USD
GBP
EUR
Noise pollution is becoming increasingly prominent, and more and more people are seeking advice on related issues.
There are generally two main reasons why people are sensitive to noise:
1. Increased social density leads to a lack of safe distance between people.
Your question reflects a common phenomenon today. Animals have territorial instincts, and sound is one way others encroach on their territory. With increasing occupancy rates in apartment buildings, the distance between us is shrinking. Although separated by floors (currently, apartment ceilings are about 2.5 meters high), the actual distance is less than 2 meters.
1. Social distance between people (1.2-2.1 meters): This distance is considered formal in social situations and etiquette. People generally maintain this polite distance in formal settings and social gatherings. 2. Public distance (3.7-7.6 meters): This is generally the distance between complete strangers, and also the distance between a speaker and an audience. Within this range, people can have no contact with each other and may even ignore each other.
You and your neighbor should be at a public distance, but the sounds you make each other amplify the impact of that distance, even with walls separating you. So, people's sensitivity to noise is partly due to deliberate interference from the external environment.
Second, weak self-control - the brain deliberately focuses on noise sources.
This might be hard for many to accept; noise is clearly the problem of the person creating it, so what does it have to do with me? Let me give you a simple example. At midnight, it's raining outside, the sound is about 35 decibels, lasts for a long time, and occasionally there's thunder at 110 decibels. Is the sound of rain at this time considered noise? Believe me, most of you like to sleep on rainy days and sleep more soundly. Okay, now at midnight, it's quiet outside, but there's a continuous banging sound coming from upstairs, about 40 decibels, lasting for a long time. But this sound can seriously disturb sleep and is a very annoying noise source. Many might say this comparison is wrong, that you can't make this comparison. Actually, you can also compare the sound of a washing machine upstairs to the sound of stomping feet upstairs; the stomping feet are definitely more annoying.
Noise is any sound that interferes with a person's normal rest or study. Therefore, noise is entirely subjective; if you perceive it as noise, then it is; if you don't, then it can't affect you. Many people judge noise based on what they encounter while sleeping or studying. As soon as they hear a disturbing sound, their brain actively tracks it, focusing entirely on the sound, constantly listening, guessing the source, and judging the personality and behavior of the sound-maker. As a result, their hearing becomes increasingly sensitive, and because they are the aggrieved party, they inexplicably experience increased annoyance. This annoyance only intensifies after attempts to communicate with the noise source fail.
Rain is something the heavens are going to do, and we can only let our brains get used to it and accept it; but man-made noise is a personality issue, and my brain doesn't need to accept the life troubles brought about by a low-level personality.
So, can your brain really block out external noise? I don't know if you've ever tried, but I've tried falling asleep in noisy environments like movie theaters, with the TV on, and classrooms. When you encounter noise, the human brain can only process 1.6 conversations simultaneously. You can control which one you choose to focus on. Whether you choose to sleep or listen to outside noise, I believe that with proper training, the brain can subjectively block out some noise.
In summary, to reduce your sensitivity to noise, focus on two main aspects: 1. Maintain social density and reduce the intensity of sound transmission within a space. This measure should be decided when you buy a house. Either buy a large villa if you can afford it, or pay attention to soundproofing the floors, ceilings, walls, windows, etc., when buying an apartment. I've discussed this in detail in my articles. 2. Control your mental focus. Cultivate inner strength, don't deliberately focus on noise, and strive to be detached in your daily life.