Apartment sleep
How to sleep in a noisy apartment
My first apartment in New York City was in the East Village, directly over a bar. It was very loud until late at night. White noise really helped me sleep there. This was long before I made Veil. I just wanted to sleep.
These days I'm in Brooklyn, on a quieter block. I still live above a family with three kids, have a cat who sometimes meows in the middle of the night, and hear sirens, trash pickup and construction outside. Quieter doesn't mean quiet.
If you're trying to sleep in a noisy apartment: reduce the noise you can, then try a steady background sound at a comfortable, low volume. It may make the remaining noise less distracting. It won't soundproof your room, and turning it up to compete with every interruption isn't the goal.
What white noise helped with
White noise didn't make the bar disappear. It gave me a steadier background to sleep with. That's the useful distinction: blocking noise reduces what reaches you; masking adds another sound so the interruptions stand out less.
It also helps me on nights when there isn't much outside noise. In a perfectly quiet room, my brain can find plenty to think about. A soothing sound gives it something simple to settle on. That's my experience, not a promise that everyone sleeps better with sound.
Start with the noise you can change
Before adding sound, look for the easy fixes: unnecessary phone alerts, a rattling object, or a window you can close if the room stays comfortable. If you have a choice of where the bed goes, try the quieter part of the room. Earplugs are another option if they're comfortable for you and you can still hear essential alerts.
A recurring problem deserves a conversation with a neighbor or building manager when that's practical. For readers in New York, NYC311 lists the options for different noise complaints. I don't think anyone should have to keep raising their sound-machine volume to live with a bar downstairs.
There are limits to masking. A deep bass beat or a thump you can feel through the building may remain noticeable. Treat the source or the building issue where possible; a sound app can't fix the structure of an apartment.
Which Veil sounds would I try?
There isn't one best sound for a noisy apartment. These are starting points based on the character of our sounds; we haven't tested which sound masks each situation best. Try one at a time. If a sound feels more annoying than the noise outside, choose another or turn it off.
| What's bothering you | Sounds to try |
|---|---|
| Voices, a cat meowing, or changing street noise | White Noise, Box Fan or Heavy Rain. Start with a broad, steady texture and see whether it takes the edge off the interruptions. A loud siren may still be noticeable. |
| Steady traffic or mechanical rumble | Brown Noise, Airplane Cabin or Central AC. Try a deeper sound if a brighter hiss feels distracting. It won't cancel vibration coming through walls or floors. |
| You like sleeping with a fan | Slow Fan or Box Fan. Try familiar airflow sound without having to run a physical fan. Slow Fan is free in the app. |
| A quiet room, but a busy mind | Pink Noise, Slow Fan or Light Rain. Choose something you find easy to listen to, rather than chasing a supposedly perfect sleep sound. |
| Loud bass or repeated thuds | Address the source first. Don't keep turning up playback to overpower it. Masking may not be enough for this kind of disturbance. |
White, pink and brown noise and Slow Fan are free in Veil. The other sounds named here require Premium. You can try white noise in your browser, listen to fan noise, or compare the noise colors before choosing.
How loud should the background sound be?
Start low. Raise it only until the background feels useful and comfortable, rather than until you can't hear anything else. Keep essential alarms and alerts audible. Check your setup from where you actually sleep, and avoid putting a speaker right beside your ear.
Loud sound can damage hearing; both level and exposure time matter, as NIDCD explains. If masking only seems to work at an uncomfortable volume, work on reducing the disturbance instead.
What I use now in Brooklyn
These days I lean toward Veil's Airplane Cabin with an eight-hour timer. White noise helped in that first apartment; Airplane Cabin is what I tend to choose now. I like having a steady sound for the night, without a recording restarting.
I also keep the room dark and cool. Sound is one part of the setup. I've written more about the blackout curtains, blanket and wind-down routine in my bedroom sleep guide.
A small experiment for tonight
Reduce one noise you can control. Choose one sound. Start at a low volume and give yourself a chance to decide whether you like it. You don't need a complicated mix or a louder room.
The aim is a bedroom you can rest in. If trouble sleeping persists or affects your days, talk with a health professional. These are practical suggestions and personal experience, not treatment for insomnia.
Try a steady sound before bed
Listen to white noise free in your browser, then see whether it suits your room.
Listen to white noiseAbout this guide
Written by Colin Shepard Hanson, Veil's founder, from his own apartment experiences. The sound suggestions are starting points based on Veil's sound library. General guidance was checked against NHLBI's healthy sleep habits, NIDCD's hearing guidance and NYC311 on October 7, 2026. This article has not been medically reviewed.