Sounds really distract me. Reading and working in a noisy environment is impossible. I do most of my work late at night in my apartment, because of the quietness.

The walls are thin in my apartment and I can hear the tenants upstairs, talk and move around. I found my somewhat noisy fan blocks out their sounds, quite well. It has a nice non-irritating dull sound, that does not interfere with my sleep.

My doctor suggested a white noise machine, but I found my fan works just as well. Quizzickle's radio suggestion is a good one, too. Often, I have the radio on low. The television is another. I used to fall asleep with it on, all the time.

These tricks seem to give my apartment fullness. It also leaves me with a sense of privacy. Both equal better concentration and sleep.