The discussion with her came up because I was on the verge of purchasing ear muffs to help him sleep in noisy environment(s). We live on the 2nd level and close to miltary bases – it’s not unusual for me to spend 1 hour putting him to sleep and have him awake within 30 mins because of any of the following:
(i) some maintainence vehicle parked downstairs and generating a whole lot of noise
(ii) live firing exercises, courtesy of the army
(iii) fighter planes taking off and then flying overhead incessantly – can last from 2 mins to 15mins and then repeating at regular intervals.

If we’re out at shopping malls, which are invaribly noisy, getting him to sleep and to stay asleep is nearly mission impossible.

I’m so glad to know that I’m not alone in this. I have not purchased the ear muffs because of what she said and now am wondering if I should do so? Nicole, any advice?

And it’s also interesting that I have been that way for as long as I can remember. Here I am thirty (mumble mumble) years old and I have yet to “get used to noise”. In fact, I had severe insomnia after Munchkin was born and actually spent a lot of time seeing sleep specialists. I asked my physician specifically if there was a way to “get used to noise” as a sleeper. He said that there is not.

Apparently recent studies have shown that people who are light sleepers have much more active sleeping brain patterns than those that are heavy sleepers. Our brains just don’t shut down all the way. He said, ” We have found that some people merely skim the surface while others dive deep into sleep”. So it sounds to me like it’s in a our brain chemistry and no amount of slamming doors when they are little is going to change that.

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@Claire LOL! I know. Until people have to be the one who has an overtired child because you wanted them to “get used to noise”, they will think their theory works, when in reality they probably just have an “easier” sleeper. We can only dream. And, you’re right, I forgot about the room-darkening blinds we also added to my son’s room! I should add that to my nap article. Thanks for the comment!

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I didn’t try to raise my kids as sensitive sleepers! I started out by letting the house be at its normal noise level during naps, leaving their bedroom doors open, etc. But as soon the baby obviously wakes up due to noise, I’m done with that theory. Both of my kids are extremely interested in the world and everything that goes on in it, and don’t want to miss A THING. Now both kids sleep in hermetically sealed environments, white noise blaring, black out curtains, etc. Everybody thinks I’m crazy and annoyed with my “shushing” while they’re sleeping, but it’s the only thing that works!

I think the advice can actually back fire. It can create a child that is overtired and only sleeps when they collapse. Then you end up depending on sleep aids that they get hooked on… and you have an entirely new sleep mess to work out!

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Our house is small so we use white noise to help drown out noise outside his room and this seems to work. He rarely sleeps well in the care and never in the stroller-just too much to see.