Let’s face it — some of us share a bed with someone who snores. No matter how long you have been with your spouse or partner, the snoring either wakes you up or prevents you from falling asleep. Many of us spent countless hours in bed tossing and turning next to a partner we love, with a snoring problem.
Do Earplugs Block Out Snoring?
Your partner’s snoring doesn’t have to disrupt your sleep. You can do something about the snoring so you can get the sleep you need to kick tomorrow’s butt. One of the simplest ways to block out snoring is to invest in some earplugs for sleeping through the night. But what are the best earplugs to block out snoring? What features should you be looking for? How are earplugs different from one another? Is it even a good idea to wear earplugs overnight?
Earplugs Block Out Snoring
Because they are designed to help block out snoring, sleeping with earplugs can help improve the duration and quality of slumber. Getting enough sleep regularly has a wide range of health benefits. If you don’t sleep enough, you are at risk of chronic health conditions such as:
- Obesity
- Heart disease
- Depression
- Diabetes
Sleep deprivation due to snoring can have more immediate health effects on your overall wellbeing. Symptoms of sleep deprivation include:
- Problems with concentrating
- Difficulty with memorizing
- Drowsiness
- Hallucinations
- Increased risk of infection
- Reduced strength
The above symptoms can be extremely disruptive to your life. They may be life-threatening when they occur while operating heavy machinery or driving.
Earplugs can help you avoid sleep deprivation due to snoring. Sleeping with earplugs, you can avoid possible chronic conditions due to the lack of sleep. Adults should aim for eight hours of sleep every night.
Let’s find out with the definitive guide to earplugs to block out snoring.
How Do Earplugs for Blocking Out Snoring Work?
Most earplugs for snoring are designed to compress into a small shape to be inserted in your ear canal. Once inserted in your ear canal, earplugs will re-expand to fit into your ear canal.
You have many options for earplugs. They come in a wide range of materials and shapes to accommodate different users and individual preferences. The general concept of wearing earplugs is the same. Earplugs help you cover your ear canal so that external sounds such as snoring can’t get to your eardrum. The earplugs block snoring sounds, and you won’t be awakened during the night.
People who want the help of earplugs to block out snoring sounds have a lot of options. The market offers earplugs made of many different kinds of materials. No matter what works for others, you have to find the right earplug for you. So let’s take a look at the best earplugs for blocking out snoring noise.
What are earplugs for blocking out snoring made out of?
Many different types of earplugs do a great job blocking out noise from snoring. Earplugs for snoring come in different materials, shapes, and designs. You have to try a few to decide which one feels the most comfortable for you. Here is a rundown on the various earplug styles for blocking out snoring. Luckily, most earplugs for snoring are inexpensive, so you don’t have to spend a fortune to find the best set for you.
Moldable Earplugs for Snoring
Moldable earplugs are extremely effective in blocking out snoring sounds. This type of earplug is a remarkably efficient sound-isolation barrier. They leverage a soft and pliable material that molds and maintains its shape in your ear. Moldable earplugs for snoring are an outstanding option for filling the bowl of your ear. You can buy moldable earplugs with foam or silicone tips to close off your ear canal, blocking out as much snoring as possible.
Moldable earplugs are not the least expensive option on the market. But because they are reusable, moldable earplugs are quite cost-effective. To adjust the fit, you can remold these types of earplugs.
High-quality moldable earplugs are so comfortable that you can fall asleep wearing them without even noticing they are in your ears. Because of the snug fit, it is unlikely that they fall out of your ears while sleeping.
Foam Earplugs for Snoring
Foam earplugs for snoring are the most inexpensive on the market. This type of earplug is the most common because of the price. Foam earplugs are cheap and comfortable. They are made from polyvinyl chloride, which is a fancy name for PVC. Polyurethane (PU) is another common material for earplugs.
People like to use foam earplugs because they are easy to use. You roll it up tightly and place it in your ear canal and let it expand. Once in your ear, the earplugs perfectly fit against the inside of your ear canal, blocking out snoring. Minimizing the snoring noise will help you sleep better.
Reusable Earplugs for Snoring
Reusable earplugs for snoring are excellent if you prefer a longer-lasting option. There are many different reusable earplugs on the market. They are popular because they don’t just last for one night. The most widely used material for reusable earplugs is silicone. Their shape looks like a tiny evergreen tree.
Even some of the foam earplugs may be reusable a couple of times before they stop expanding to the curves of your ear canal. It would be best if you looked for reusable earplugs that you can clean.
You can find reusable earplugs hanging from each end of a headband, similar to wired audio headphones. Reusable earplugs may not be the greatest choice for comfortable sleep. This type of earplug might fall out of your ear when you roll over in bed. Reusable earplugs are a better option for noisy work environments than for blocking out snoring noises in your bedroom.
Electronic Earplugs
Electronic earplugs are unlike traditional earplugs on the market. They are very popular in shooting sports, loud factory floors, and construction sites. Electronic earplugs are engineered to protect your hearing from loud damaging noises. They block out certain types of sounds while also allowing some sounds like normal speech to enter your ears.
