being in construction his whole life. I sleep with a sound machine, but don't have to. I only do it to drown out some of the noise the kids make when they get up in the morning. I've gotten used to it and notice I don't sleep as well without it now.

I'm just curious....how many of your difficult children sleep with a sound machine? Why and is it because of a sensory issue or is it the bipolar or something else? Who will possibly go and buy one for their difficult child, after reading this post?

 

[smallworld]

Sorry -- no sound machines in this house.

There's actually a medical term for ringing and buzzing in the ears. It's called tinnitis.

 

[Kathy813]

I don't have any sensory issues but am a light sleeper. We have an air purifier in our room that is kind of loud. I like it, though, because it gives off a white noise that drowns other sounds out.

I tried to sleep with it turned off a couple of times and found that I missed it.

I could see where Missy would be comforted by the sound machine.

~Kathy

 

[Sara PA]

We use TVs in my family. I prefer Nick@Night, my son likes Sports Center or FoxNews, my brother likes old movies. I set a timer to turn off my TV but if I wake up during the night, I put it back on.

 

[donna723]

I have slept on the sofa in my living room for years and leave the TV on all night with the sound muted. I can't sleep in the total dark - I do this little panic thing if I wake up in complete darkness. And I have a hard time sleeping in complete silence too. The ceiling fan makes just enough "white noise" to block out all the other little house noises and outside noises. In the summer I have both the AC and the ceiling fan on.

 

[Martie]

Ex-difficult child and I both set timed music to turn off in an hour. I have various "relaxation" or "meditation" CDs on my I-pod that I use. My I-pod player also has 18 sounds including white noise but I prefer music.

I find that listening to the same two or three things every night "turns off" my mind. Not surprisingly, ex-difficult child has listened to classical music since he was a little boy--he had sensory issues, too.

Martie

 

[Lothlorien]

Martie, we tried soft music...kept her up and if we tried lullabies, they made her cry. She likes the "ocean" on her sound machine rather than any of the other sounds.

 

[DammitJanet]

I listen to the TV at night and prefer to fall asleep to either of two types of shows. Either the news or crime shows. I guess you could say those would be the same thing...lol.

I cannot sleep without the tv on. If the power goes out I wake up.

 

[witzend]

I like an old movie to fall asleep to. Something with lots of quiet dialogue. I find that having the TiVo helps, because I can tell myself that if I fall asleep it will always be there the next time for me to fix it.

 

[Hound dog]

Call me stupid, but what is a sound machine? Is it like a radio or tape player? CD player?

I have to sleep with a box fan running on high. I prefer 2, one a stand fan, but can make do with just the box fan. I dunno if it is sensory or not. I do have other sensory issues. But "night noises" will wake me no matter how quiet they are. A cricket chirping outside will drive me near the brink of insanity. lol

I just plain can't sleep without the fan. If we travel, it goes with us. If it breaks down, husband better haul fanny out and buy a new one, no matter what time of day. :blush:

None of my kids seem to share this.

I can't tolerate a tv or radio being on that I can hear if I'm trying to sleep. Or the sound of people talking, even in whispers. No matter how hard I try to block out the sound my brain does it's darndest to make sense of what I'm hearing. (one of the reasons we gave up camping)

 

[Kjs]

difficult child had echo's, ringing, buzzing..then he had his tonsils out (because of his ears). The echo's and such went away. However he does sleep with TV on. No sound, just TV. I will shut it off and then an hour or so later it is back on. I gave up on shutting it off. Me too..what is a sound machine?

 

[skeeter]

NL uses background noise a lot, depending on what he's doing.

Studying, he uses classical music, or something with NO words.
Sleeping, he uses either classical or talk radio - at night around here that would be Truckin Bozo.
But he almost always has something on in the background. Luckily his taste in music is pretty good, Celtic, Folk or classical, so I can tolerate it! He also doesn't have it up load.

I sleep much better with a fan or the air conditioner (the compressor is right outside our window) on. I need something that's continuous and non-changing.

 

[kris]

<span style='font-size: 14pt'> <span style='font-family: Georgia'> <span style="color: #006600"> i guess you could say we all have sound machines. we all sleep with-our TVs on. always have. none of us can sleep in total silence.

kris </span> </span> </span>

 

[timer lady]

Loth,

I'd use it again if it worked for kt. She struggles to settle in every night & eventually fall asleep. Have tried music, white noise machines - have even allowed television. What eventually works is my rubbing her back each night for half an hour or more. It's seems to be the only thing that settles her.

 

[tiredmommy]

Duckie has a portable fan in her room. Noises from outside her bedroom keep her awake otherwise.

 

[Wiped Out]

husband and I use a fan every night-difficult child nothing but it's a good thought for maybe getting him to stay asleep.

 

[Lothlorien]

For those asking what a sound machine is....

It's a machine you can pick up in many stores now, but it's a little box ( many shaps and sizes now) you can keep on your nightstand that plays continual sounds like the ocean, white noise, rain or a forest. It helps to drown out outside noises and is also helpful for those with ringing in the ears.

I thought more of our kids would be using them.

TM, Missy would have a fan if I'd let her, but with her bad allergies, I dont.

I love the big box fans in the spring/summer....husband hates them. As soon as he turns it off, I wake up. I don't use them anymore.

 

[busywend]

difficult child does use a fan or a TV. Right now she is complaining because dad took the fan out of her room at his house and she does not know why. It is beyond her to actually ask him why. UGH!

 

[Steely]

my son listens to books on tape. they are a god send. rather than tv, they put him right to sleep, where tv makes him want to stay up. he also uses relaxation cds, although i have seriously considered a sound machine. perhaps this is the post that will cause me to get one!

 

[jodyice]

difficult child sleeps with the light on the fishtank and his tv on for the light, he can't sleep in total darkness. husband and I sleep with our ac on, it drowns out the neighbors tv. :smile: