Best Earphones for Sleeping

I almost always listen to something to make myself fall asleep.

I put on a pair of earphones, lie on my back, and try to fall asleep while listening to music/audiobook/nature sounds/ASMR/lecture recordings/comedy skit — depending on what I’m into at the time.

Listening to music helps me fall asleep faster. But I wish I didn’t have to wake up to have the earphone cords tangled around my neck, wires bent, earbuds damaged, and pain around my ears.

So I decided to look for the best earphones for sleeping.

You’re on this page because you want to avoid the same problem as I do. Trust me, you do not want to wake up with an earbud in your mouth.

Criteria: Best Earphones for Sleeping

Here are my top criteria for choosing the earphones for sleeping.

Comfort
Without a doubt, comfort is the most important criteria for choosing the best earphones or headphones for sleeping. Earphones might come as  in-ear (fit directly into the ear), on-ear (rest on the ear), or over-ear (cover the whole ear).

I usually sleep on my back but I often move around in my sleep and end up on my side or facing down. Because of that, my preference goes to on-ear headphones. Your mileage may vary.

Wireless
If you use wired earphones, you’ll have to keep the phone close to your head — which isn’t ideal because a phone emits radiofrequency waves.

You also don’t want to wake up to find the wires tangled, I find it much easier to take off and put away wireless earphones than wired ones.

Noise-cancelling
You’d want your earphones to have good sound quality. Also, consider investing in noise-canceling earphones if you need to cope with noise from the neighbor or your snoring partner.

Here are the recommended best earphones for sleeping.

Moonbow
Bedphones Sleep Headphones

Moonbow Bedphones has been hailed as “the world’s smallest on-ear headphones” for sleep. You can adjust its ear hooks to your comfort so they do not hurt when you wear them.

The earphones rest flat on the ear and they are less than ¼ inches (0.635 cm). It didn’t bother me at all.

Bedphones come in wired ($89) and wireless versions ($149). They also have a “versafit” sport-friendly version which is sweat-proof and fits under a helmet.

The battery lasts up to 13 hours for the wireless version. If you sleep 7-8 hours a night, you’d need to recharge it almost daily.

Get Moonbow Bedphones.

QuietOn Sleep

QuietOn Sleep is a pair of earbuds optimized for comfort and noise-cancellation for sleeping, and not so much for music playback.

According to the engineers at QuietOn, the strength of these earbuds cancel low-pitched noise, like snoring, the hum of electronic devices, or the rumbling noise of vehicles, while many popular alternatives only cancel high-frequency sounds.

The unique frequency profile of these earbuds means it is not optimal for music listening. It’ll most likely change the way your favorite music usually sounds.

The purported battery life is up to 20 hours, and various pricing options are available when you purchase for a couple or family. The pricing starts at 219 euros.

Get QuietOn Sleep.

Highever Sleep Headband

You don’t want anything attached to your ear at all? Try a headband that plays music.

Highever Sleep Headband’s soft fabric is a perfect alternative to earphones. The headband can be worn not just for sleep but also for exercise and outdoor activities.

The speakers are removable, allowing you to machine-wash the headband as needed. It can even double as an eye mask.

Highever is available for $19 on Amazon.

Verdict: Best Earphones for Sleeping

My top choice goes to Moonbow Bedphones, based on the comfort of wear, noise-canceling, adjustable hooks, and on-ear headphones. I can sleep fairly comfortably on the sides with these earphones.

If you do get Moonbow Bedphones, you’d want to make sure to charge them often.

It goes without saying when you wear a pair of earphones for a long time, make sure to keep the volume on the lower end to avoid hearing damage.

Are there any other earphones for sleeping that are worth mentioning? Let me know in the comments below.