The best earplugs for sleeping

Key takeaways

• Cheap foam blocks the most noise. Disposable foam earplugs carry the highest noise ratings of any type here, and a 50-pair pack costs about $10.

• Reusable silicone fits better on your side, but blocks less. Low-profile silicone plugs sit flatter against the pillow. Their ratings are lower than foam’s.

• The number on the box is a lab figure. Real-world noise reduction is usually lower, so a good fit counts for more than a high rating.

• Sleep earbuds are a different tool. They play masking sounds or cancel noise electronically, cost about $200 to $280, and need charging.

• Keep them clean and test your alarm. Wearing earplugs every night can build up earwax, and you should check you can still hear your smoke alarm and alarm clock with them in.

How we ranked these earplugs

We started with the earplugs that come up most often in current independent roundups of earplugs for sleeping, then ranked eight of them on how much noise they block, how comfortable they are lying on your side, how well they fit different ear sizes, whether you can reuse them, and price. Noise ratings come from each maker. Prices are from each maker’s US website, or from Amazon where that’s the usual way to buy, on October 29, 2026. Amazon prices change often.

A note on ratings: US products carry an NRR (Noise Reduction Rating), while European ones often quote an SNR (Single Number Rating). They’re tested differently, and the SNR is usually the higher number for the same product, so compare like with like.

1. Mack’s Ultra Soft Foam Earplugs - Lots of noise blocked for little money

Mack’s Ultra Soft foam plugs have a Noise Reduction Rating of 33 dB, and a 50-pair pack was $9.89 on Amazon when we checked (Mack’s own site sells packs from three to 100 pairs). They’re made of soft, low-pressure foam that you roll thin, slide into the ear canal, and hold while it expands to fill the space.

They’re disposable. Mack’s says to throw them out after several uses, or as soon as they look dirty, so a 50-pair pack lasts a long time for about 20 cents a pair.

What works: A 33 dB rating, soft foam, and very cheap.

What doesn’t: They’re on the large side for small ear canals, they take practice to insert well, and you’ll keep buying them.

Best for: Most people, especially anyone sleeping next to a snorer or a busy road.

2. Loop Dream - Low-profile plugs made for side sleepers

Loop Dream costs $49.95 and is built for sleeping on your side. The plugs have a low, flat shape so less of them sticks out against the pillow, with Loop’s softest silicone and foam-silicone ear tips. Loop rates them at 21 dB NRR (27 dB SNR).

They come with four sizes of ear tips, from extra small to large, plus a set of Loop Dream Double Tips in the same four sizes, so most people can find a fit. They’re reusable and washable, and Loop offers 100-day returns.

What works: Comfortable on your side, four tip sizes, reusable, and a long return window.

What doesn’t: They block less than foam, finding the right tip can take trial and error, and they cost five times as much as a big pack of foam.

Best for: Side sleepers who find foam uncomfortable.

3. Mack’s Slim Fit Soft Foam Earplugs - Foam for small ear canals

Mack’s Slim Fit is the brand’s smaller foam plug, made for small or sensitive ear canals. It has an NRR of 31 dB, and a 50-pair pack was $9.37 on Amazon. Like the Ultra Soft, it’s disposable: use a pair a few times, then replace it.

If standard foam plugs ache by morning or work their way out, a slimmer plug is the first thing to try before spending more.

What works: Nearly the same noise rating as the Ultra Soft, comfortable in small ears, and very cheap.

What doesn’t: Disposable, and still a little fiddly to insert.

Best for: People with small ear canals, and anyone whose ears get sore from regular foam.

4. Loop Quiet 2 - Simple reusable plugs for light noise

Loop Quiet 2 costs $24.95 and turns up in many recent roundups. It’s a soft-touch silicone plug with four sizes of ear tips (extra small to large). Loop rates it at 14 dB NRR, much lower than foam.

That makes it a better fit for softer noise, like a partner’s breathing, a ticking radiator, or voices in another room, than for loud snoring or traffic. It’s reusable, easy to wash, and comes with Loop’s 100-day returns.

What works: Comfortable, reusable, several sizes, and inexpensive compared with other reusable plugs.

What doesn’t: A 14 dB rating, well below foam, and some people find it sits a little loose.

Best for: Light sleepers dealing with low-level noise who want a plug they can wash and reuse.

5. Mack’s Pillow Soft Silicone Earplugs - Putty that covers the ear canal

Mack’s Pillow Soft plugs are moldable silicone putty. Instead of going into the ear canal, you flatten them over the opening to seal it. They have an NRR of 22 dB, and a 12-pair pack was $12.99 on Amazon.

Because nothing sits inside the canal, they suit people who can’t tolerate in-ear plugs, and they’re also sold for keeping water out when swimming. Each pair can be reused until it’s dirty or loses its stickiness, which Mack’s puts at up to five uses.

What works: Nothing inside the ear canal, a decent seal, and they stay put once molded.

What doesn’t: They pick up dirt and lint, can stick to hair, and some people find them a bit large.

Best for: People who find in-ear plugs painful.

6. Ohropax Classic - Wax plugs that sit over the ear

Ohropax Classic plugs are made of wax with cotton wool, and work like the Mack’s putty: you knead them into a ball, then press them over the entrance to the ear canal, not into it. Ohropax rates them at 23 dB NRR. A three-box pack of Ohropax wax plugs (36 plugs, 18 pairs) was $19.99 on Amazon.

Wax softens as you knead it and molds closely to the shape of your ear. Ohropax says to remove the cotton wool before use.

What works: A close, custom-feeling seal without anything in the ear canal.

