After a pipe burst in the apartment above me last March, causing water damage to eight units (including my own), the noisy sex couple moved out of their fourth floor "penthouse." I hadn't realized this until I went upstairs to inform all my neighbors about the cat burglar incident and advise them to keep sliders and windows locked.
A man I'd never seen before opened the door, big guy, very friendly, said he just moved in a couple weeks prior. As it turns out, dude snores like a freight train. Which is worse, the noise of something as personal as people having sex, or the constant drone of very loud snoring? At least the sex would end at some point. The snoring continues on all night. The man said "we just moved in" and I'm wondering if he really meant "we". Is there another person living with him? If so, how is she/he getting any sleep? If he's keeping me awake an entire floor below, how can someone right next to him be getting any rest? And I'm only assuming that it's he that is doing the snoring. It is possible that his partner is the culprit.
I've tried earplugs, eye mask, and chamomile tea to calm my nerves and lull me into the most relaxed state before bedtime. But all I can hear is that nasty nasal noise.
One of my favorite and most memorable books from high school is "My Petition For More Space" by John Hersey. In the book the main character, living in an 8 x 12 foot dorm, is standing in a long line to petition for a bit more space. Here I am living in a very spacious one bedroom apartment, all to myself, with a fabulous view, a large balcony, and plenty of comforts and I feel 'crowded' by my neighbors' most intimate sounds. The sounds of sex, sleep, toilet flushing, shower water running just seem like sounds we shouldn't be sharing with total strangers. However, that is apartment dwelling.
Would it be rude for me to anonymously place a box of "Breathe Right" nasal strips outside my neighbor's door? Should I just knock on the door and explain that since he is new to the building, and on the top floor, he is probably unaware that noise travels downward (hint hint) and let him know I can hear everything? Or do I just buck up and buy more effective earplugs?
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4 comments:
I truly believe that most people that snore are well aware of it as they had to have been told at some point in their lives. I vote for the breathe-rite strips. He probably just doesn't know that the sound is THAT loud. Maybe it just needs to be brought to his attention.
1. Drink more wine
or
2. Leave the strips on his doorstep with a nice note.
You poor girl! Better ear plugs and yes, leave the breathe right strips at his door.
Try white noise: get a fan and turn it on when you go to bed. Not sure about breathe-right strips. He might be sensitive about it--it's not his fault he snores, after all. The main culprit here is the thin walls of your building.
Years ago my grandparents had a neighbor who snored unbelievably loudly. My grandmother asked the man's wife how she managed to sleep through it, and she said she woke up when he stopped.
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