The Best Earplugs for Sleeping from Amazon
There is a right and wrong time of day for sleeping, but in some situations, you can’t control your sleeping schedule. If you work night shifts, experience jet lag, have some sort of pain that keeps you up at night, or suffer from insomnia or other sleep disorders, chances are you won’t fall asleep with the rest of the world. That means that you’ll sometimes have to sleep during the day.
Aside from the obvious biological reasons, sleeping during the day can be inconvenient for a number of reasons. One of them is the background noise that you hear during the day. Cars passing by, dogs barking, that neighbor who’s renovating, these are just a few examples of noises that can prevent/interrupt sleep. Today, we’re going to address that issue by talking about a trivial item that can do so much good when you’re looking to sleep under loud noises: earplugs.
| Rank | Product | Highlights |
| #1 |  PQ Earplugs for Sleep
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| #2 |  Mack’s
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| #3 |  Suibety
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| #4 |  The Ear Buddy
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| #5 |  Decibullz
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Earplugs & Their Benefits
The name of the product is pretty suggestive: plugs that fit inside your ears. While commonly used for sleeping, earplugs can also serve a multitude of different purposes, especially when you are facing loud noises that could prevent you from working, studying, or are just annoying.
- People that use earplugs may experience an improvement in the quality of their sleep. If you have a snoring partner, they are definitely a product you want to try. Since loud noises can wake you up from your deep sleep stage, it’s generally difficult for you to get back to sleep even if you’ve just been up for a few seconds.
- Earplugs can also be used if you work in an environment with plenty of loud noises (like people who work on construction sites). Be careful, though: in some situations, you don’t want to prevent yourself from hearing anything, as being aware of your working environment can prevent accidents as well.
- If you’re on a long flight/car/train/bus trip and want to get some shut-eye, the background noise can prevent you from falling asleep. Earplugs can be useful in such a situation.
- If you’re a student living in a form and you’re trying to study amongst other fellow students who decided to throw a party down the hall, earplugs can muffle the noise and allow you to concentrate.
Earplugs & Their Drawbacks
For the most part, earplugs are a product that’s safe to use. However, much like in-ear headphones that people sometimes use to listen to music while sleeping, earplugs can also pose a series of “threats” such as:
- In-ear build-ups. If you use earplugs every night and for a considerable number of hours, they can eventually prevent wax from naturally sliding out of your ear. As it’s being pushed back into your ear canal, wax can cause a number of different hearing problems, like tinnitus or temporary hearing loss. If that does occur, you had best consult a specialist so that they recommend a treatment (which is often in the form of ear drops).
- Ear infections. Extensive use and failure to clean your earplugs on a regular basis can lead to bacteria growth on your earplugs, which in turn lead to infections. Needless to say, ear infections can cause permanent ear canal damage, one of the worst outcomes being hearing loss.
Types of Earplugs & How to Use Them
Generally speaking, there are two main types of earplugs: vented and non-vented. The first category is characterized by a small hole located in the earplug, with its main role being that of equalizing pressure in the ear. These earplugs are useful for people who want to go scuba diving, but also for those using earplugs on planes, because of the high altitudes.
However, there is another way for us to categorize earplugs, and that’s by the material used to make them:
- Foam earplugs are the least expensive option, which is what made them very popular in the first place. They are soft earplugs which are really comfortable for sleeping. The major downside of foam earplugs is that it’s very easy for bacteria to form on the surface of this material, which means that you’ll often find yourself in a situation where you’ll have to buy new ones.
- Wax earplugs are popular because they’re waterproof, which makes them a suitable choice for swimmers. Because of their ability to mold to the size of your ear canal, they are also good for sleeping.
- Silicone earplugs aren’t that common amongst sleepers because they tend to be quite rough, which causes major discomfort especially if you are a side sleeper. You can try to look for earplugs that are made with softer silicone and could provide a snug fit, but general custom opinion has it that these aren’t as soundproof as most sleepers would like them to be.
- In certain scenarios, some people can talk to their doctors about the possibility of having custom-made earplugs. As you can imagine, this would require making a mold of your ears in order to create earplugs that are a good fit. Custom-made earplugs are more expensive compared to the other three options, but you know they fit. Also note that they are really sound-proof, and that includes the possibility of not hearing the alarm clock in the morning.
Earplugs are very easy to use, provided that you take some hygiene precautions:
- Always wash your hands before handling your earplugs.
- Roll them between your fingers until their thickness matches that of your ear canal.
- Grab your earlobe and pull it to the opposing side of your head.
- Gently push the earplug inside your ear canal until you’re no longer able to hear sounds.
Be advised that you are not to push it as far as it goes, because you risk damaging your eardrum.
Best Earplugs for Sleeping from Amazon
Now that we all know what earplugs are, what they’re made of, and how we can use them, it’s time to see what Amazon has to offer in terms of earplugs that are comfortable and safe enough to be used when sleeping. Paired with a good sleep mask, these things can really level up your nighttime routine.
PQ Earplugs for Sleep
Specs:
- NNR: 32 dB
- Material: wax
- Pack of: 6 pairs
Best wax-made earplugs
As we mentioned in the first section of the article, wax earplugs are amongst the best solutions for sleepers and swimmers, as max can easily mold to fit the ear canal. Here we have one of the best products of its kind, highly appreciated by its customers.
The PW earplugs come in a set of 12 pillows that can be molded to fit any ear size, which means they can be used by adults and children alike. If you have really small ears, you can also cut each piece in half and make two earplugs with a single piece.
