I've started to hear things

I'm not talking about 'hearing things' as in things that go bump in the night (although there's plenty of that in my house)

I mean I am starting to hear real things that I've never noticed before.

Two nights ago when I was trying to sleep I heard what I thought was the tap dripping in the basin in my bedroom. I was lying in the dark wondering whether or not to bother investigating when I noticed how regular the 'drip' was.

It turned out that the noise was my alarm clock ticking. Now, that clock has been on my bedside cabinet for about eighteen months and I've never before noticed it ticking. I'm an insomniac and it can take me anything from half an hour to about two hours to drop off to sleep, so I ought to have noticed the clock before now. But I hadn't.

Once I had noticed, it became almost impossible to sleep with the noise. How on Earth have I gone all this time without hearing it?

I wasn't going to bother starting a thread about this because it seemed too silly, but an hour or so ago I noticed another noise that had always escaped me.

It's been raining heavily, something it does with great regularity where I live. And for the first time, I actually heard the rain coming down at the back of the house. It must have been doing this for all the time I've been here and yet I've never noticed.

Is this some sort of 'syndrome' where a previously inattentive person starts to notice what's going on around them? (Not deliberately, either).

I am quite serious although I understand that this could look as if I'm just having a laugh.

Having written all this I've started to wonder if my hearing is coming back due to the fact that I'm in a quiet environment and I don't have to make the same efforts to block out noise as I did in the city.

Except, when I was exposed to noise in the city I never felt as if my efforts to ignore it actually worked.

Drink less coffee. ;-)

perhaps you are just now localising your attention.

one of the training methods used to increase situational awareness was to make large amounts of noise and keep it up for a week. banging and clomouring.

then stop and try to be as quiet as you can, paying sttention to the noises around you.

maybe you have just stopped being "noisy" so to speak.

or it could be the coffee thing!! lol * just kidding* i dont want to make light of a wonderful thing! hearing whats around you has saved millenia of humans from beasties in thier caves!!

Maybe something is in the air...

Just yesterday I noticed this sound my mouse made on it's pad. Never noticed it until yesterday. Odd?

Originally posted by okamitengu
perhaps you are just now localising your attention.

That makes sense to me - maybe in a quieter environment I feel safe to do so.

Thanks for the replies everyone - oh, and no coffee for me. I run on tea

First thing that came to my mind was Selective Hearing.

When I looked it up in Wiki, it redirected to the page on Attention.
It goes on to explain the basics and everything you could want to know
about "selective attention". I suggest giving that a quick read.

It also takes me at least 1-2 hours to fall asleep most nights, and I had
a similar situation except with my ceiling fan and its noises. I've learned
over the years to shut-out some noises, and not to focus on listening
to the things around me. Ah, and you also drink tea... Stop drinking it
after a certain time at night, that might be keeping your attention on
high alert. Some might suggest ear-plugs, but I don't know how you'll
get your alarm to wake you up. (Been there, done that) If this really
becomes a problem, go see a Doc.

Peaces!

reply to post by aecreate


Thank you -that article in Wiki was a very interesting read.

I had noisy neighbours for years and used to try everything to try and divert my attention away from them (and any other noise so I could sleep). And failed miserably.

It's making me wonder now how much I was able to tune out without realising it - the volume of noise I could hear from them would have made any small successes unnoticeable.

I hope anyone else who is suffering from the stress of city life can take some comfort in my experience. It's good to know that your faculties can revive themselves given the right environment. Now if only my short-sight would take the hint

Talking of attention - your avatar has held mine for ages. How long does it go on for? It's wonderful.

reply to post by berenike


You're most certainly welcome.

Its truly amazing how our brains operate. There's some nights I could swear
that my fan had never made those noises before, but I noticed when laying
in bed my sense of hearing seems to enhance the closer I am to falling asleep,
if that makes any sense. And then sometimes it will just focus on a noise that
I previously never paid any attention to. I also feel your pain with the noisy
neighbors (and roommates in my case).

I suppose this is some sort of karmic payback for all the years the rumble from
my car's flowmasters or the blaring music kept my neighbors awake at night.
Now I'm the one yelling out my window telling these punks to keep it down haha.

Bleach is certainly very captivating. Ch. 377 comes out Friday, and I really
see no end in sight, there's just too much left to explain and go into.
I think my avatar is about due for an upgrade, there's some newer pics
that I'd love to add, but I'm kind of hesistant about possibly spoiling it for
others who aren't up to date with the characters and story.

Anyways, its been real homie,
Peaces!

reply to post by berenike


Maybe some wax dropped out of your ear - or a dead insect!!

Once when I was younger and in experimental stages with substances. I could call my own name in my head. Yes, it was scary, but It was induced by chemicals.

Nearly 17 years later, and after starting to meditate, I've had some sounds in my head that were of something else.

It could be that I am going insane because of realizing that I believe in this huge thousands of years old conspiracy, but it is very interesting, no doubt.