What doesn’t: Wax can feel sticky or oily, it catches in long hair, and Ohropax doesn’t say how many times a pair can be reused.

Best for: People who like the putty idea but want a softer, more moldable feel.

7. Ozlo Sleepbuds 2 - Sleep earbuds that mask noise

Ozlo Sleepbuds 2 cost $279. They’re small wireless earbuds made to be worn overnight: the silicone tips block some noise passively, and they play masking sounds from a library of more than 60, switching to masking audio automatically once you’re asleep. They don’t use active noise cancellation, and Ozlo doesn’t publish a noise rating.

They last up to 14 hours per charge, come with four tip sizes, and have a built-in alarm that only you can hear, so you can wake without disturbing a partner. The Ozlo app adds sleep tracking. Ozlo offers 30-day returns and a one-year warranty.

What works: Masking sound and an alarm in one small device, comfortable on your side, and a battery that lasts a long night.

What doesn’t: Expensive, needs charging every day, and no published noise rating.

Best for: People who sleep better with sound and share a room with someone on a different schedule.

8. Soundcore Sleep A30 - Sleep earbuds with noise cancelling

The Soundcore Sleep A30 costs $199.99 on Soundcore’s site, the same as the A30 Special on Amazon when we checked. Unlike the Ozlo, it uses active noise cancellation as well as passive isolation, and it has a mode that masks a partner’s snoring.

Each earbud weighs about 3 grams, and it comes with ear wings plus silicone and foam tips. Soundcore quotes eight to 10 hours of playback per charge and up to five nights from the charging case. It has a private alarm and sleep monitoring for duration, position, and snoring.

What works: Noise cancelling for low, rumbling sounds, snore masking, and several tip options.

What doesn’t: Expensive, eight to 10 hours may not cover a long night, and electronic earbuds need charging and updates.

Best for: People bothered by a snoring partner or low-frequency noise who want electronics to do the work.

The eight earplugs side by side

How to choose earplugs for sleeping

Start with the noise. Loud, low noise like snoring or traffic calls for foam or noise-cancelling earbuds. Softer noise, like voices or a ticking radiator, can be handled by silicone or wax.

Then think about how you sleep. Side sleepers press one ear into the pillow all night, so look for a low-profile plug like Loop Dream, or putty and wax that sit flat over the ear.

Check the fit. If foam aches or falls out, try a slimmer foam plug or a set with several tip sizes before giving up on earplugs.

Decide between disposable and reusable. Foam is cheap but gets thrown away. Silicone plugs cost more up front, last longer, and need washing.

Consider sound instead of silence. Some people sleep better with a gentle sound than with none. Our guide to whether white noise helps you sleep covers that option, and sleep earbuds combine the two.

How to wear earplugs safely

Put foam plugs in properly. NIOSH, the US institute for workplace safety, recommends roll, pull, hold: with clean hands, roll the plug into a thin snake, pull the top of your ear up and back with the other hand, slide it in, and hold it with your finger until it expands.

Expect less than the label. According to OSHA, the protection people actually get is likely to be lower than the rating on the package, because lab testers fit plugs more carefully than most people do.

Watch for earwax. The ear, nose, and throat surgeons’ guideline on earwax, summarized by the American Academy of Family Physicians, notes that earplugs and hearing aids can stimulate wax production, and that people who use them are at high risk of blocked ears. Keep plugs clean, replace disposable ones often, and see a doctor if your ears feel blocked, itchy, or painful.

Test your alarms. Before relying on earplugs every night, check that you can hear your smoke alarm and your alarm clock with them in. If you can’t, a vibrating alarm or a sleep earbud with a built-in alarm will get you up in the morning, but talk to your local fire department about smoke alarms for people who can’t hear them.

Do earplugs help you sleep?

Most of the research comes from hospitals, where noise is a constant problem. A 2016 review pooled five studies of 832 intensive care patients and found that those given earplugs were less likely to develop delirium, although all the studies had a high risk of bias. In a small 1999 study, six healthy volunteers sleeping with recorded intensive care noise reached REM sleep sooner and spent more of the night in it when they wore earplugs.

The evidence isn’t all positive. A 2021 meta-analysis of intensive care studies found that earplugs combined with eye masks improved sleep quality, but earplugs on their own didn’t make a significant difference. If light also wakes you, our ranking of sleep masks is the other half of the kit, and both are on our list of what to pack to sleep well on a trip.

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to wear earplugs every night?

For most people, yes, if you keep them clean and replace disposable plugs often. Nightly use can lead to earwax buildup, so see a doctor if your ears feel blocked or sore. Make sure you can still hear your smoke alarm and alarm clock.

Which earplugs block the most noise?

Disposable foam plugs carry the highest ratings, up to 33 dB NRR. Real-world blocking depends heavily on how well they’re inserted.

What are the most comfortable earplugs for side sleepers?

Low-profile silicone plugs made for side sleeping, or moldable putty and wax that sit flat over the ear canal. Deep or long plugs press into the ear when you lie on your side.

How often should you replace foam earplugs?

Mack’s says to throw them away after several uses, or as soon as they look dirty or have wax on them. Foam that no longer expands slowly won’t seal well.

Can earplugs make your ears hurt?

They can if they’re too big or pushed in too far. Try a smaller foam plug, a reusable plug with several tip sizes, or putty that sits over the ear instead of inside it.

Do sleep earbuds work better than earplugs?

They work differently. Foam earplugs block more noise for far less money. Sleep earbuds suit people who sleep better with masking sound or want a private alarm, but they cost about $200 to $280 and need charging.