A lot of people have difficulty going to sleep in a noisy bedroom. Fortunately, headphones provide a popular solution to help mask or block out annoying, disturbing or disruptive noise – a barking dog, a snoring partner, chatty neighbors, busy New York-like traffic, etc. There are also some people who love to go into full-on relaxation mode before going to sleep by listening to ASMR soundscapes, nature sounds, environmental sound effects, white noise, classical music or ambient music. All these can be enjoyed if you have earbuds for sleeping.
When shopping for earbuds for sleeping, you need to consider several factors such as price, sound quality, performance and comfort. Having a restful sleep or a night full of relaxation can boost an individual’s overall health, promoting a holistic feeling of wellness. Earbuds for sleeping sell for as low as $20 and may go as high as $400 depending on the technology, design, quality, feature, function, etc.
In this article, we will be highlighting earbuds for sleeping products that are effective in blocking out noises to give you a five-star experience during bedtime.
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Best Earbuds For Sleeping: QuietOn Sleep
What We Like:
- portable charging case
- listening mode
What We Don’t Like:
- no indicator if it is on or off
- not for music playback
QuietOn Sleep are earbuds for sleeping that started on IndieGogo in 2016. These earbuds for sleeping were created by a team of ex-Nokia engineers who raised $1.3 million for the creation of the first innovative noise cancelling wireless headphones in the market.
QuietOn Sleep is considered to be a miniature version of the original earbuds for sleeping. Don’t judge the miniature version to be de-featured – this pair of earbuds for sleeping are actually optimized, blocking out nuances like rumble of traffic, snoring, or loud music from your neighbors or roommates.
A friendly advice though, this pair of earbuds for sleeping are literally designed just for sleeping – nothing more, nothing less. It’s not designed to play music but instead, it is meant to offer expert noise cancelling experience to help your body relax as you close your eyes.
The best noise canceling headphones in the market (even Bose) only boast blocking high frequency noises than low pitched noises such as the hum of a plane cabin, snoring or a loud party happening next door. This is what the expert engineers at QuietOn worked on that made them create earbuds for sleeping with a uniquely controlled sound profile specifically designed to mask sounds below 500 Hz.
Aside from offering the best solution for noise cancellation, these earbuds for sleeping from QuietOn also boast of a lightweight and compact build without compromising expert electronics technology.
This pair of earbuds for sleeping from QuietOn comes with a carry case that also does its job as a portable charger to provide up to 20 hours of battery life. Since these earbuds for sleeping are lightweight and compact, it is also ideal for long travel or long haul flights. There is also a special listening feature or “listening mode” that lets a customer temporarily deactivate the noise cancelling function by simply tapping the earbud.
Best Earbuds For Sleeping: Bose Quiet Comfort 20
What We Like:
- three fold noise reduction technology
- earbuds available in 3 sizes
What We Don’t Like:
- pricey
- not recommended for side sleepers
Bose is undeniably one of the popular brands that offer noise blocking or noise cancelling technology. This is not really surprising because Bose has been a leader in producing aviation headsets specifically made for pilots who spend hours in noisy plane cockpits. That being said, Bose Quiet Comfort 20 is guaranteed to be a reliable pair of earbuds for sleeping.
This model effectively masks noise that keeps you awake at night such as inconsiderate neighbors, snoring partner, traffic or sirens. This pair of earbuds for sleeping from Bose has an in-ear design with StayHear+ ear tips paired with Bose Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) technology.
There are some issues mentioned in review blogs pertaining to the design of Bose Quiet Comfort 20, saying that its design is not as comfortable as it looks and also not recommended for side sleeping. If you are a fan of the side sleeping position, this might be a bummer for you. However, on the bright side, consumers don’t have to worry about overheating issues with this pair of earbuds for sleeping. The earbud tips come in 3 sizes so consumers can have choices for a guaranteed comfortable fit. The tips of these earbuds for sleeping are made of soft silicone.
The noise reduction of these earbuds for sleeping from Bose works in three ways. First, the earbud seals the ear canal from external audio, resulting in passive noise reduction. The ANC technology then works its magic together with a noise blocking element, resulting in effective covering of external noise.
Best Earbuds For Sleeping: Maxrock Soft Silicon Earbuds
What We Like:
- budget friendly
What We Don’t Like:
If this is your first time to try earbuds for sleeping and you are still in the process of testing the waters, you can try the Maxrock Soft Silicon earbuds. It’s not as expensive as other earbuds for sleeping available on the market and they are highly recommended for consumers who are on a budget.
This pair of earbuds for sleeping is made of soft silicon, making it soft and comfortable to wear compared to earbuds for sleeping that are made of plastic. The Maxrock Soft Silicon Earbuds are also designed with a low profile which keeps the ears warm and snug even if your ear is lying on the pillow or foam.
These earbuds for sleeping from Maxrock also have a double layer design that effectively blocks and control external noise to provide passive noise cancellation whether it is connected to a smartphone, iPhone or tablet. Of course, don’t expect that these earbuds for sleeping can compete with the technology of other high-end earbuds for sleeping products in the market. For an affordable price of $15, you get a pretty decent pair of earbuds for sleeping without spending a lot of money.
