I fall asleep in front of the TV sometimes and it's weird but even loud commercials usually don't wake me up. What wakes me up practically instantly is when the TV times out and shuts itself off and the only sound in the room is the ticking clocks. TICK.... TICK.... TICK.... might as well be screaming right in my ear. Also, loud sudden noises make me instantly enraged. I manage to regain control very quickly but there is a huge reaction that is really out of all proportion. On planes I need to wear noise-cancelling headphones (why do they make the stupid crew announcements so loud anyway?). At home I never sleep better than when I wear industrial ear protection (the kind people wear when they use power tools, etc.). The thing with those is that my hearing is so good that I can carry on a conversation with them on, and it's actually easier because all the background sound is reduced.
Does anyone else SEE loud sudden noises as well as hearing them? If I have my eyes closed, or if it's dark, I see a colourful flash of light. The louder the noise, the brighter the flash. It's like my whole brain gets hit all at once.