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When living in an apartment building, it’s expected to hear noise from your neighbors. However, there are those moments where your typical neighbor’s noise turns into an ongoing problem. And they become the noisy neighbors from hell.
Living in a busy city is not easy when it comes to your living space. Sometimes you may live in that perfect place. Good neighborhood, friendly neighbors, and walls as thick as can be.
But then there’s the opposite effect. And what starts out as a few loud steps here and there, turns into an ongoing battle of banging on the floors and ceilings just to get some form of quiet in your own home.
I’m currently going through this situation. For four years, my home has been met with hours of noisy neighbors. And no matter how much I’ve complained to management, nothing has changed. It has taken a hit on my mental state of mind.
And I’m not alone. Many have gone through similar situations and for most, it’s been an unbearable way to live.
Noisy neighbors and your mental health
It’s no surprise to those who live in apartments that noise is expected. Unlike houses, apartments are stacked on each other which means you’re bound to hear some disruption. And living in the city, many would say it’s simply a part of the ambiance of living in an apartment.
The stomping of feet on hardwood floors. The slamming of outside doors. The child’s play for hours above your head. All common to hear. But when those noises turn into an ongoing strain on the neighbor experiencing these noises around them, it can take a toll.
What’s not taken into consideration is how living around noisy neighbors can affect someone’s mental state. We all view our home as an oasis. It’s a place to escape from the hustle and bustle of outside. From a long day at work or a troubling day at school, your home is a place to decompress.
But when you have those same issues in your home environment, your escape becomes a continuous cycle of built-up tension. And you may find it difficult to find an ounce of quietness.
The effects of excessive noises on you mentally
As someone who lives with major depression, managing my mental health is an everyday balance. There are moments in the day where a quiet place is needed to focus on me. And my home is a place I turn to for comfort after mentally dealing with others all day long.
Exposure to excess noise is considered a stressor. And this stressor alone can trigger a list of negative health issues. Your mind becomes focused on the disruptions from your neighbors that you begin to add extra stress.
And this added stress can trigger your anxiety and depression, elevating at times to levels that may cause physical issues as well.
Some others you may experience are:
- Irritability
- Frustration
- Anger
- Stuck
- Despair
- A sense of sadness
- Lack of interest in home activities
While living in my current situation I’ve experienced a rise in my own anxiety, depression, and bouts of anger. My sleep, which already is not great, has been disrupted. And my desire to do fun activities that I once enjoyed has come to a halt.
Your sensitivity to stress increases. And with it comes a mixture of negative emotions and feelings. In a way, you may feel a lack of control. And the impact of noisy neighbors can intensify your mental health.
Handling your mental state of mind when it’s too much
Managing a healthy mental state of mind can be a challenge. And throwing in something like difficult noisy neighbors just makes it that much more of a harder task for you. Before you pull all your hair out, there are some ways to take back your mental state and relieve yourself of the burden of this stressor.
Noise canceling headphones
The proper noise-canceling headphones can work wonders against those pesky rumblings around you. They are great for those moments you need to decompress. Find a room in your apartment with the least amount of noise and listen to some soothing music or a reading of your favorite book.
Noise-canceling headphones come in a variety of sizes. I’ve purchased both over the ears and earbuds. A good set that I’ve found online is called M-Pow. The over the ear pair manages to block out the noises of oncoming subway trains. So, it works well against the neighbors above me.
They’re very affordable on Amazon and what I love about them is that they’re wireless. So, I can wear them throughout my house, which is needed in my situation. They connect to your device through Bluetooth.
It’s a great alternative to spending money soundproofing your home. And it allows you to have a break from those disruptions that tend to drive you crazy throughout the day.
White noise machines
If your noisy neighbors are anything like mines, then you may be struggling with sleep as well. Many will suggest using a white noise machine. A white noise machine is designed to mask noise from interrupting your sleep by using soothing sounds.
And for the most part, many of them work wonders. Sleep is especially important when it comes to your mental health. Sleep is a way to reset our bodies as well as our minds, giving us the energy needed to function on a healthier scale.
