The first thing to consider is how much they reduce sound. If you're very sensitive to sound, you'll want to try more reduction. If you'd like to ease general stress each day, and still want to be able to hear the doorbell or even attend meetings, you won't need as much reduction. If you've never tried earplugs before, this can be difficult to work out. Throughout the testing, we evaluated the comfort and effectiveness of the earplugs. We also considered the value of the earplugs and who might find the earplugs useful for their particular needs. I feel duty bound to mention these Swedish plugs since they are so highly rated by dedicated users, but I couldn’t get on with them. It’s an unusual design, with a small rigid stem attached to a soft oval tip which is supposed to form a seal at the base of your ear canal. Foam earplugs are the cheapest option and being soft, they’re reasonably comfortable for sleeping in. However, as a porous material they’re a fertile breeding grown for bacteria, so you have to replace them regularly.

While one material is not necessarily superior to another, if you have allergies you may want to select earplugs made of hypoallergenic materials. These materials are generally non-toxic and less likely to cause an allergic reaction or skin irritation, Fletcher says. These are comfortable and easy-to-use earplugs designed specially for musicians and use at concerts. The Kokoon app is full of calming sounds to help you drift off, and these can be combined with gentle guided meditations or soothing abstract music to create a custom soundscape. During the day, you can use the Nightbuds to help you concentrate at work, or listen to mini lectures on the biology of sleep, and why it's so important. It's truly impressive. 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.

Accessories

However, this gets more confusing when specific earplugs claim to reduce decibels across different frequencies, like the Flare Calmer and Vibes earplugs below. Flare or Loop earplugs are both great for reducing noise. But which one is right for you will depend on your level of sensitivity and what you want to use them for, as they work a little differently. They QuietOn 3 sleep earplugs extremely small and lightweight, and keep filtering noise for around four nights thanks to their smart charging case. You have to take care to choose the right size tips (there are four to choose from) and fit them carefully at night to ensure there's a good seal in your ear canal, but it's well worth the effort and we found the results very impressive in our tests. Choosing the best noise-cancelling headphones if you have an auditory sensitivity is the same as finding the right earplugs – everyone is different.

Yes, silicone earplugs are soft and comfortable for sleeping on your side, and are less likely to come loose than foam or wax earplugs. Before leaving my house, I was keen to get a feel for my new buds. When you first put them in, you won't exactly feel an immediate sense of bliss. In fact, it’s pretty difficult to notice any difference at all if you’re already in a relatively quiet environment. Leave them in for a few hours, though, and you’ll most definitely feel their absence. The standard and mini sizes both fit my ear comfortably, but the standard worked slightly better for my personal ear size. These felt perfectly fine to wear for hours on end with minimal discomfort, although the first few days I wore them, my ears were quite itchy at times. I use them regularly but, importantly, try to keep them in only when I need to – which is around an hour or two during the day.Another major factor is comfort. Earplugs should feel good, so you can wear them when you need to. But this is also important because many people with sound sensitivity also experience tactile sensitivity (or tactile hypersensitivity), especially Autistic people. 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.

These are my favorite options to wear during the day when I need to focus but don’t want to listen to music, when I’m feeling stressed and want to dampen sensory overload and when I’m on a busy train or bus. I can hear speech, I can hear myself speak, but everything feels quieter. The Flare Calmer earplugs don’t reduce sound. Instead, they reduce certain frequencies that the company says people find most irritating and distressing.During testing, I found these earplugs to be great for reducing stress throughout the day. I was, as the name suggests, calmer while wearing them. However, they didn't provide enough noise reduction when I wanted to really focus. I also found them to be a bit uncomfortable after a few hours of wear. If you normally find earplugs cumbersome, irritating, and uncomfortable, then you may want to give the Hearprotek Sleeping Ear Plugs a try. We found these soft and flexible earplugs among the most comfortable on our list. Not only do they gently contour to your ear canals, but they also don’t cause irritation, even after hours of wear. Yes, they can help during the day and night. Wearing earplugs can reduce the irritation, stress and pain some people with auditory sensitivity experience regularly. Earplugs are especially helpful for light sleepers or people who live in cities, says Manan Shah, MD, a board-certified ear, nose, and throat specialist (ENT). Earplugs can be particularly helpful for anyone who works night shifts or travels frequently. Even those who struggle with insomnia may find earplugs handy since they minimize distractions and allow you to nod off more easily.