Key Takeaways
- Sleep earbuds are a practical solution for blocking out bothersome sounds and can conveniently be used while traveling too.
- Designed for comfort, sleep earbuds like Kokoon Nightbuds offer stability during sleep unlike regular earbuds or headband-style headphones that might fall out when you move at night.
- ANS and passive noise-cancellation in sleep earbuds are the two options for blocking out different types of disruptive sounds.
If you’re anything like me, falling and staying asleep is harder than it looks. It could be the silence of your room getting on your nerves, housemates or neighbors moving about, or even an ear-ringing condition like tinnitus. Regardless of what’s keeping you up, a potential solution is sleep earbuds.
Sleep earbuds keep bothersome sounds out and let you listen to what you need to fall asleep instead, if anything. Not only are they a good option to use at home, but they can come in handy for traveling if you’re on a noisy plane or train.
If you’re on the fence about sleep earbuds, here are a few reasons why they might be a good choice.
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1 Upgraded comfort
Tailored for side sleepers
As opposed to regular earbuds, sleep earbuds are made specifically for sleeping. If you’ve ever tried sleeping on your side with earbuds on, you know how hard it can be. They’re often uncomfortable — they press your ears against the pillow or fall out easily from tossing and turning.
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If you wear earbuds specifically made to stay secure in your ears while asleep — like the Kokoon Nightbuds, which wrap around your ear and have wings to make them extra stable — you’re going to have a much easier time. The Anker Soundcore Sleep A10 and A20 both also have stabilizing wings to keep them secure, making them an excellent option over AirPods when bedtime hits.
2 A headband design alternative
Secure without pressure
Soundcore
Many of the sleep headphones sport a headband-style that connects the earpieces over your head. And while it works for some people, the design isn’t the best for everyone. The headband can shift around in the night to the point where you no longer even have the drivers over your ears, which doesn’t keep much noise out. Plus, they may just add unnecessary pressure build-up — not ideal for relaxation.
Most sleep headphones have this headband design, which leaves more space in the market for comfortable sleep earbuds.
Sleep earbuds ensure you get some sort of seal on your ear for better isolation, and there won’t be any of that shifting business going on around your head. Most sleep headphones have this headband design, which leaves more space in the market for comfortable sleep earbuds.
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3 Keeps disruptive noise out
Both ANC and passive noise-cancellation work
There are two ways earbuds can block out noise: active noise-cancellation or passive isolation. More expensive earbuds, like the Kokoon Nightbuds, have noise-cancellation, so you can actively keep out any loud, droning noises while you sleep. However, most rely on passive isolation, which physically blocks the noise out through ear tips, which is what the Anker Soundcore Sleep A10 and the upcoming A20 promise.
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Active noise-cancellation
(ANC)
is best for keeping out consistent, droning sounds — like traffic or household appliances — whereas passive isolation is best for higher, incidental noises like typing, rain, or doors closing.
Both methods are sufficient for blocking out the noises that keep you up. Active noise-cancellation (ANC) is best for keeping out consistent, droning sounds — like traffic or household appliances — whereas passive isolation is best for higher, incidental noises like typing, rain, or doors closing. The method that works the best for you depends on the type of noise you need to block out and your budget, as noise-cancellation usually comes with a premium price tag.
4 Soothing sounds and white noise
Out with distracting sounds, in with the calming frequencies
Soundcore
Some sleep earbuds, like the Kokoon Nightbuds and the Soundcore Sleep A10, have music libraries in their respective apps that allow you to listen to calming music, soothing sounds, or white noise to fall asleep. Not only does this allow you to listen to peaceful sounds instead of whatever is disrupting your environment, but it also helps mask any noise that might be getting past the earbuds’ isolation or noise-cancelling.
You also aren’t beholden to those sound libraries — you can listen to whatever music or sounds you want.
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You also aren’t beholden to those sound libraries — you can listen to whatever music or sounds you want. Whether the best night of sleep is on the other side of rain on a tin roof or opera music, you have unlimitied options to keep the annoying sounds out and the good ones in.
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