When that sleep is disrupted on a regular basis it could lead to:
- Memory issues
- Changes in your mood
- Struggles with concentrating or problem-solving
- Weak immune system
- Increase in blood pressure
- Insomnia
You become a walking shell of yourself. By placing a white noise machine in the areas where you sleep, it can provide you a few hours of peace and the needed sleep that was taken away.
Meditation
With noisy neighbors comes loads of stress because of the situation. A great way to combat that stress is practicing meditation. Meditation is a calming method of breathing techniques designed to bring you to a calming place.
By making it a routine to meditate daily, you help relieve that built-up tension and anger you may have towards those neighbors. Try finding a meditation class in your neighborhood to teach you the beginning stages. There also are some good apps out there such as Calm, if you rather practice on your own.
I’m currently using Calm for some of my breathing techniques. And although I just started, I can see a small change beginning to occur.
Some may look at this as pointless but don’t knock it until you try it. Meditation can be greatly beneficial to your mind. Your mind is all about thoughts and thinking. And what better way to tackle those stressful neighbors than to put your mind in a much calmer place.
Moving
The last resort is the one that will get you out of your living nightmare altogether. Moving. Unfortunately, for many of those who live in apartments, management, and the law is not on your side when it comes to noisy neighbors.
Moving is the final step that many take just to get away from the noise interferences to their living space. It has become so uncomfortable that you have no other choice.
While it’s not ideal for some, it’s a better solution for most. I find myself at this final stage. After exhausting all the proper avenues such as contacting management about the situation, calling security about the noises, and even a sit down with the noisy neighbors, I’m in the process of finding a new place.
To come to this final stage, you are no longer able to tolerate living in an uncomfortable environment. And as much of a headache as it is to move, in the long run, your mind will thank you for it.
Other ways to handle your noisy neighbors mentally
Of course, if none of these works for you there are other ways to handle your mental state when living around noisy neighbors.
- Soundproof your apartment with soundproof padding
- Talk to someone about your frustrations and concerns
- Spend a night at a hotel or friends house for some quiet time
- Ask to relocate to a different apartment within your building or complex
- Try a stress-free hobby or activity as a way to decompress
- Listen to soothing music or sounds for an hour a day
- Take a mental vacation
- Journal or blog about your situation
Dealing with a noisy neighbor can be difficult. Finding the right way to cope mentally, while it may be challenging, is not impossible. Before it gets to that point of the show Fear thy Neighbor, just know that there are ways to still manage your mental health during these hard times.
Conclusion
Living around noisy neighbors can be annoying. And it can affect you mentally in ways you can’t imagine. No one should have to fight for a quiet space within their own home. And while most may say it comes with the territory of living in an apartment, many will agree that living this way is not pleasant.
Have you experienced noisy neighbors? Have you been the noisy neighbor yourself? How have you handled the situation? Leave a comment down below. Like and share for others to see. And don’t forget to sign up for the newsletter for updates, features, and more.
Until next time, this is Tammy saying keep strong, keep positive. And NOTHING’s impossible!!!
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These are all such great ideas for dealing with noisy neighbors! Thankfully ours are pretty great, but I am sure this was very helpful to people who aren’t so lucky with great neighbors.
We have a neighbour who likes to play loud music at all times of the day and night! I find that just having sound on in the flat (be it TV or music) really helps me tune it out!
Katie | katieemmabeauty.com
Great post! Hopefully when get a place of my own one day, I don’t have to deal with neighbors like those. If I was in that situation, I’ll probably go for the noise cancelling headphones, some meditation and they don’t work, I’ll probably move because I really like quiet spaces and that’s gonna probably at to my stress and anxiety.
Thank you Anissa. I love quiet spaces too. I hope you never have to experience what I’m going through. I can give you a tip though for when that time comes for you. You can ask about the noise within the building or ask about the surrounding neighbors. It never hurts to ask. The noise-canceling headphones have been my lifesaver but after wearing them daily for 4 years it’s starting to take its toll.
Sounds absolute hell. I hope you find somewhere quieter soon.
Thank you so much Rachel. And I hope so too.
