white noise machine for europe?
 

I'm planning a trip to Egypt and also posted this on the Egypt forum but thought I'd paste it here as well, just in case.

Hi - have been trying to figure out the best way to deal with rooming with my mom and her chainsaw snoring.

If I take a white noise machine (small plug-in fan) and the appropriate adaptor & converter will that work? I'm worried about leaving something plugged in for that long a time period (overnight).

I tried buying a Marsona white noise machine that can be used in either US or international outlets but that noise was not the best for sleeping -more of a static-y hiss than the fan I'm used to using.

I'm wondering if there's a way to buy appliances from a European source that would be the correct format to use there and in Egypt. Does anyone know of an online store that would sell something like a small fan or air filter that I could buy now and take with me to Egypt?

Thanks for any advice - I know this is petty but not sleeping for 2 weeks will not be fun!

Perhaps there is a different solution. Has your mother been to specialist? There may be solutions for her snoring that may not require surgery.

Here is an example of a simple solution: My wife read about nasal strips as a cure for snoring. She says I snore (I deny it!) and made me put on a nasal strip. Now I don't snore. And I can breathe better while I sleep.

Better breathing should make me smarter but I have yet to see the evidence.

Get some earplugs made buy 3M. They are orange and kind of have ripples on them in a cone shape. (Kind of like a Michelin Man). These block 98 percent of my DH's very loud snores.

Another possible solution: have your mother see a sleep specialist to check for sleep apnea. It's very common among heavy snorers, and is a quite dangerous condition (it's basically a "stop breathing" situation), but easily resolved with a small breathing machine called a CPAP.

I had the same problem you have described - my husband's snoring made my own sleep miserable. He was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea and now uses a CPAP. The snoring has disappeared, and he says his energy levels are so much better ever since.

Best wishes to you and your mom!

Ear plugs or a seperate room for your Mom.

My husband downloaded "white noise" music/sounds to his iPod/Nano. While he does take a smaller speaker unit to broadcast the sounds it's a small enough to take in carry on or in a suitcase. With the right adapter there shouldn't be any trouble keeping it plugged in all night.

If you have something like a MP3 player, it's another cool tool you can use during your trip (relaxing to music during flight, download tour info, trip podcasts, etc).

If you don't like a static-y hiss, this might not be for you, but I've had good results tuning the FM or TV in the room to an empty channel and turning the volume up LOUD.

At first you think you can't possibly sleep through it, but within a few minutes your brain gets used to it and you nod off.

Assuming your mother can't do anything to control her snoring during your trip and just in case you can't find the type of fan you want, I suggest you talk to your doctor about getting some prescription sleeping pills to cover you while you're away. Make sure you can try them at home first to make sure they work and that they don't have any side effects (like leaving you feeling sluggish all day).

I went on a 4 night trip with a snoring relative and the doctor gave me a prescription for 8 sleeping pills (two to try before hand and two extra in case I dropped any...). Worked fine. Ambien doesn't work for me and most OTC sleeping pills actually leave me more buzzed--that's why I strongly urge you give any sleeping meds a thorough test drive at home.

I like the Quies brand foam earplugs (a European brand, I think, I buy them in Brussels) but I don't like wearing earplugs every night.

Also, don't let your Mom have anything alcoholic after 7 pm or so. Drinking alcohol later in the evening usually makes snorers even louder.

there's something called the buddha machine that uses batteries...

http://www.fm3buddhamachine.com/

I have a hard time sleeping w/ just normal breathing in the same room let alone loud snoring. I end up breathing in unison and it drives me crazy. Get some good earplugs like CTYankee recommended or any good quality high-density plugs. They work wonders. I can now travel w/ any of my friends and don't have an problems w/ snoring, street noise or anything.

(and do have your Mom talk to her doctor - but sometimes that's easier said than done)

I have this one that runs on batteries and isn't too bad http://tinyurl.com/2664cg. It has different sounds (rain, birds, static). It isn't really small but I think it is pretty small as far as noise machines go.

DH also snores terribly!
I bought a small travel noisemaker from Sharper Image 2.5 years ago and have used it (in conjunction with Matt's Pillowsoft silicon earplugs - a package of 6 pair is about $5 at Wal-Mart) with great success.
I bought the charger along with the noisemaker. If you use batteries, they last about 7 nights if you turn them on for about 8 hours per night.

Sharper Image Sound Soother 20 Travel Alarm Clock

http://www.sharperimage.com/us/en/ca.../sku__SI601TNM

The Sharper Imagage alarm clock with soother is wonderful. It also has a thermostat so you can see what the temp is-that and with some sleeping pills you will be fine-Happy travels

Flent's Quiet Please earplugs work wonders - it's amazing what a difference they make. I found them to be better than a white noise machine.

Take a sock and put a tennis ball inside of it. Now safety pin it to the back of your mom's nightie. She will be forced to sleep on her side.

I left a man because of his snoring.

Thanks for all of the good advice - I think I'll be okay if I try a combo of battery-operated white noise machine or fan, ear plugs, Lunesta prescription, Breathe Right strips for her to wear, and a long stick to prod my mother and make her stop snoring at least for a few minutes.

She would never listen to advice about sleep apnea - since her snoring doesn't bother her & she sleeps alone & would never care enough to worry about other health issues from it. But thanks for the CPAP info.