Hearing human sound at night makes me anxious - what to do?

Advice Needed

I have been having this problem of feeling anxious when hearing human talking or laughing or screaming at night.

I need to take trazodone to sleep, while not having the best health condition already - i need full night sleep, starting at around 11 pm. Unfortunately, I am a college student who currently lives in dorm. For some periosds of time I had some rlly energic neighbors, so every night before i go to sleep i first start worrying if they are going to talk and laugh loudly in their dorm. Talked to the RA, of course didn't work. of course those times worsen my anxiety disorder with human sound.

I can literally feel my cortisol spiking, especially when i hear those sound when i try to sleep. I made some arrangements with my friend to have a single room this semester (still, the single room shares a thin wall with double room.) I have been putting some sound blocking panels on the wall, which they are not magic sound eraser. I have also been using white noise machine, which seems to help a little. during this winter break, i m planning on learning how to drive so perhaps i can rent an apartment with good-quality walls that will not take me too long to go to school. I brought ear plugs, found them difficult to use for me because i have trouble falling asleep already and the discomfort from those earplugs increases this difficulty.

Not exaggerating, I am even considering immigrating to some countries with mandated quiet hours at night, like Germany with quiet hours after 11 pm or ppl can call the police.

Anyone has similar issue? I would love to hear if you have any tips to share to deal with this.

Posted Aug 29, 2026, 3:10 AM UTC

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