Maybe there are more of us that these types of things are happening to.

[edit on 7-10-2009 by sticky]

Circle - don't think that didn't occur to me. I think I read in a thread on ATS that you can eat up to eight spiders a year in your sleep. So it stands to reason the little perishers would just as easily settle for a cosy ear as crawling into your mouth.

I know the charms of a nice warm ear 'ole, when my nose is cold I'm inclined to look for one to poke it in.


Sticky I've had night terrors and strange noises in my head just before going to sleep for a long time. It's really hard to think of them as an 'interesting' experience, which be good if I could do it. It's more horrifying.

I don't expect either of us are going insane - I tend to think it's the ptb that are insane and people like you and me have just woken up to realise we're probably in an asylum

reply to post by berenike


I'm not taking the piss here but have you thought about going for a hearing test to verify this hearing improvement?

reply to post by Circle


I'm tending towards accepting that it's an attention thing or that I'm not so anxious to block out noise as I used to be since I'm in a quieter environment.

It's possible that the house or the area has managed to get even quieter over the last few days so that things like ticking clocks become more noticeable.

I've certainly been aware of the odd bump or the rats skipping about in the roof more than usual.

And I don't know if the birds have been especially vocal just lately or if I'm just now starting to notice them.

I don't think having my hearing tested would achieve a lot since there would be nothing to compare my current hearing abilities to (Nothing as in my old hearing abilities. I don't think I can hear silent whistles yet, though).

Don't worry about me thinking you're taking the proverbial, I could see the funny side if you did.

Actually, I've been amazed at (and grateful for) the thoughtful and supportive replies I've received considering the nature of the subject.

[edit on 7-10-2009 by berenike]

reply to post by berenike


I wouldn't be worried. If anything you're just becoming more aware of the world around you.

I know a lot of folks don't believe so, but I think things are changing at a vibrational level as we approach 2012.

reply to post by berenike


Hey Berenike, you and circle albiet not asleep are possibly in the hypnogogic state of awareness. I think that sounds for one would be amplfied as you are sort of out of the body???????

Also hearing your name called, my thoughts on that is that a noncoporeal being is actually calling our name. Maybe a friend or realative who is out of body, dead or just sleeping. I don't know, I am just speculating.

Peace!

muggl3z - it would be wonderful to think that things are changing for the better at a vibrational level. I'd hardly dare hope that my improved hearing (or improved attention to my surroundings) was a sign of that.

It is quite something though, to experience the change in myself since I've come to the country. I'd so recommend it to everyone. Maybe opening up to the beauty all around me will improve all of my senses. I was so closed down in the city.

Hey Cindy I do find sometimes that if I want to send healing or support to someone I think of it just before I go to sleep or sometimes when I am waking up. I never know if the person I am trying to help is aware of my efforts. I hope I don't scare them if they suddenly feel a 'presence' - I'd not thought of that before. Hopefully I give out a benign 'vibe' (well, there is one (very well deserved) exception to that. I hope I do scare the bejazus out of him)

I think maybe you're starting to relax and take in your quieter enviroment. Also like other posters are saying, I think in your more relaxed state your senses are becoming more astute and re-awakened.

Are you hearing any nnnnnnnnnn sounds, maybe your bionic!!

Have you been medatating more, or are you feeling more relaxed when you go to sleep since settling in to a more countryside type of enviroment. During my early teen school years an English teacher used to teach some basic medatation to help us all concentrate before class, I was amazed how much my senses whould highten, hearing the birds outside and people moving around the school. It was great fun.

Maybe try some low volume music on in the background to help you settle? This might take your mind off the other distractions.

[edit on 8-10-2009 by Kurokage]

Originally posted by Kurokage

Are you hearing any nnnnnnnnnn sounds, maybe your bionic!!

Actuellement, je suis bilingual Et, aussi bipedal

reply to post by berenike


I will often put a movie on that I am totally familar with to go to sleep, as I live in the city and want background noise. No always but usually.

reply to post by berenike


I'm not sure about the improved sensitivity to sound in your life,
and I'm Really not sure why I have become increasingly sensitive to sound

In the last couple of weeks I find myself turning the volume down on the phone, radio and television. Everyone in the household says they can barely hear it when I do this.

The sound of cars, birds, dogs, household appliances, peoples voices(outside too) , lawn mowers etc..., are all sounding much louder and clearer to me.

I am no "spring chicken" and I never heard of hearing improving with age.
In fact I believe it is just the opposite.

The real issue in my case the volume from the electronic's, is that it almost hurts my ears.
I can feel it in the nerves in my face, head and into my neck.
It's not quite an electrical shock but close. It makes the muscles cringe and sends a vibration of sorts throughout the whole head and neck area.

Now that I think about it I started noticing the clocks ticking and the water movement in the fish tank sounding louder about 2 months ago.

I don't know if we are even close to be experiencing the same thing but I have been wondering if any one else is having the same issue with sound.

Thanks for posting your situation.
Good luck in getting some sleep.