I live in New York.
My walls are thin. My windows are thinner.
And a lot of things around my neighborhood tend to go bump in the night.
So why don't I sleep that well? There are a few reasons I can think of....
1. Garbage truck / Fire Engine
In NYC, garbage trucks run 24 hours a day. Even on Sunday they are patrolling the streets. In my neighborhood, they seem to come at 6am. Sharp.
Love the FDNY, but not their sirens. Even in the dead of night, when not many cars are on the road, the sirens will blare. The echo off the buildings only magnifies things.
2. Sex (by neighbors or by your partner getting frisky)
Not necessarily a bad thing.
3. Thunder
An obvious choice. Thunder and lightening are always loud, but the reverberations off the buildings of the cracks, booms and crashes will wake the dead.
4. Fire Alarm
Loud. Piercing. And made to wake you up. I guess I'm happy if a smoke alarm saves my life.
5. Nightmare.
Nothing startles you like a good, bad dream.
6. Yelling/drunks/arguments
Midnight fights mean late night wake ups. Damn citizens, I'm trying to sleep here.
7. Animals
A cat fight. Raccoons prying open the garbage. Dogs howling at the moon. They can wake you up, so keep an old shoe near the window to throw at them.
8. Snoring
Almost like a nightmare, but at least you can kick a snoring person.
Or, bang on the walls if they're in the adjacent apartment.
9. Baby
Crying babies wake their parents and sometimes the entire floor of the building. These little darlings are also an unfortunate after effect of passing fire trucks.
10. Cockroaches
Worst part about a bug waking you up? It's not a startling wake up. Your mind wakes up, you think for a second and once it computes, you jump 10 feet high.
What's that crawling in my ear? Ewww.
...Good night, sleep tight....

