The Best Earplugs for Sleeping

Foam earplugs post the highest published NRR numbers, 32 to 33 dB is normal for brands like Mack's and Hearos, because the foam expands to fully plug the canal. They're cheap and disposable, useful if you replace them often, but the insertion depth and pressure bother some sleepers.

Silicone putty and wax plugs, like Mack's Pillow Soft and Ohropax Classic, seal over the ear canal opening instead of inserting into it. Published NRR drops into the low-to-mid 20s dB, but for ears that don't tolerate anything inside the canal, that's the more comfortable option.

Reusable silicone plugs, like Loop Quiet 2, trade more noise reduction again, often in the mid-teens to low-20s dB, for a washable plug worn night after night without buying more.

Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) comes from a lab test, not a night in your actual bedroom. It's measured under controlled conditions with a practiced fit, not the fit most people get fumbling with a foam plug in the dark.

OSHA's technical manual derates the labeled NRR by roughly 50% to estimate real-world protection, and NIOSH's 1998 noise criteria derated formable foam plugs by about half and other earplug types even further; NIOSH now recommends individual fit testing instead. In practice, a 33 dB foam plug behaves closer to a mid-teens real-world number once an imperfect fit is accounted for, still meaningful protection, just not what's printed on the box.

The main complaint from side sleepers isn't noise reduction, it's a plug that presses painfully into the ear against a pillow. Putty-style plugs like Mack's Pillow Soft and Ohropax Classic avoid the issue entirely by sealing over the opening instead of filling the canal, and a soft, low-profile reusable plug like Loop Quiet 2 protrudes less than most stemmed designs.

Foam plugs can work for side sleeping too if you trim them slightly shorter after inserting, so less of the plug extends past the ear.

Consumer Reports' guidance on earplug safety is straightforward: insert a plug deep enough to block sound but never so far that it hurts, checking with a mirror or a second opinion if you're unsure. Pain means remove it.

The same guidance warns that nightly earplug use can cause wax to build up and become impacted, and that constant use can encourage bacterial growth. The practical fix is to wash hands before handling plugs, replace foam earplugs rather than reusing them past their shape, and give your ears the occasional night off.

If raw noise blocking is the goal and comfort is secondary, the foam plugs, Mack's Ultra Soft and Hearos Ultimate Softness, post the highest published NRR and cost little per pair, and Howard Leight MAX is the cheapest per pair in a 200-pair box. If you're a side sleeper or your ear canal doesn't tolerate foam, Mack's Pillow Soft trades some attenuation for comfort. Ohropax Classic is worth trying if both foam and silicone bother you, it's a genuinely different material. Loop Quiet 2 makes sense if you want one reusable plug for sleep, flights, and noisy offices rather than a sleep-only product.

Earplugs solve the noise that's already reaching your ear; a calmer sound environment before bed helps with the rest. If falling asleep to something other than silence works better for you, SlowHum's sleep listening guide is a reasonable next stop alongside whatever plug you land on.