I’m in a townhouse and am fortunate to have quiet neighbors. However, I have OCD and struggle with keeping my house decluttered and clean and contamination-free. (It didn’t help that my ex-boyfriend lost his job and used shopping as a self-soother…then when I broke up with him, he left 75% of the stuff.) I’ve learned that small and minimal is best for my head, so every night I can, I take one item and put it in the garage. I’m trying to list a lot on FB Marketplace as well, which motivates me forward. Good luck with your neighbors!
Thank you Erin and thank you for reading my post.
Thanks for sharing all your great tips. I’ve been struggling with noisy neighbours in the long lockdowns in the UK when everyone has been stuck inside, so I’ll definitely be using your ideas.
Thank you Rachel. I hope some of these will be very useful to you and your situation. And I hope it gets better for you soon.
This is speaking to me as I have a very loud neighbor who comes and goes at all hours of the day banging things and then playing loud music — very useful post. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Molly. Sounds like we have the same neighbors only mines is a family of 5 with 3 small children. I really do hope your situation does get better soon.
This was definitely needed! I have really noisy neighbors on both sides of my townhome, and one side has neighbors that fight NONSTOP and slam doors so hard we’ve had photos fall off our walls. I’m already a really anxious person, and when they start up, I can’t handle it. I have PTSD from previous awful relationships and hearing all their fighting makes me feel really agitated and scared. I recently got noise-canceling earbuds and they’ve been a lifesaver. I put on sounds of rain or campfires and it helps like crazy!!!
Thank you Stephanie for reading the post. I’m so sorry that you have to go through that. There’s nothing like feeling trapped by these noisy neighbors. I am glad that you managed to find noise-canceling headphones to help you along. I got 2 pairs, (1 over the ears, 1 earbuds) and they are definitely a huge lifesaver.
Great suggestions although it is too bad you have to move. I always think the hardest part about finding a new place is that you can never know what the neighbors are like until you move in!
Thank you, Reagan :). You know, I was worried about that too. I’m hoping that maybe I can have my real estate agent as about the neighbors at the places we’re going to look at. I really wish I didn’t have to move but management did very little to assist me. And I’ve been putting up with it for 4 years now. So I’m happy to be finally moving on.
This is such a perfectly-timed post for me! I just had new neighbours move in next door and they have a habit of clomping around loudly on what sounds like uncarpeted floors, up until 2am! I live in a basement apartment and it echoes so loudly that it keeps me awake. They’ve only been here a few days, so I’m hoping that they either settle down and stop staying up so late, or put down some rugs! But I feel calmer just reading your post and knowing there are things I can do. Thank you so much! I hope you have peace and quiet after your move. X
Thank you, Kate and I appreciate the kind words. The neighbors above me have zero rugs or carpet on their floors. So I hear every time their children wrestle, roll something or drop something on the floors. At this point in time, it should be mandatory to put carpet down if there’s a complaint filed against the noisy neighbor. I hope your situation gets better and you’re able to enjoy your apartment once again 🙂
Omg this is so so important and is disgusting how landlords/management etc and noisy residents don’t see how they could be harming peoples mental health. I live in university accommodation and obviously I moved in expecting some noise! However the shouting, screaming, banging and music late into the night and early hours is unbelievable- I would sit in bed crying with frustration at not being able to sleep, and then be too tired for class, or scared to go out into the corridor and ask people to be quiet because I knew they were intoxicated with alcohol and drugs. No matter how many times I emailed the accommodation department and landlord, nothing was done about these same people over and over. It’s frustrating not being heaed and feeling like you’ve exhausted all your options. Staying strong is so difficult but thank goodness for headphones! I hope this situation improves for you too!! Xxxx
Thank you for taking the time to read and I appreciate the warm wishes. I’m so sorry for your situation. It is very frustrating for those on the other end of a noisy neighbor. You would think that after all these years there’d be some type of law for those going through this. I’ve been told by my current management that there’s nothing they can do and that I should consider moving if the noise gets out of hand. So I feel you about being frustrated. And yes headphones are a lifesaver. I wear mines from the moment I wake up until bedtime some days. I know it’s just university but I do hope you manage to find some peace while still living there 🙂