Does anyone sleep with earplugs every night?

[Notcontent]

Just wondered about this. I am one of those unfortunate people who needs complete darkness and silence to sleep. The darkness is provided by blockout blinds, but the silence is sometimes harder to arrange! (Neighbours partying, birds singing at 4 am,etc!) I have recently resorted to earplugs on a few occasions - just the cheap foam ones. I find them really uncomfortable, but they do help. I am thinking of investing in some better ones.

Does anyone sleep with earplugs every night?

Howard Leight Max Lite ear plugs are excellent. They are green foam ones, available on eBay and probably Amazon too. Comfy and very effective!

I use them every night and have done for years, and found it pretty life-changing when I started. I buy Superdrug’s soft disposable foam ones (orange, with one end bullet-shaped). They come in boxes of 20 or at least they did - I buy in bulk and need to stock up again, so hope they haven’t been discontinued!

I have for about 20 years. Initially it was so I couldn't hear DH snoring but now I can't bear any noise at night so wear them even if he's not there. I've tried loads of different kinds over the years but now use foam ones from Screwfix (of all places!)

I do. Ear Fit ear plugs that are used on building sites. I need quiet

Yep, I have ASD and need silence to sleep - I wished we had proper blackout blinds too as light makes it really hard as well 😬

You can actually be making your noise sensitivity worse with earplugs, they're not recommended for this purpose by audiologists. What is recommended is some sort of background noise - like white noise - which acts as a noise barrier to the disturbing external noises, but is enough to stop your hearing "searching" for other noise. Absolute silence isn't natural, and makes your hearing even more alert. It's a vicious cycle.

@NoBaggyPants how does one achieve a suitable white noise background - do people leave phone apps on all night?

Asking because I am interested in anything that could wean me off my earplug habit!

I do if we go away, as Dh snores. (at home I just go to the spare room)

They make my ears really itchy though? Why?

They do work, but I can still hear someone opening the bedroom door in the morning with them in, because I'm used to the sound.

Yes I've used them for years too now. I'm also autistic and seem to be hypersensitive.

To begin with I tried various types of white noise for the reasons that NoBaggyPants mentions but gave up (possibly too quickly - maybe you have to give it a good month of effort or something?) I'm now quite dependent on the earplugs and it's not great in some ways.

To play white noise you can use small speakers, pillow speakers, sleepphones, or just use a fan or something. It was hard for me to find a balanced sound in both ears without the sleepphones, and even when I did, all it ever did was keep me wide awake for hours on end. But if I ever have a month off work or something and don't need sleep, I'll try it again! It would be good to wean myself off them.

Yes I do. Have done for 20 years. I also have a white noise machine which helps with street noise and dogs barking etc.

I need it to be super dark too, really need block out curtains.

@LarkDescending there are actual white noise machines, otherwise a fan is brilliant.

I use silicone ones. Get them in Boots, Sainsbury’s or Superdrug usually.

I sleep with my massive noise cancelling headphones on every night. Surprisingly comfortable.

I've slept with ear plugs for over 20 years since dh is a snorer. His snoring is so bad now that we're in separate rooms (bliss!) but I'm dependant on ear plugs and couldn't sleep without them now.

Yes for about 20 years also

Probably couldn’t sleep without them now

Nightsky
Thanks for the link
Going to order some now

Yes, every night unless one of the kids are ill. Cheap ones and not very comfortable but must be ok as i sleep through.

Another Laser Lite acolyte here. I actually panic if I go away and leave them behind.

I was worried when I had babies but it turns out a newborn does penetrate them, especially when they're not brand new out of the packet and have softened a bit.

I get mine in bulk on Ebay.

Yes me!!!! I have tried every product available.

I have soft ones that I like from the chemist.

I have the sound flare titanium ones.

AND i recently paid a sound engineer to custom make a pair especially for my ears. Disappointingly these are the least comfortable.

I am an extremely light sleeper and wouldn't get a wink without them. If one falls out in the night I wake up immediately.

Case of HAVING to! I have resorted to the Bose EarPods. Expensive - yes. However they were given to me as a gift from my brother after seeing me in a state from anxiety over the noises from above my flat.

I live underneath an absolute twat of a man who plays his music loud with booming base (happening right now) also I am extremely lucky and have to listen to him shagging his girlfriend whilst I'm trying to drift off to sleep. EarPods are a MUST for me.

The Bose EarPods are surprisingly good. They are comfortable to wear, you can play calming noises throughout the night or just for a few hours whilst you drift off. I listen to raindrops or a waterfall noise. You can adjust the volume too. You can't play your own music as they are designed for sleeping, however I much prefer listening to the noise of a waterfall to block out the noises I really find uncomfortable listening to!!!

So if you wanted to take it to the next level, the Bose Earpods have my vote!

I also have the Bose earbuds, amazing. Expensive but most of the time DHs snoring is masked. Otherwise I sleep better.

You can buy the silicone ones in Sainsbury's. They are v good

I use rubber industrial ones as I find them far better than the wax or foam ones. I get them off Ebay.

I do, I use silicone ones. I find them very comfortable although my hair gets stuck to them and I have to peel it off in the morning...