How sleeping with earplugs can improve your sleep

Key takeaways

  • Sleep is a vital part of maintaining a healthy, stress-free life. 
  • The average adult between 26 and 64 years old needs about seven to nine hours of sleep per night. If you’re consistently not hitting these numbers, everything from your physical to your mental health can suffer. 
  • Sleeping with earplugs can have a number of benefits, such as an increase in natural melatonin, improved sleep quality and duration, and not needing to rely on medication. 
  • There are some minimal side effects from sleeping with earplugs, such as a buildup of earwax which can lead to ear infections and blockages. 

Loop Dream is a great solution to your sleeping woes – helping you to navigate your world of sleep.

We’ve got a challenge for you. 

Can you name a simple pleasure in life that’s better than a great night’s sleep? 

We’re talking about one of those nights where you lay down in a soft, warm bed, get tucked in, blink your eyes, and suddenly it’s morning and you’re wide awake and fresh as a daisy in spring. 

Pure. Bliss. 

Okay, now we have another challenge for you. 

Can you name anything worse than a dreadful night’s sleep? 

A night where you’re constantly tossing and turning, being woken up every five minutes by a new bang, crash, or howl from outside. Where the neighbors are throwing a party and it sounds like everyone and their dog – along with their dog’s brass band – has been invited. Where you wake up the next morning feeling worse than when you went to bed. 

Pure. Hell. 

And when sleep deprivation strikes, you need a knight in sleepy armor. 

You need earplugs. 

But does sleeping with earplugs actually help improve your sleep? And are there any risks involved? 

Let’s find out.

What happens if you don’t get enough sleep?

Did you know that the average person spends about one-third of their life sleeping? 

That’s a lot of hours. 

But sleep is absolutely essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. 

Without enough sleep, everything from your body to your mind can be affected. Your immune system and metabolism can suffer. Your cognitive functioning can become impaired, and you are more likely to experience mood swings, depression, and anxiety.

It’s fair to say that getting enough shut-eye each night is pretty important.

So if you want to stay happy and healthy, just hit the snooze button and sleep a bit longer, right? 

Unfortunately, life isn’t always that simple.

Earplugs for Sleeping

Many people face a wide range of issues that can impair their ability to get enough sleep. Whether that’s a physical or mental condition that leads to insomnia, or an environmental problem such as living in a noisy neighborhood

And a lack of sleep can lead to what’s known as sleep deprivation. 

Sleep deprivation is a condition that people experience when they don’t get enough sleep. The average adult between 26 and 64 years old needs about seven to nine hours of sleep per night. And if you consistently get less than this amount, you will likely experience sleep deprivation.

What are the benefits of sleeping with earplugs?

There are a number of things you can do to try and avoid sleep deprivation. 

One of the best ways you can get a handle on your sleeping pattern and get a restful night’s sleep is by wearing earplugs.

Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of sleeping with earplugs.

An increase in natural melatonin

According to a study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), wearing earplugs or eye masks for nocturnal sleep can increase your natural melatonin levels. 

The study was conducted to determine whether patients that were in the notoriously loud intensive care unit (ICU) of a hospital would be able to get proper, restful sleep in spite of their surroundings by using earplugs and eye masks. 

The research concluded that the use of earplugs and eye masks resulted in more REM time, shorter REM latency, and elevated melatonin levels. 

No need for sleeping pills

When people are struggling to fall asleep or stay asleep, they often turn to over-the-counter or prescription sleeping pills as a way to alleviate their sleep deprivation. 

However, pharmaceuticals can often have a wide range of side effects that can vary from person to person. These side effects can vary from something as simple as slight grogginess in the mornings to hallucinations, sleepwalking, and even sleep-eating. 

Alternatively, earplugs are a non-medical yet effective way to help you sleep. We’ll touch on the major benefits of earplugs later on! 

Improved quality and duration of sleep

When you aren’t disturbed by every single clang and clash, the quality and duration of your sleep are bound to improve. 

When you wake up regularly during the night, you are less likely to fall into a deep sleep. And it’s during this stage of deep sleep that your body rests and carries out vital functions like the release of growth hormones; the repair of muscles, bones, and tissues; and the recuperation of your immune system.

Is it safe to sleep with earplugs?

Physicians and sleep specialists hear one question all the time: Is it bad to sleep with earplugs?

People are rightly wary of any possible negative health effects of wearing earplugs while sleeping – not to mention the fact they limit one of our primary senses. But as a general rule, earplugs are considered safe to use while sleeping – although they can cause minor issues such as a buildup of earwax if used for long periods of time. . 

