+/// BlockNotifierArc is useful when you need a BlockNotifier that points to ChainListeners with
+/// static lifetimes, e.g. when you're using lightning-net-tokio (since tokio::spawn requires
+/// parameters with static lifetimes). Other times you can afford a reference, which is more
+/// efficient, in which case BlockNotifierRef is a more appropriate type. Defining these type
+/// aliases prevents issues such as overly long function definitions.
+pub type BlockNotifierArc = Arc<BlockNotifier<'static, Arc<ChainListener>>>;
+
+/// BlockNotifierRef is useful when you want a BlockNotifier that points to ChainListeners
+/// with nonstatic lifetimes. This is useful for when static lifetimes are not needed. Nonstatic
+/// lifetimes are more efficient but less flexible, and should be used by default unless static
+/// lifetimes are required, e.g. when you're using lightning-net-tokio (since tokio::spawn
+/// requires parameters with static lifetimes), in which case BlockNotifierArc is a more
+/// appropriate type. Defining these type aliases for common usages prevents issues such as
+/// overly long function definitions.
+pub type BlockNotifierRef<'a> = BlockNotifier<'a, &'a ChainListener>;
+