In this article
When it comes to picking the right earplugs for sleep, there are two main considerations: comfort and effectiveness. If the earplugs are uncomfortable or irritating — especially on a sensitive area like the ears — you still probably won’t be able to sleep well. And if they don’t block out noise effectively … well, what’s the point?
To find the best earplugs for sleeping, I spoke to sleep experts and earplug users about their favorite earplugs to sleep in, as well as what to consider when shopping. I also tested several pairs myself to judge how effective and comfortable they are. Below, you’ll find a mix of disposable and reusable earplugs, made from a range of different materials. Or if you’d rather mask the noise than block it out, take a look at our guide to the best sound machines.
Update on February 7, 2025: Updated prices and checked stock for all products.
What we’re looking for
Material
What an earplug is made of will primarily dictate how it feels and fits in your ear. Several experts mentioned soft foam or silicone as the best options for comfort. These materials seem to be the most common, though there are others, like wax or earbud-like designs that play audio. Neurologist Dr. Chris Winter says foam earplugs are the best to “muffle out the higher pitched sounds and quiet the whole environment down.” Dr. Raj Dasgupta generally agrees, recommending soft foam earplugs because they’ll gently expand in the ear to fit comfortably in the ear canal and effectively block out noise. However, Dasgupta says some people might find silicone more comfortable if they have sensitive ears.
Noise blocking
Most earplugs come with a noise-reduction rating (NRR) or single-noise rating (SNR), which measures how effectively they reduce noise. In the United States, earplugs are typically rated with the NRR. The higher the NRR, the more effective the earplug. The highest NRR for earplugs is 33, so that’s what to look for if you are seeking maximum noise reduction. However, a 33 NRR may not be totally necessary for sleep — the measurement is primarily used to gauge ear protection from potentially damaging sounds, such as those from loud machinery or music. While you may need to block out sound to be able to sleep, odds are your ears aren’t in danger from noise levels at night.
Most earplugs have an NRR between 20 and 30, and a rating in that range should keep nighttime noise at bay. I’ve included each earplug’s NRR below, but keep in mind that other factors, like how well the earplugs fit your ears, can change how effective they are. If you buy earplugs from another country (particularly ones in the European Union or the United Kingdom), you may see they are rated with the SNR rather than (or in addition to) the NRR. The general principle is the same: A higher rating equals more noise reduction and ear protection.
Disposable vs. reusable
In general, foam and wax earplugs tend to be disposable, while silicone or plastic ones tend to be infinitely reusable, or at least reusable for a lengthy time period. Disposable earplugs are typically meant to be used just once, or for a few nights at maximum.
Reusable earplugs will have a higher upfront cost for one pair, but depending on how often you are using earplugs, they may be a lot more cost-effective over time. For all the earplugs below, I’ve listed the cost per pair and for the disposable ones, I’ve also included the total price per package.
Overall, I prefer reusable earplugs so that I don’t need to regularly repurchase them, plus they don’t create as much waste as disposable ones. However, if you prefer the feel of soft foam or wax earplugs, or if you’re looking for a cheap option that you also don’t have to clean or keep track of, disposable might be a better choice for you. Though most reusable earplugs come with a carrying case, they are ultimately still small and easy to lose.
Best reusable earplugs for sleep overall
Material: Thermoplastic | Type: Reusable | Noise-reduction rating: 16 | Single-noise rating: 22 | Price: $25 for one pair
The Alpine Silence earplugs check all the boxes I want for a reusable sleep earplug: They are unobtrusive, comfortable, reasonably priced, and effective at blocking noise. They are made from Alpine’s proprietary thermoplastic material, which is silicone-free but feels extremely similar to silicone. (They’re also latex-free and hypoallergenic.) The earplugs are quite pliant — I can easily bend them with my fingers, and the thermoplastic becomes more moldable when warm — but they always retain their shape.
What makes these earplugs stand out is the V-shaped external piece, which fits snugly into the concha of my ear (the flat part next to the opening of the ear canal). The overall design of the Alpines is similar to many other earplugs on the market (see the Loop and Curvd earplugs discussed below), but that V-shape makes the outer part of the earplug quite small and allows it to lay flatter in my ear than other styles I’ve tried. This also makes the Alpine Silence earplugs an especially great pick for side sleepers.
The other design detail I really appreciate about the Alpines is the oval shape of the ear tip (the part that actually goes into your ear canal), which allows for a more snug fit in the ear, and ultimately blocks sound better, than rounder designs. The Alpine Silence earplugs come with four sizes of ear tips — extra small, small, medium, and large — so you can try different sizes to find the one that fits best. My pair came preloaded with the medium ear tips, but I ended up swapping them for the small ones.
