Hi...not sure why i felt like describing my house.... I think I am the one whose brain is going split level... having a lot of stress lately with various health issues. Did try sponge ear plugs but when wake up thru night etc. like to put in ear buds and listen to tapes from you tube to get back to sleep... oddly enough listening to them low volume can still hear fridge or furnace in background, plus tinnitus.... apparently it is the brain hearing the tinnitus not the ears.... but may try the gum once my gum heals from having tooth out Thursday. had one out dec.27 and hole has healed but tiny fragments of bone coming up through gums, had 3 taken out, tiny but make mouth sore... honestly, its one thing after another - big or small - never ending.. yes USA similar size to Canada but not sure , maybe 5 times population.... i would love to be in Florida or somewhere warm right now.. but travel days are over. Thanksagain, J.