The benefits of sleeping with earplugs

You have probably tried it at some point: sleeping with earplugs. And there is a good chance you gave up after a few nights, because they hurt, fell out or simply did not help enough. In this article you can read why noise disturbs your night’s rest, what earplugs for sleeping actually do and why a custom-made pair often does work.

Why noise disturbs your night’s rest

Everyone knows that sleep matters, but plenty of people underestimate how much chronic sleep deprivation takes out of you. Pulling an all-nighter for work, your studies or a festival is perfectly fine once in a while, but sleeping too little week after week is bad for your body and for your brain. Poor sleep shows up in your mood, your memory and your ability to concentrate. In the long run it is linked to stress, low mood and a greater chance of physical health problems.

You can do something yourself about many sleep disruptors: less screen time before bed, your diet, your stress levels. Light is solved with good curtains or a sleep mask. Noise is harder, because it usually comes from outside. Think of a snoring partner, the neighbours’ crying baby, housemates staying up, cars driving past, or a railway line or motorway nearby.

The annoying part is that you do not even have to hear those sounds consciously. They briefly interrupt your sleep, your body has to settle again every time, and in the morning you wonder why you are still tired after eight hours in bed.

What earplugs for sleeping do

Earplugs dampen the noise that keeps you awake. If you no longer hear the racket, it can no longer keep you from sleeping. In practice that means falling asleep sooner and far less chance of being startled awake halfway through the night.

For a single night at a campsite, foam plugs from the chemist will usually do. Anyone who sleeps with them every night tends to run into the same four problems:

• painful ears, especially when you lie on them
• plugs that fall out during the night
• insufficient attenuation
• a plug that is pushed far into your ear canal, which presses and feels stuffy

Those are exactly the reasons why many people stop again. And then you are lying awake to the same noise as before.

Universal plugs versus custom-made earplugs

The difference is in the fit. Standard plugs are made for an average ear canal, and no such thing exists. What seals nicely for one person presses on another, or refuses to stay put.

Custom-made sleeping earplugs are made from an impression of your own ear. That is why they sit flush, stay in all night and put no pressure on your ear canal. We make them from soft, flexible silicone; there is also an extra-soft version for sensitive ears. At Audinc you get at least 2 years’ warranty and a 100% comfort guarantee, and we produce them in our own 3D lab in Eindhoven. Count on 15 working days’ production time, faster if you need them urgently.

Comfort for side sleepers

For side sleepers this is the most important point. Universal plugs stick out and press against your pillow, so you cannot lie relaxed on your side. Custom-made earplugs do not protrude from your outer ear and are hollow on the inside, so no pressure point develops when you lie on them. That means you can wear them for long stretches, every night.

Safety: will you still hear your alarm clock?

The most frequently asked question: will I still hear my alarm clock or a fire alarm? Yes, only more faintly. Custom-made sleeping plugs have no filter: they are closed, they seal off your ear canal and therefore dampen as much as they can. Persistent background noise such as snoring or traffic largely falls away, while a loud sound close by — the alarm clock next to your bed, the baby monitor, a fire alarm in the house — still comes through. If you sleep very deeply, set your alarm a little louder or put it nearer to you; an alarm that vibrates under your pillow works well too.

Do you sleep next to someone who snores? That is one of the most common reasons to start sleeping with earplugs. We wrote a separate article about it: earplugs against snoring.

Hygiene and maintenance

Cheap foam plugs have a poor reputation because they get dirty quickly and can cause irritation. Custom-made earplugs are more hygienic, precisely because you can clean them. Rinse them with lukewarm water, let them dry properly and keep them in the case supplied. Soap and aggressive cleaning products are best left alone: they shorten the lifespan. Want to know more? Read our explanation of cleaning earplugs.

Who are they suitable for?

Sleeping with earplugs is a relief if you:

• are a light sleeper and wake from every sound
• lie next to a snoring partner
• work nights or shifts and have to sleep during the day
• travel often and sleep badly in a hotel, at a campsite or on a plane

That last one makes more sense than it seems: you are used to the sounds of your own home, while new sounds in an unfamiliar place still grab your attention. Thanks to the storage case you can take them along easily. They are usable during the day as well, for instance when you want to study with full concentration, meditate or reduce the number of sensory stimuli.

The benefits at a glance

• a good fit, so they do not fall out during the night
• soft silicone material, comfortable to lie on
• effective attenuation of disturbing sounds
• alarm clock, baby monitor and fire alarm stay audible, only more faintly
• suitable for daily, long-term use
• easy to clean and supplied with a storage case
• available in various colours

Not sure whether earplugs for sleeping are for you? Take a look at the Custom SleepzZ or our complete overview of custom-made earplugs. Would you rather find out first how the fitting works? Book an appointment or get in touch — we are happy to think along with you.