Quote:
Originally Posted by mhays
If noise means you can't get to sleep, that's a serious health issue.
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yes, that would be a problem.
fortunately, the human brain is a phenomenally adaptive organ.
the el trains rolling down our alley kept me awake at times for about the first two weeks after we moved in. my wife took a little longer to adjust, about a month or so. our kids seemed unfazed by it.
it helps that the el noise is a deep rumbling thunder-type sound which, while loud, can be much easier for the brain to block out than the more piercing sounds of an ambulance siren, for example.
however, i'm sure that people who live across the street from hospitals with emergency rooms eventually learn to block out ambulance sirens too.
we really are pretty amazingly adaptable little creatures, and a lot of people who say things like
"i could never put up with that" are mostly talking out of their asses, because if they actually lived with it long enough, their brains would learn to put up with it.
now, that doesn't mean that people aren't allowed their preferences, and that those who feel they are more sensitive to noise than others shouldn't seek out what they want, i'm just pointing out that our brains can learn to do some pretty amazing things all on their own, even things we erroneously believe they can't do. like block out el trains rumbling down your alley every 5 minutes all night long.