I also think the Alpine Silence earplugs are a good deal. One $25 pair could easily last years; the earplugs can be washed with soap and water to keep them clean, and other than losing or damaging them, there’s no real reason to replace them. Alpine provides a small carrying case to store them in, too.
Best disposable earplugs for sleep overall
Material: Foam | Type: Disposable | Noise-reduction rating: 33 | Price: 50 pairs for $16 ($.32 per pair)
If there’s one brand name I heard more than any other while reporting this guide, it was Mack’s. The effective noise-blocking, comfortable feel, and cheap price of these earplugs make them my top pick for disposable earplugs for sleep.
They’ve been recommended by multiple people, including someone who lives on a busy Brooklyn street with lots of traffic noise and another who has hyperacusis, a condition that causes extreme sound sensitivity. Based on those recommendations, I tried the Mack’s earplugs myself. I’ve used these types of foam earplugs many times in the past, especially for concerts. However, the foam used for Mack’s is considerably softer than the foam on earplugs designed more for hearing protection. This soft foam definitely makes for a more comfortable fit while sleeping.
I was also extremely impressed with how much noise these earplugs can block; they are easily some of the most effective earplugs I’ve tried to date. My experience tracks with that of writer Lisa McCarty, the Mack’s user with hyperacusis, who says, “They reduce the sounds of everything from construction noise to background conversation, making the room go quiet. It’s almost a meditative state when I put them in, as it helps me focus on my breathing instead of the noise and stimulation outside.”
Mack’s earplugs have the highest possible NRR at 33, but they also plug the ear canal more than the other styles I’ve tried, which can take some getting used to. To put them in, you pinch the foam, insert the earplug, then let it expand in your ear, which creates a very thorough seal. One drawback is that if you twist the foam too tight, the earplugs may push uncomfortably on your ear once expanded, so you may need to practice a few times. Between their comfort, effective noise blocking, and affordable price, Mack’s definitely earns the top spot for disposable earplugs.
Material: Foam | Type: Disposable | Noise-reduction rating: 31 | Price: 50 pairs for $14 ($.29 per pair)
If you struggle to find earplugs that fit your smaller ears, these Slim Fit disposable earplugs from Mack’s come highly recommended by Jeff Kahn, the founder and CEO of the RISE app. Kahn has been using these earplugs for over 10 years and says they are comfortable for sleeping — even on his side — and that the “slow release, low-pressure, and tapered foam means they get a good seal and don’t exert that familiar pressure feel from inside the ear.” Overall, these are pretty similar to our top pick, just with a slimmer profile for small ears. They do have a slightly lower NRR than the other Mack’s, but 31 is still a very high NRR.
Best silicone earplugs for sleep
Material: Silicone | Type: Reusable | Noise-reduction rating: 14 | Single-noise rating: 24 | Price: $25 for one pair
I’m a longtime user of Loop’s Experience 2 earplugs to protect my ears at concerts, and several fellow Strategist staffers have told me they use different models of Loop earplugs for a variety of reasons, so I was eager to try the Loop Quiet earplugs, which block more noise than the Experience model. The earplugs’ design is pretty similar to audio earbuds — they have a silicone ear tip that goes into the opening of the ear canal and a loop-shaped external piece that you can hold as you put them in and take them off. Like my top-pick Alpine Silence earplugs, they come with four sizes of ear tips — extra small, small, medium, and large — to ensure a good fit. Mine arrived with the medium tips already on, which ended up being the best size for my ears. They also come with a small carrying case.
The Loop earplugs have a slightly lower NRR of 14 compared to the Alpines’ NRR of 16, but they easily blocked the sound of a TV in the next room while I took a nap. They sit snugly, without feeling pressurized or tight, and the small loop rests by the flat part of my ear. They are plenty comfortable for sleeping, and I didn’t feel any pressure while lying on my side. Overall, the Loop Quiet earplugs are very similar to the Alpine ones above, with slight differences in shape — the Loop Quiet ear-tips are a bit rounder, and the external piece is a circular “loop” instead of a V. Ultimately, I found the Alpine’s V-shaped external piece and more oval ear tips a touch more comfortable, which is why the edged out the Loop Quiets for the top spot in this guide. But if you think the Loop Quiet’s shape will better fit your ears, or you have a preference for silicone over the Alpines’ thermoplastic, the Loop Quiet is also a really great earplug.
