A good night’s sleep is vital for your mental and physical health. So while sleeping well gives you a better chance of living a happy and healthy life, sleepiness doesn’t come so easy for some adults or kids who are kept awake because of a noisy environment. That’s where a pair of the best earmuffs for sleeping can save the day.
Are you sleeping with a snorer? Looking for kids earmuffs for sleeping when travelling? Are you trying to block out the loud sound of traffic or a fellow plane passenger? Are your roommates or neighbours partying loudly? Is a dog’s night barking driving you crazy?
Whatever the reason, a sleep loss problem can be easily solved with the help of some of the best noise cancelling earmuffs for sleeping money can buy. That’s because a key feature of ear muffs is their noise reduction or ability to cancel unwanted loud sounds.
Some of the best sleeping earmuffs not only block out noise but also allow you to play your favourite music, podcast or other delightful sounds so you can easily drift off to sleep. So soon after you put on these noise cancelling ear muffs, you will wake up feeling well refreshed and rested again.
After much research, we have listed the best comfortable sleeping earmuffs to help you or your child get the most effective sleep at bedtime.
- Great for back sleeping
- Easy to store and travel with slim foldable design
- Lightweight and Comfortable
- Super-soft ear cushions
- High performance and long lasting
- Versatile noise cancelling earmuffs
- Highest over-the-ear earmuff Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) of 31DB
- Perfect for back sleepers
- Great for blocking high pitch noises
- Perfect for side or stomach sleepers
- Soft, breathable earmuffs
- Listen to audio to relax and cancel noise before bedtime
- Blackout eye mask for sleeping
Pros:
+ Great for back sleepers
+ Lightweight design
+ Excellent noise reduction
+ Comfortable fitting earmuffs
+ Easy to clean
Cons:
– Non-adjustable headband
– Side sleepers may need a super soft pillow to be comfortable
3M Peltor Optime 105 over-the-head earmuffs are designed for high noise areas up to 105db and give the maximum Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) of 30db for over the head style earmuffs. They are very effective in cancelling out both low and high pitched noises and one of the best earmuffs to block out sound.
These earmuffs are better suited for back sleepers because of their hard shell. If you’re a stomach or side sleeper and really need the high NRR in this sort of over the ear earmuff style, we recommend you invest in a super soft pillow to reduce any pressure against your ear and head. Otherwise, go for a softer earmuff from some our recommendations below and buy earplugs with high noise blocking ability to wear at the same time.
Optime’s light weight design, liquid and foam filled ear cups mean they are comfortable enough for a good long sleeping times. You can also adjust the ear cups around your ears as they are attached with a stainless steel band. This increases their comfort and helps to evenly distribute any pressure from the earmuffs over your head.
These earmuffs are also easy to clean since the outer ear cushions are made from ABS plastic. If you wanted to have replacement parts when you wash them or extend the life of your earmuffs, consider buying the Peltor Hygiene Kit. It comes with extra replacement ear cushions and inserts.
2. Howard Leight Leightning L3 Sleeping Earmuffs
The Howard Leight by Honeywell Leightning L3 earmuff is made for maximum protection, comfort, and durability.
Pros:
+ Very comfortable earmuffs with padded foam headband and super-soft ear cushions
+ Built to last with steel wire
+ High noise blocking performance
+ Great for travel as they easily fold and have a slim design
+ Maximum over the ear earmuff NRR of 30db
+ Easy cleaning and maintenance with snap-in ear cushions
3. 3M Peltor X5A Best Noise Cancelling Earmuff for Sleeping
The 3M Peltor X5A earmuff has the highest NRR (31 dB) in the market for an over the ear earmuff style.
So if you really need to block out loud noises for sleeping and are able to sleep on your back or in an upright position (like on a plane), then these earmuffs are for you!
If you’re a side sleeper, we recommend buying a thick neck pillow (or two thin ones) and put one ear cup in the neck hole. Otherwise, consider the softer earmuffs from Musicozy and Hobernate reviewed below.
