We found these earplugs created a sense of calm, which is a real plus if you are a sensitive sleeper. The only downside is that there is a bit of a learning curve in getting them to fit your ears. The earplugs are basically wax pillows that need to be manipulated until they’re soft enough to fit your ear. On the plus side, once you’ve got them in properly, they stay put all night long. You just pop them in your ears, with no app or Bluetooth involved. The result isn’t silence but a kind of cloud-like calm where you can clearly hear voices and high-pitched sounds such as ice cubes tinkling in a glass, but low-frequency sounds like snoring are tuned out. It was quite eerie the first time I tried it. Without the QuietOn earbuds, I could hear the whole neighbourhood. With them in, anything beyond the bedroom wall was simply gone. However, Eargasm says if the earplugs are too big, you can break off a piece to get that perfect fit. This is helpful if you have small ears and find that using the entire silicone earplug just feels too intrusive. Which is why, dear reader, earplugs are essential kit in your sleep arsenal. Read on to find out which type best suits you, plus the best ones available to buy now, approved by the MH team. Best Earplugs For Sleeping in 2023 Our tester said the Hearprotek earplugs are “the most comfortable and soft earplugs [she’s] ever tried.” “They gently contoured to my ear canals and didn’t irritate them after hours of wear,” she noted.

If honking horns or a snoring partner keep you awake, you already know what science has confirmed: Noise adversely affects sleep quality and health. OK, so the AcousticSheep SleepPhones aren't technically earplugs, but they function in much the same way, covering your ears and providing ambient sound or music to mask external distractions. If you tend to toss and turn at night and find that conventional earplugs usually become dislodged, these are a great alternative.

Other products for drowning out sound

We tested 30 earplugs at a range of price points, each with different features and materials. During the testing period, each set of earplugs was used for a minimum of one week (but sometimes longer) and evaluated based on how it impacted our nightly sleep and noise levels. Ear plugs can cause problems by not giving wax a chance to escape, so it's important for your ears to have a rest between uses. Thanks to the oversized design, the earplugs fit snugly in the ear without falling out. The silicone is exceptionally soft, so they should not hurt your ears even with nightly use. You can also use them in other environments like concerts to reduce any uncomfortable noise. The silicone is non-porous, making them extremely easy to clean.

Arttawejkul P, et al. (2020). Effect of nighttime earplugs and eye masks on sleep quality in intensive care unit patients.

These wax earplugs are some of the best fitting earplugs around. The wax is easily pliable after working around the palm of your hands for a few moments. Our experts agree that sleeping with earplugs is safe. “Using earplugs routinely for better sleep is fine, but it may lead to earwax buildup, which can be uncomfortable and contribute to temporary hearing loss,” says Dr. Harris. If earwax buildup becomes a problem for you, visit your doctor to have them remove it. It’s also important to keep your earplugs clean. “Earplugs are generally safe for everyone to use; just make sure you are using them properly and cleaning them frequently,” Dr. Harris notes. Push them too far into your ear. Push them in as far as is comfortable, Too far and they could rupture the eardrum.

A: You may have an infection or damage to your ear. Earplugs should never be painful. They can be uncomfortable if you aren’t wearing ones that are right for you, but, pain or ringing in your ears is not normal. Stop using them immediately and if the pain and ringing persist, see your doctor as soon as you can. Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. A cheaper and softer option - often disposable. They are rolled between your fingers to shape them before inserting them into the ear where they expand to fill the ear canal. Interestingly, when I wore them in the office I couldn’t hear my colleague sitting next to me but I could hear a high-pitched conversation on the other side of the room incredibly clearly, as if I had super-hearing. Spies will be very interested in this feature – especially since they’re so small as to be invisible.

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They’re soft which doesn’t put much pressure on the ear which can often lead to headaches with prolonged use. Once you get used to them you don’t even know they are there. the 37dB reduction is amongst the highest on the list so if you sleep with an extremely loud snorer this will be your best fighting chance at stopping sound. Some earplugs may also contain latex. For most individuals, this shouldn’t be a problem, but those with latex allergies should look at product descriptions carefully to ensure they select a latex-free model.

We also spoke to two sleep experts to discuss what to look for when selecting earplugs. Experts we spoke to included: Then you must insert it into your ear with your mouth slightly open. Biting on something works great here. After a few minutes, the silicone will be a perfect mould of the inside of your ear. You now have a personalized earplug that will always retain the exact shape of your ear. There's minimal sound leakage, so the SleepPhones shouldn't disturb your partner, but we found that the Bluetooth unit something shifted inside the headband during the night. There's also no battery indicator, so you'll need to take a guess at when to recharge them. Our tester mentioned that it’s pretty hard to distinguish between the left and right buds, however, which may cause problems if you reach for them in the dark. Also, they require you to use a mobile app, which our tester said wasn’t the easiest to navigate. Opt for a standard pair on this list if you're not interested in earplugs requiring an app. Some ear plugs are made of other materials - for example, Alpine uses its own patented non-silicone material for its SleepSoft range, and Happy Ears ear plugs have an ABS core and Thermoplastic elastomer outer part. How much can you re-use ear plugs?Disposable ear plugs will cost you more over time as you'll need to keep buying them. Some can be re-used up to 100 times, while others will need replacing almost daily. In our tests, we found them extremely comfortable (even when sleeping on our side), and we got about four nights' use from the Sleepbuds II between charges. That's a big improvement on the original Bose Sleepbuds. It was a slightly unpleasant process but worth it when, six days later, I was sent the custom ear plugs. They come with a lubricant but even without it they were the most comfortable ear plugs I tested, very easy to lie down on since they don’t protrude from the ear at all. Since they filled the canal completely, the sound damping was by far the best.