Material: Silicone and foam | Type: Reusable | Noise-reduction rating: 21 | Single-noise rating: 27 | Price: $50 for one pair
Toward the end of 2024, Loop released a new sleep earplug called the Loop Dream, which I tested to compare to the Quiet earplugs above. The Dream earplugs have the same basic design as the Quiet earplugs, but the external “loop” is covered in another layer of silicone that makes it feel a little softer and more pliant. (The extra silicone didn’t make a huge difference, comfort-wise, for me, but if the Loop Quiet feels too stiff, the Dreams may be more comfortable.) Another design difference is that the Dream ear tips are made from foam covered with silicone and have a more pointed, oval-like shape than the rounder Loop Quiets (which also makes them more similar to my top pick Alpines). This design creates a more sealed “plug” in your ear but also meant I had to push the earplugs further into my ears to get them to stay in place. Like the Quiet earplugs, the Dream earplugs come with four sizes of ear tips. Even though I liked the medium ear tips for the Quiet, I ended up sizing all the way down to extra small for the Dream earplugs.
The Dream earplugs have a higher NNR than the Quiet earplugs (21 versus 14), so they are rated to block out more noise. I did notice a slight difference in noise reduction, but it wasn’t major. All in all, I think the Dream earplugs are probably a slightly better earplug for sleeping than the Quiet, but they also cost twice as much, and I didn’t think they were better enough to justify the price jump. With that in mind, I’d still pick the Loop earplugs as my top choice for a reusable silicone earplug. But if you don’t like the Loop Quiet, want a higher noise rating, or don’t care about spending double, the Loop Dream earplugs are a solid choice.
Best reusable soft earplugs for sleep
Material: Thermoplastic | Type: Reusable up to 100 times | Noise-reduction rating: 27 | Price: Starting at as $17 for one pair (or $19 for two pairs, one in each size)
If you want a reusable earplug that’s soft like a disposable foam earplug, I recommend the Alpine SleepDeep earplugs. Like my top-pick Alpine Silence earplugs, they are made from the brand’s proprietary thermoplastic material, which absorbs your body heat to mold to fit your ear. However, it feels very different on the SleepDeep earplugs; where the Alpine Silence earplugs have a similar texture to a silicone spatula, the thermoplastic on the SleepDeep earplugs is much thinner and more flexible — more like a deflated balloon. Thanks to the soft, moldable material and cone-like shape, the SleepDeep earplugs fit very snugly into my ear, without much material sticking out (there is a small pull flap for easy removal).
They Alpine SleepDeep earplugs just as soft as the disposable Mack’s earplugs above, but they are designed to be reused up to 100 times. In my testing, they didn’t block quite as much noise as the Mack’s — the Mack’s have a higher NRR of 33, compared to the SleepDeep’s 27 — but they are still very effective (and still have a higher NRR than my top pick for a reusable earplug, the Alpine Silence).
The SleepDeep earplugs come in two sizes, small and a combined medium/large. If you know which size you want, you can order one pair for $19. If you want to try both, a set with one pair in each size only costs $1 more. I tried both, and ended up preferring the size small. They also come with a small carrying case.
Best moldable silicone earplugs for sleep
Material: Silicone | Type: Reusable for a limited time | Noise-reduction rating: 22 | Price: 8 pairs for $17 ($2.13 per pair)
If you’d rather not stick an earplug into your ear canal, these moldable silicone earplugs act more like a cap to the ear canal. To use them, you warm up the silicone by rolling it around in your hands, then press and flatten into the center of external part of your ear. At first, this process felt a little like sticking Play-Doh into my ears (in line with the name Squishies). But once I got the silicone molded and flattened, I was really impressed with both how comfortable the earplugs felt and how much noise they blocked. The pieces of silicone are pretty large, but you can break them into smaller pieces if needed.
These earplugs come in a pack of eight and are reusable, according to the Eargasm customer service representative I spoke to. But they will eventually have to be replaced after extended use. However, I think you should be able to get decent mileage out of them, which might justify the slightly higher cost per pair, compared to some of the other earplugs on this list (minus the infinitely reusable ones).
Best moldable wax earplugs for sleep
Material: Wax | Type: Disposable | Noise-reduction rating: 23 | Price: $7 for 6 pairs ($1.17 per pair)
These wax earplugs come recommended by two sources we spoke to, both of whom like them for their moldability. They are very similar to the Eargasm Squishies, above, and fit into the outer ear, not directly into the ear canal. “They do an outstanding job of conforming to the ear to block out sound,” says Bill Fish, former president of Sleep Doctor. “But they are also quite comfortable, as they come with a soft cotton cover around the wax.” If you want a moldable earplug that is not made of silicone, these are a good choice. However, because they are disposable, they will cost a bit more in the long run.
