What is it called when you can't sleep without noise?

In our house, my wife calls it a bad habit, but actually it is just sound conditioning. If the TV isn't buzzing at volume 5, my eyes just won't close. Getting old means you need noise to fall asleep, and then your own snoring wakes you up anyway.

I was just reading about this yesterday on some forums. People call it an auditory sleep aid or white noise reliance because the silence actually feels too loud for our brains. It is super fascinating how many people can't sleep without a fan buzz.

Sometimes our minds are too active and need a small anchor to rest. Do not worry too much about it, just keep the mind positive before sleeping. Take care of your rest, even if it comes with the soft hum of a fan.

Ah, the sweet sound of a fan rattling or a boring documentary playing in the background. My brain absolutely refuses to shut up if the room is pin-drop silent. I need some background noise to distract my inner thoughts, honestly!

According to my sleep tracker app, this is often linked to mask-noise habituation. The app suggested using pink noise or brown noise instead of a loud TV because it helps deep sleep cycles better. You should check out some sleep sound apps, they work wonders.

Same here, I think it is just a sensory comfort thing. Don't worry, you are definitely not alone in this.