All of your 12 wax pieces come in a convenient plastic box that will keep them protected even if you decide to throw it in your purse or backpack to take it with you while traveling. These offer waterproof protection, a noise reduction rating of 32 dB, plus the comfort that a side sleeper needs.
Pros:
- Good for sleepers and swimmers.
- Good for side sleepers.
- Protective carrying case.
- Easy to mold.
- Suitable for several ear sizes.
Cons:
- Complaints about inefficient noise blocking.
Who Should Buy This?
Side sleepers that have a hard time adjusting to uncomfortable earplugs made from harder materials will appreciate the softness of these wax-made earplugs.
Mack’s
Specs:
- NNR: 22 dB
- Material: soft silicone
- Pack of: 6 pairs
Bargain buy
Being one of the best selling products in its category, the Mack’s silicone earplugs definitely deserve a spot in our “best of the best” list. Made from moldable silicone, these earplugs are a customer favorite, helping tens of thousands of sleepers get the rest they deserve.
What we’re dealing with here is a set of 12 moldable earplugs that are designed mostly for sleeping and swimming, but which can aid in a variety of different situations where you want to block out noise. Since we’re dealing with a budget buy, the price for a 12-pack is really good, but the NNR isn’t as performant as it is on other packs of earplugs.
What makes these earplugs interesting isn’t just the price, but also the fact that these products are recommended by the doctor. Their constructions make it easy to mold them so they can match the size of your ear canal.
Pros:
- Recommended by doctors.
- Protection after ear surgeries.
- Helps prevent exostosis.
- Easy to mold.
- Lab-tested.
Cons:
- Lower NNR compared to other earplugs.
Who Should Buy This?
Those of you looking for really good deals on earplugs will love to hear about this pack of 50 plugs that’s available at a really good price per bottle.
Suibety
Specs:
- NNR: 32 dB
- Material: silicone
- Pack of: 2 pairs
Best reusable plugs
Let’s talk about some of the best reusable earplugs that are designed for sleeping and other situations where you want to protect your eardrums from high levels of noise. The Suibety earplugs come in a pack containing two sets, so that’s a total of four reusable plugs, each with its own BPA free protective case.
The earplugs are designed to be BPA free and hypoallergenic, so even people with certain skin sensitivities should be able to use these without repercussions. They are waterproof, meaning you should be able to use them while swimming, but they’re also washable, making them good for multiple uses.
They are made from silicone and have a shape that allows you to insert them inside your ear up to a point where you feel comfortable in using them. They can block up to 32 dB of noise.
Pros:
- BPA free.
- Hypoallergenic.
- Easy to carry.
- Waterproof and washable.
Cons:
- Don’t fit small ears well.
Who Should Buy This?
These reusable plugs are designed for people who are looking for a product that can be cleaned and worn time and time again. The fact that your package will contain two sets makes these a good choice for couples that want earplugs for each member. Basically, these are one of the best noise cancelling earplugs for sleeping from Amazon.
The Ear Buddy
Specs:
- NNR: 32 dB
- Material: foam
- Pack of: 50 pairs
Best foam earplugs
Foam earplugs are extremely comfortable to use because they are made from soft material that easily molds to the shape of your ear canal and you will sleep soundly while wearing these. But since foam plugs require frequent changing, a pack of 50 pairs like this one from The Ear Buddy is what you want to look into.
These particular earbuds are designed to block noise at a 32 dB level. The bottle containing the plugs comes with clear instructions on how to insert these in your ear canal, so even if this is your first time using such a product, you’ll know exactly what you have to do.
Pros:
- Pack of 50 pairs.
- Stay squished.
- Compress and expand well.
- Instructions included.
Cons:
- Customers want other sizes as well.
Who Should Buy This?
If you’re interested in the comfort of foam earplugs and would like to purchase a pack that has plenty of pairs to keep you covered for the foreseeable future, you might want to check out this offer.
Decibullz
Specs:
- NNR: 31 dB
- Material: blend of thermoplastics
- Pack of: 2 custom molds
Best custom-molded earplugs
If you want a set of earplugs that are designed to fit your ear without causing any discomfort and providing a snug fit. The Decibullz is basically a kit with two molds that you can use to create a custom-made set of earplugs that fit your ear canal precisely.
The kit contains thermoplastic pieces that can be molded using boiling water, after which you cool them and shape them to fit your ears. If you get anything wrong, you can always reheat them using boiling water and shape them again. You’ll receive the instructions that guide you every step of the way, so don’t worry.
Pros:
- Three tip sizes.
- Can be molded multiple times.
- Custom-fit.
- BPA-free material.
- Carrying pouch included.
Cons:
- Claims about instructions not being very clear.
Who Should Buy This?
If you’re often having a hard time finding earplugs that fit and would prefer a custom-made option, these Decibullz molds can be adjusted to fit your ear canal, as they even come with three sizes of foam tips.
Related: All You Need to Know About Earplugs with Strings
Bottom Line
As you can see, there is no shortage of good earplugs that you can use for blocking out noise to help you get some solid hours of interrupted sleep. You might, however, have to test the different varieties out there in order to find which type of earplugs you’re most comfortable in using.
Each of the three main types comes with its own set of pros and cons, but since every one of them is rather inexpensive and available in all sorts of variety packs, you can purchase one set of each and use them to see which you find the most comfortable.