Best sleep earplugs for airplane travel
Material: Silicone | Type: Reusable up to 14 times | Noise-reduction rating: 20 | Price: $20 for one pair
If you’re looking for earplugs specifically designed to help you sleep on a flight, two of the experts we spoke to recommend these Earplanes’ silicone earplugs as a red-eye essential that can also serve as a sleep aid at home or in a hotel. As the name suggests, they’re designed specifically for use on airplanes and have four rings that are meant to mitigate changes in air pressure and help muffle in-flight noise. According to Dr. Michael Breus, the self-proclaimed Sleep Doctor (who is also a clinical psychologist and fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine), they were designed by the House Ear Institute, an ear surgery and research center in California, and were tested by U.S. Navy pilots before they were introduced to the general public. The price shown is for one pair, which the brand recommends replacing after two weeks because they earplugs contain a filter that slows the shift of air pressure entering your ear and after multiple uses, the filter can become clogged.
Best Bluetooth sleep earbuds
Material: Earbuds with silicone ear tips | Type: Reusable | Noise-reduction rating: N/A | Price: $150 for one pair
I was really interested in these Bluetooth sleep earbuds because I love listening to a podcast when I’m taking a nap or even just laying down to rest — it calms my mind and helps prevent me from overthinking things. But most audio earbuds are at least a little uncomfortable to sleep in because of how they stick out of your ear. Because they are specifically designed for sleep, the Soundcores are impressively unobtrusive. They look like fairly normal earbuds, but they have a flatter external design, as well as a silicone wingtip that acts like a cushion between the harder pieces of the earbud and the ear itself. They come with three different wingtip sizes you can try, as well as four sizes of sealed ear tips for noise blocking and three sizes of “breathable” ear tips that allow for more airflow, but don’t block noise. This level of customization makes them earbuds especially versatile.
I first tested the Soundcores by listening to a podcast. The sound quality wasn’t quite as good as my AirPods, but the Soundcores felt far better in my ears while lying down, especially on my side. Then I downloaded the Soundcore app, which offers a lot of nifty features. You can switch between Bluetooth mode, which allows you to play whatever you want from your phone, and Sleep mode, which allows you to play white noise or a variety of nature/ASMR-esque sounds through the app. You can also do a fair amount of customization through the app, like setting a timer on the sounds so that you aren’t playing music or other audio for hours after you’ve fallen asleep, or even creating your own custom sounds. I don’t think I would sleep with these every single night, but I will definitely continue to use them when I want to listen to music or podcasts while falling asleep.
Other earplugs we’ve tested
I previously named Curvd’s reusable silicone Everyday earplugs the Best (Less Expensive) Silicone earplugs because they are very similar to the Loop Quiet earplugs, for about $5 less. While I still think the Curvd earplugs are a perfectly acceptable choice, their outer piece is noticeably larger than that of both the Loop Quiet earplugs and my top-pick Alpine Silence earplugs. The silicone of the Curvd earplugs also doesn’t feel as soft, flexible, or comfortable as Loop’s silicone or Alpine’s thermoplastic. Given the minimal price difference, especially over time, I recommend paying the extra five bucks for either the Alpines or the Loops.
I tested the Ozlo Sleepbuds to compare them to Soundcores above. The Ozlos have many of the same features as the Soundcores, including Bluetooth connectivity, their own app, and the ability to mask external audio. The Ozlos also have a few extra features, like “in-ear alarms” and pausing streaming content when the earbuds detect that that you’ve fallen asleep. But after trying both, I think the Soundcores fit more comfortably — the Ozlos pressed into my ear more and don’t have as much cushioning as the Soundcores do. They are also twice as expensive.
These minimal, Swedish-designed thermoplastic earplugs come in three sizes, but instead of changing the ear tips, as with our reusable picks above, you can buy each size individually or get a Discovery Pack with all three. Once you know what size you need, they come in an array of seasonal and limited-edition colors. And there are recycled-plastic and ocean-plastic versions too. Strategist editor Lauren Levy previously tested these on a quest to find earplugs for small ears, but I am planning to retest them soon.
Other sleep gear we’ve written about
Our experts
• Dr. Michael Breus, clinical psychologist and fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine
• Dr. Raj Dasgupta, pulmonary, critical care, and sleep specialist
• Bill Fish, former president at Sleep Doctor
• Jeff Kahn, founder and CEO of RISE app
• Lisa McCarty, writer and women’s health advocate
• Dr. Chris Winter, neurologist and author of The Sleep Solution
Additional reporting by Lauren Levy, Louis Cheslaw, and Karen Iorio Adelson.
The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