So can you sleep with earplugs? 

To put it simply, yes. Earplugs are a safe and effective tool to help you block out noises that can disturb your natural sleeping patterns.

No need for sleeping pills

When people are struggling to fall asleep or stay asleep, they often turn to over-the-counter or prescription sleeping pills as a way to alleviate their sleep deprivation. 

However, pharmaceuticals can often have a wide range of side effects that can vary from person to person. These side effects can vary from something as simple as slight grogginess in the mornings to hallucinations, sleepwalking, and even sleep-eating. 

Alternatively, earplugs are a non-medical yet effective way to help you sleep. We’ll touch on the major benefits of earplugs later on! 

What are the side effects of sleeping with earplugs?

As with almost anything in life, labeling earplug use for sleep as “safe” comes with a few caveats. 

There are a small number of side effects that come from sleeping with earplugs – let’s take a look at some.

A buildup of earwax

If you frequently use earplugs when sleeping over longer periods of time, you may experience a buildup of earwax. 

Earwax is essential for maintaining proper ear health as it helps to protect your ear canal from harmful debris, excess water and bacteria. 

But when your ear has a large buildup of wax, you can experience hearing difficulties, discomfort, and even tinnitus

On the plus side, there are a number of quick and easy treatment options for earwax buildup, including eardrops. For serious cases, a healthcare professional can manually remove your earwax for you. 

Ear infections

There is a chance that consistently wearing earplugs to sleep can cause an ear infection to develop. 

This may happen for a couple of reasons. 

Firstly, if you don’t properly clean your earplugs, then the bacteria that forms on the plugs themselves can be transferred into your ear canal the next time you use them. 

The second reason is that the buildup of earwax can trap bacteria in your ear canal and lead to an infection. 

The best way to counter the possibility of an infection is to properly maintain your earplugs and make sure they are clean and sterile before putting them into your ears. 

Blockages

If you are using low-quality foam earplugs, they can be difficult to insert and properly remove. This increases the risk of the earplugs becoming stuck in your ear canals, which is not only painful but potentially dangerous if you don’t remove them properly. 

If they become lodged, you can seriously harm the delicate interior of your ear by trying to take them out on your own. So any blockage should be treated by an experienced healthcare professional.

What type of earplugs is the best for sleeping?

There are a number of things that you need to consider when deciding what type of earplugs to wear to improve your sleep

First off, they need to stay in. 

Some lower-quality earplugs aren’t designed well enough to fit in a typical ear canal. This means that every time you roll over in the night there’s a chance your earplugs will simply fall out. 

Secondly, your earplugs need to be comfortable. 

Comfort is key. Because after all, discomfort and sleep don’t exactly go hand in hand – and the comfier you are, the more likely you are to get a peaceful night’s sleep. 

And if your earplugs are uncomfortable, there’s a much higher chance that you will unconsciously remove them in your sleep – exposing your ears to the very noise that you were aiming to block out. 

And finally, you need your earplugs to block out noise effectively. 

There’s no point going through the hassle of researching, buying, and wearing earplugs if they don’t sufficiently block out the noise that’s keeping you awake. 

That’s why it’s imperative that you choose a pair that properly reduces noise levels in your immediate surroundings, giving you a nice, peaceful night’s sleep

Loop Dream earplugs are the perfect solution that ticks all three boxes: function, comfort, and noise reduction.

They offer our most powerful noise reduction at 27 dB (SNR), helping to shut out the world so you can drift off in peace. And every feature is designed specifically for sleep, so you can enjoy your dreamiest sleep ever. The new hybrid memory foam and silicone Loop Dream Ear Tips follow the natural shape of the ear for all-night comfort. Additionally, the innovative shape of the earplug body puts less pressure on your ears, making them ideal for side sleepers.

As for how to wear earplugs to sleep? Just pop them in and settle down. The noise reduction they provide will allow you to get the rest you need to start the next day feeling fresh and well rested.

Earplugs and sleep: A dreamy match

A proper night’s sleep can make a world of difference to your everyday life. 

It can be the difference between having a good day and a dreadful one – so why leave anything to chance?

Earplugs are an effective and safe way to keep your energy up and your sleep habits healthy, and to make sure that you’re getting the sleep you need to thrive. 

Our Loop Dream earplugs are perfect for sleep – and they’re our bestselling pair. Our other two sets – Experience and Engage – aren’t as good for sleeping, but are designed to not only protect your hearing, but also to help you navigate and feel confident in the wide world of sound. 

Whether you’re looking to fall asleep, stay asleep, or just get some peace and quiet, Loop’s got you covered.

Browse our selection today.

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