If you can’t sleep without having something playing in the background, it seems you’re not alone.
Whether it’s the sales channel on the TV, some ASMR in your earphones or a light stream of music to get you to snoozeville, some people just can’t sleep without something going on.
A TikTok account specialising in mental health revealed what their therapist said to them over why some people sleep with noise in the background.
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DCLAnxiety said: "Not being able to fall asleep without background noise is extremely common with many mental health issues.
"It's a trauma response to abandonment issues. The noise tricks your brain into thinking you aren’t falling asleep alone."
Thankfully, there are some things you can do to counter your need to listen to something before catching some shuteye.
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Jeff Kahn, co-founder and CEO of sleep tracker app RISE Science, has shared his seven tips to get you snoozing like a baby, claiming ‘the best noise to sleep with may be silence, or as close as you can get to it’.
Reduce disturbing noises
The expert shared that just reducing the amount of noise by ‘investing in heavy curtains or better windows to block outside noise’ or moving your bedroom to a ‘quieter room in the house’ can make a difference.
Wear earplugs
Kahn also suggested wearing earplugs to bed, which can ‘block disruptive noise, but still allow you to hear your alarm’.
Make gradual changes
Things like lowering the volume of your background noise bit by bit each night could be better than going cold turkey.
Manage your anxiety
For those who don’t like silence, Khan suggested things like ‘journaling, breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, or doing a brain dump’ as ways to calm down before bed.
Have a relaxing bedtime routine
Getting yourself in the right mindset is a great way to prepare for a good night of sleep.
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Khan explained that this could be ‘listening to relaxing music or an episode of your favourite podcast’ before switching it all off and going to sleep.
Improve your sleep hygiene
Sleep hygiene is important.
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The expert suggested following steps like limiting coffee and knowing when to stop drinking alcohol before bed.
Sync your circadian rhythm
Your circadian rhythm will let you know when you naturally want to wind down and sleep, so if you sync up and recognise when this is, it’ll be easier to do so.
Juulia Karlstedt, a counsellor with specialisms in anxiety and perfectionism, has echoed Khan's advice.
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She told HuffPost: "Effectively, we fill our attentional capacity to the max with other stimuli in an attempt to have no resources left for the things we are trying to avoid.
"The minute the distraction stops, the unpleasant emotions and thoughts normally spring up again in full force."
So, winding down and having a calm routine could help you nod off in silence.
Britt Jones