Electronic earplugs are not ideal for people looking for a silent night’s sleep because they allow low-level sounds to penetrate your ears. Another disadvantage of electronic earplugs is its size. They are bulkier than most other earplugs due to the built-in electronics and batteries. It’s unlikely that you find one that you can mold to your ear’s shape.
Is it bad for you to sleep with earplugs in?
Earplugs are a safe option to use for sleeping. Frequent use of earplugs may cause some minor issues, such as wax buildup. Using earplugs is a great way to block out snoring that can disturb a natural sleep pattern. Earplugs promote better quality sleep for people who share a bed with someone who snores.
According to research, earplugs offer an affordable and safe solution for blocking out snoring. In some cases, earplugs can even increase the deepest form of sleep, REM sleep. Sleeping with earplugs may increase melatonin levels. Melatonin is a critical hormone that guides the body to determine if it is time for sleep.
Compared with other sleep aids such as prescription medicine, earplugs have much fewer and less unpleasant side effects. For example, over the counter and prescription sleeping pills can have a series of unpleasant side effects such as drowsiness and dizziness.
Are there any risks with sleeping in earplugs?
Although earplugs are relatively safe, there is little research on how frequent use over extended periods may affect the ears. One possible risk of sleeping with earplugs is earwax or cerumen buildup. Earwax helps protect your ear canal from bacteria, dead skin, harmful debris, and water.
Earwax is critical for good ear health. Unfortunately, it can also cause issues. Regularly blocking the ear canal, such as frequent use of earplugs, can result in a buildup of earwax.
A buildup of earwax may cause:
- Discomfort and itching in the ear
- Dizziness
- Hearing difficulties
- A ringing noise in the ear also called tinnitus.
- Cough
Frequent use of earplugs may cause an ear infection. Unfortunately, the earplug can be the vehicle for introducing bacteria into the ear canal.
An ear infection may cause symptoms that include:
- Nausea
- Itching in the ear
- Tinnitus
- Hearing problems
- Vomiting
- Dizziness
What can I use instead of earplugs for sleeping?
Some people might want to avoid earplugs because they can cause earwax buildup, leading to several health problems such as temporary hearing loss and tinnitus. If you want to block out snoring, but you want to do it without sleeping with earplugs, you have several options.
What is the best alternative to earplugs for sleeping?
White Noise Machine to Block Out Snoring
The best alternative to earplugs to block out snoring is a white noise machine. You can also use white noise machines to improve the effectiveness of noise-reducing devices such as sleeping earmuffs and earplugs.
Headband Headphones to Block out Snoring
Headbands are excellent for snoring. They are soft speaker inserts and are effective for both side and back sleepers. They don’t just block snoring sounds. The way headband headphones work is by playing white noise from an app on your smartphone or tablet. Headband headphones mask out snoring noises while playing the soothing and relaxing sounds in your ears.
CPAP Machine for Snoring Partner
Many couples who share a bed struggle with snoring. Many of us can’t fall asleep and stay asleep next to a snoring partner. Snoring can cause sleep apnea, a health condition correlated with irregular sleep patterns.
The worst part about sleeping next to a snoring partner is that you both wake up exhausted. Fortunately, investing in a quiet CPAP machine can improve your sleep quality and quantity. The CPAP machine will help prevent snoring, helping your partner to rest comfortably. You win too because you won’t be awakened from your precious sleep by the snores anymore.
As an alternative to a CPAP machine, you can try something a simple as a nasal strip to help reduce snoring.
Silicone Putty for Snoring
Silicone putty makes an excellent alternative for sleeping if you find it irritating to use foam earplugs. One of the greatest advantages of silicone putty is that it doesn’t have to be inserted deep into your ear canal. You just mold it into a ball and press against your ear. The silicone putty seals the ear canal entrance. Another benefit of silicone putty over earplugs is that it doesn’t exert pressure. And for this reason, wearing silicone putty is more comfortable for many people than earplugs.
Noise Cancelling Headphones
Noise-canceling headphones are a great option for snoring, especially if you are a back sleeper. If you are a side sleeper, a noise-canceling headphone might not be the best choice. Noise-canceling headphones are engineered to clear away distractions around you and help you focus on whatever you do. They are perfect for canceling low-frequency noise, including noisy neighbors, generator noise, humming machines, and airplane noise.
Sleeping Earmuffs for Snoring
Earplugs and earmuffs indeed serve the same purpose. Earmuffs are the clear winners to block out snoring in the long run. Earplugs are light as feather and compact; they can be challenging to wear for a long time.
By contrast, earmuffs are simple and comfortable to wear, but they are not as effective to block snoring as earplugs. When you buy sleeping earmuffs, look for a higher noise reduction rate (NRR) rating.
Final Thoughts on Earplugs for Snoring
If you can’t sleep due to snoring, earplugs can help. Don’t let snoring ruin your sleep. Try a few different types of earplugs or earplug alternatives to block out snoring.