Best Earbuds For Sleeping: Amazfit Zenbuds
What We Like:
- wireless
- compact and lightweight
- lighter than Apple AirPods
- smart sensor
What We Don’t Like:
- can’t play music
This pair of earbuds for sleeping was recently launched at CES 2020 and marketed as wireless earbuds that support sleeping goals by creating the right environment to give users a perfect night’s rest by producing soothing and sleep-inducing sounds. While some consumers would tend to fall asleep in a quiet place, some actually find it easier to sleep with white noise or by listening to a playlist with classical music or ambient sounds.
Amazfit may not be as popular as other brands that offer earbuds for sleeping, but this brand actually belongs to Huami, a world leader in wearable technology. Aside from earbuds for sleeping, Huami also has its own range of fitness equipment and smartwatches. If you are familiar with the Mi Band range from Xiaomi, you would be delighted to know that Huami is the exclusive maker of the said product.
That being said, Amazfit Zenbuds earbuds for sleeping is worth a try. It’s specifically designed to meet the needs of individuals who want or aim to get a restful, peaceful snooze time whether at home or in another place. These earbuds for sleeping are easy to plug in the ears, with its compact and ergonomic design that prevents it from falling out, despite constant tossing and turning. Some individuals are heavy sleepers that they end up not being aware that the earbuds for sleeping have already fallen out during the night.
This pair of earbuds for sleeping are very lightweight (1.78 g/earbuds), which is amazingly 3 times lighter that Apple AirPods Pro wireless. If you are looking for a more budget friendly alternative to Bose QuietComfort, this pair of earbuds for sleeping is a decent option. However, just like Bose, don’t expect that you can play your own music on this pair of earbuds for sleeping.
Instead, you can browse through the library guide and browse through the built-in soothing nature sounds, meditation tracks and relaxation audio. You can also enjoy guided breathing programs from this pair of earbuds for sleeping, making this one of the decent choices for earbuds for sleeping.
This pair of earbuds for sleeping uses Knowles armature technology that delivers high fidelity audio while occupying only ½ volume of a small, dynamic speaker. The earbuds are also equipped with smart sensors that can sense if the user has already fallen asleep. Once it detects such, this smart pair of earbuds for sleeping will automatically shut itself off, saving battery life.
Best Earbuds For Sleeping: Shure SE215-K
What We Like:
- earbuds come in 3 sizes
- with Bluetooth option
- comes with carrying case
What We Don’t Like:
We’ve included Shure SE215-K in our list for the best earbuds for sleeping because while technically, it does not have noise-cancelling features, this product actually isolates sound pretty well to the level that users can’t hear what’s going on around them.
Shure SE215-K is also a great choice for earbuds for sleeping because it’s comfortable, soft and lightweight – perfect for rolling around in the sheets without worrying about feeling any pain or discomfort in your ears.
Another good thing about the Shure SE215-K is that it is much cheaper than its noise cancelling or earbuds for sleeping counterparts. You can enjoy high quality earbuds for sleeping at a budget friendly price.
Plus, if you do not want to deal with an annoying cable or wire, this pair of earbuds for sleeping from Shure is the perfect solution. Since this has a Bluetooth option, you can enjoy wireless earbuds for sleeping at a fraction of a cost.
Best Earbuds For Sleeping: Panasonic ErgoFit In-Ear Earbud Headphones
What We Like:
- affordable
- available in different colors
What We Don’t Like:
If you are on a budget and do not want to spend money on a pair of earbuds for sleeping with a high price tag, the Panasonic ErgoFit is a great choice. Available in different colors, these are no frills earbuds for sleeping that costs less than $10.
In terms of audio quality, you’ll be surprised at how good this pair of earbuds for sleeping actually sound. You can also make this pair of earbuds for sleeping into a functional set of earphones during the day thanks to its inline microphone that can be used for taking or making calls.
Before purchasing this pair of earbuds for sleeping from Panasonic, you need to be aware that it comes with a 43 inch long cable so if you’re not a fan of cords and cables getting tangled in your bag or in your clothes or coat, you might have to take a raincheck on this one.
In terms of comfort, this pair of earbuds for sleeping from Panasonic will not disappoint. It comes with ultra soft tips and foam that are specially designed to conform to your ear shape. You get to enjoy a comfortable yet tight fit, perfect for rolling around in bed until the wee hours of the morning.
So that ends our roundup for the best earbuds for sleeping in the market. If you have trouble sleeping at night, you can stop counting sheep and just find the best earbuds for sleeping. You can search or purchase the aforementioned earbuds for sleeping in Amazon.com and enjoy remote shopping right at the comfort of your own home.
It’s really a good idea to invest in a good quality pair of earbuds for sleeping because according to the National Sleep Foundation, listening to relaxing music or meditation tracks before going to bed can actually do your body good. Your parasympathetic nervous system relaxes and your breathing and heart rate, along with your lower blood pressure relaxes, inducing your body and mind to get a good night’s sleep that you deserve after a hard day at work. Getting a high quality pair of earbuds for sleeping will help ensure that you get a good and relaxing sleep through the night, giving you more energy and zest for the next day.
However, if you still seem to have trouble sleeping, you can explore different approaches such as meditation or breathing techniques, or better yet, see your doctor for a medical or holistic approach.