Pros:
+ Fantastic design for blocking high-frequency noise and voices
+ Great brand and durability
+ Soft foam ear cushions
+ Replaceable ear cushions and foam liners
+ Available in four colors
Cons:
– They can feel tight after long-time use because they are designed to have a strong seal around your ears
– Bulky and heavy design for side sleepers
– Large ear cups may not suit smaller ears
Pros:
+ Best earmuffs for side sleepers, tummy sleepers and CPAP users
+ Blocks out light as well as noise
+ Built-in microphone with HD Stereo Sound with great sound quality
+ Ability to easily make calls before nap or bed time
+ Super comfortable and soft
+ Long lasting 10 hour battery that recharges in 2 hours
+ Great for hot climates or night sweats as these headphones are made from breathable cotton and cool silk material that is smooth against your skin
+ Adjustable size earphone and head strap
+ Great gift for all ages, including kids
Cons:
– The small charging hole can be a little difficult to find
If you’re looking for a deep comfortable sleep then look no further than the Musicozy Bluetooth sleep headphones that also come with a mask design to block out light.
These electronic sleeping masks that cover your ears are our pick for the best earmuffs for side sleepers. This is because they have a fairly flat side profile, the speakers are also flat designed and don’t protrude, controls are located at the front of the mask (not the side) and it’s made from soft cushioned material.
Drift off to sleep quickly and easily, and stay asleep all night long by listening to your favourite music, podcast, audio book, yoga or meditation with these light and luxuriously soft headphones.
While these sleep headphones aren’t as good at noise cancelling than the hard shell earmuffs we reviewed, many Amazon reviewers report these earmuffs block out their snoring partners. This is because the sounds you listen to create white noise to help drown out unwanted disturbances.
5. Wrap-a-Nap™ Sleep Mask and Ear Muff
Pros:
+ Perfect earmuffs for side and stomach sleepers
+ Comfortable, super soft fleece sleeping earmuffs
+ Amazing light blocking muffs
+ Popular with night shift workers
+ Great travel pillow and earmuff as it’s light, portable and easy to roll up
+ Easy to clean as it’s machine washable
+ Fully adjustable design
+ It stays on really well
+ Made in USA
Cons:
– May be too thick for some back sleepers
– Only muffles sound but you can pair them with other devices to completely block out noise if you need higher noise reduction
– The velcro band at the back isn’t long enough to make a comfortable fit for young children
– Likely to be too warm for hot weather
While these earmuffs get rave reviews for comfort, versatility, and blocking light…they have a low Noise Reduction Rating (NRR). So how sensitive are you to sound?
These earmuffs are great if your partner likes to listen to TV or work on their computer before bed time so you can shut out the sound and light. There are also many positive reviews about the Wrap-A-Nap muffling out enough noise for a good night’s sleep – including snoring partners!
So if you’re looking for a soft earmuff with better noise reduction, then you could pair these ear muffs with earplugs (and the soft fleecy wrap will help stop your earplugs from falling out of your ears).
Also, if you love going to bed listening to your favourite music, podcast, meditation or other great sounds then you can also use the Wrap-A-Nap with earbuds, earphones or headphones for better noise cancellation.
These are the best comfortable earmuff, pillow and light blocker all in one product! They are a super comfortable sleep if you’re lounging at home, in the office, travelling on an airplane or taking a long road trip!
Conclusion:
When it comes to sleeping soundly in noisy environments, choosing some of the best earmuffs for sleeping can really make a great difference between having a really good night’s sleep or not.
While the hard shell over the ear earmuffs give the greatest noise reduction performance, they can be uncomfortable for side sleepers.
That’s where softer earmuffs with slim profiles work best for side sleepers like the Music Cosy.
If you choose other soft sleeping earmuffs like Wrap-A-Nap, then coupling these with earplugs with help to further block out noise. Pairing them with headphones or earbuds can also help you drift off to peaceful slumber as you listen to your favourite relaxing sounds before bed time.
