Does anyone always sleep with ear plugs?

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I have trouble getting to sleep if there is any noise and also easily wake up. Currently have a neighbour who often has her radio/tv on late in the evening and early in the morning. I don’t think I can complain so I have started to sleep with earplugs although i find them uncomfortable.

Does anyone use them every night? Do they damage your ears? Currently just using the foam ones - someone recommended the wax ones but they didn’t really work for me.

I slept with the wax ones every night before having a baby. They didn't seem to do me any damage. The foam ones didn't do anything for me, personally. I also didn't like the feeling that they were going far into my ear whereas the wax ones stay more on the outside IYSWIM.

I think I read a thread about silicone ones being good but I've never tried them.

I sleep with foam earplugs in every night. It started when I had a lot of noisy nocturnal teenagers in the house and got such a good night's sleep I kept using them.

I use slim ones, for people with narrow ear canals, they are very comfortable and don't do any damage. I buy a large tub of them online from Snorestore.

I've used them every night for the past 13/14 years. I literally can't sleep without them. I work shifts and DH snores a lot! The only time they were an issue was after and ear piercing.

I use the pink and yellow ones you get of Amazon, they're brilliant.

Me.. I am noise sensitive and cannot get to sleep otherwise.
I use the silicone ones and they are much better than foam or wax (I've used all sorts over the years) Alpine ones are good, or Senner. They stay in well and aren't lumpy!

Thanks everyone! I will give the silicone ones a go and maybe also try the slimmer foam ones.

Yep, used them for years. I only use them in one ear and have the other one in the pillow (so I can hear kids/fire alarm etc.

I used to sleep with ear plugs every night but then an ear infection made them uncomfortable and now I can't wear them at all. Instead I use a sleeping mask with built in Bluetooth headphones and listen to thunder and rain through it. It doesn't block out sounds so I can hear my children if they were to wake up and call out but it gives me something to focus on other than dh's snoring and clicking.

I use foam ones every night after moving in with a partner who has noisy dogs. I can’t sleep without them now - literally - I’m addicted and even my partner’s breathing keeps me awake kinda wish I’d never started with them

I found the silicone ones awful, they got stuck in my hair!

I have used them every night (Goan ones) for about 10 years because DH has sleep apnoea. I’ve stopped recently because I have baby now and I need to hear him. They don’t do any damage and they’re amazing. Keep them clean and you can reuse them.

Foam, not goan!

No, I can't. They give me panic attacks.

Why can't you ask the neighbour to STFU be a little quieter?

Hell no, my inside noises are louder than squeaking gates.

I would like to know how you hear the alarm go off with them in? I am so petrified of sleeping through the alarm.

I have used wax ones every night for 50 years. No damage to ears. Also more recently use an eye mask, although we have blackout curtains.

Still hear my alarm, btw.

Yes the wax ones,I have been using them for years.I was in the Army and when on night duty I couldn’t sleep with the noise of helicopters,guns, etc.I have tried sleeping without them but I can’t.

They always fall out by the morning,I have never missed an alarm.

I can wear them approx 1 night in 4. They are agony when it comes to pulling them out in the morning and it takes my ear canal 2 or 3 days to recover.

I used to use the foam ones, no problems. Also perhaps try white noise, and/or noise-cancelling headphones, or just headphones playing white noise/nature sounds or music

Not every night but probably 50% of the time. I use the quies wax ones which you can mould into shape. They’re very comfortable once you’ve softened them with the warmth of your fingers. Weirdly, they’re a little too big for one of my ears but it’s easy to just pull a bit off.

@haba they don’t block out all noise. It’s more like they dull sound quite a bit so if like me you take ages to get to sleep and are quite a light sleeper, they help by blocking sounds like the pipes settling, neighbours tv etc that might otherwise prevent me from dropping off or wake me from a light sleep iyswim. I’ve definitely never had a problem sleeping through the alarm or failed to hear a crying child.

I started using them after night shifts and became addicted to them. Stopped night shift 18 months ago and finally gave up the ear plugs about 6 months ago. I loved them and the peace they gave me but I was worried about my ears blocking eventually. I read somewhere that the wax and dirt in our ears naturally works it's way out overnight (I know that's gross) and then I worried I would end up with blocked ears. Have given them up and not looked back

DH has used them ever since DS was born 11 years ago 🙄 I think his hearing has got worse but that could be because he's older now than he was then!

I've been using the silicone ones for several years. They muffle the noise rather than blocking it out completely but it means I can't hear DH as he normally comes to bed later.

They mould really well though I need to remove some of the silicone as they ones that come out the packet are too big.

I've slept with foam ones every night for 30 years and can't sleep in bed without them. I have tinnitus but have learnt to accept the noise that goes on inside my head instead of outside (at least its constant, a bit like a white noise whooshing). I can, however fall asleep on the sofa without ear plugs - usually if Attenborough's on.

Yes, I've worn them every night for years. Silicon or foam - it might be partly psychological now but I find it so hard to sleep without them that when I forgot them and was away once, I had to improvise with cotton wool.

I sleep with one in too.

I worry about the fact that I am dependent on them and would like to wean off, if anyone has a good method?