The Best Earplugs for Sleeping: Manta Sleep Earplugs

Are you a light sleeper who wakes up at the slightest sound? Or do you live in a busy area where noise is 24/7? Maybe you're the partner of a snorer, desperate for a good night's rest. Whatever the case, we live in an increasingly noisy world, making it challenging to get better sleep.

Luckily, there's a small, cost-effective and convenient solution that can help: earplugs. They reduce noise disturbances to help you get a good night's sleep. Read on to discover their benefits, how to choose them, and learn more about the best earplugs for sleeping: Manta Sleep Earplugs.

Key Takeaways

• Earplugs are an affordable and straightforward solution to help you sleep better by reducing disruptive sounds.

• Earplugs work for light sleepers, shift workers, travelers, those living in noisy environments and for anyone whose sleep is compromised by noise.

• When choosing the right earplugs, consider comfort, proper fit and size, durability, ease of use and maintenance, and noise reduction rating (NRR).

Table of Contents

• The Benefits of Sleeping With Earplugs

• Is Sleeping With Earplugs Safe?

• How to Choose the Best Earplugs for Sleep

• The Best Earplugs for Sleeping: Manta Sleep Earplugs

• Conclusion

The Benefits of Sleeping With Earplugs

The main benefit of earplugs is that they can improve your sleep quality by blocking out noise, helping you drift off faster and stay asleep. With uninterrupted sleep, you spend more time in the restorative REM sleep stage, which is crucial for emotional regulation, memory and learning.

Now, let's examine how noise can affect sleep quality. Common sources of disruption include traffic noise, a snoring partner, noisy neighbors or roommates, or fellow passengers when you use public transport, including airplane travel.

Frequent awakenings caused by noise disrupt your sleep cycle. Even if it doesn't wake you fully, noise can make it hard for you to reach deeper sleep stages and can fragment your sleep without you realizing it. Unexpected and loud sounds can also trigger your body's stress response, increasing your heart rate and blood pressure, making it difficult to unwind and fall asleep. Noise can also worsen existing sleep conditions such as insomnia.

Earplugs benefit anyone whose sleep is disrupted by noise. They're handy for shift workers, who need to sleep during the day, travelers dealing with an unfamiliar sleep environment, and those living in shared spaces such as dorms.

Is Sleeping With Earplugs Safe?

Yes, sleeping with earplugs is safe, as long as you insert them correctly, clean them after every use (or according to the manufacturer's instructions), and replace them when necessary. Taking these measures is essential to prevent potential risks, such as ear infections, earwax buildup, injury from incorrect insertion and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders.

How to Choose the Best Earplugs for Sleep

With so many earplugs options available on the market, you're spoiled for choice. However, not all earplugs are created equal, and you want only the best in terms of comfort, noise reduction and ease of use.

Here are factors to consider when shopping for the right earplugs:

Pick Comfortable Earplugs.

Comfort is a super important factor when choosing earplugs for sleep. Uncomfortable earplugs are frequently removed to ease pain or discomfort, which defeats their main purpose – noise reduction. Earplugs that cause discomfort, whether due to poor fit or hard materials, can place unnecessary pressure on the ears. This pressure disrupts your sleep, but can also potentially damage or irritate your ear canals, and sometimes even lead to infections.

Earplugs are typically made of foam, silicone or wax.

Earplugs made from foam expand inside your ear canals for a snug fit. However, earplugs with a 100% foam construction are usually designed for single-use. On the other hand, wax and silicone earplugs are reusable and moldable to fit your ears, making them ideal for sleeping. Some are made from hypoallergenic materials and are great if you have sensitive ears.

Look for earplugs that offer additional features for comfort, such as a tapered design for easy insertion.

Choose Earplugs in the Right Size.

Choose earplugs that fit properly and create a good seal to block out unwanted sounds. Ill-fitting earplugs can irritate your ears and even cause pain, which is definitely not what you signed up for. Earplugs that don't fit well can also push bacteria deeper into your ears, increasing your risk of ear infection.

Side sleepers, in particular, will benefit from earplugs that fit comfortably. Ill-fitting ones can be especially painful when your ear is pressed against the pillow. Earplugs in the correct size also provide a secure fit, reducing the risk of them falling out.

Choose earplugs in a set with a variety of sizes so you can find the one that suits you best. Of course, there are also custom-made earplugs that are designed to fit you perfectly. However, they tend to run pricier than foam, wax or silicone earplugs.

Pick Reusable and Durable Earplugs.

Consider choosing reusable earplugs. Disposable ones are convenient, it's true. But think of how many pairs of earplugs you'll need if you plan to use them regularly. Earplugs that offer multiple uses are more cost-efficient, even if they're initially more expensive.

Silicone and wax earplugs tend to be more durable than foam earplugs, so factor this into your decision. However, if your earplugs are reusable, be prepared to clean them after every use. Hygiene should be a top priority to prevent infections.

Choose Earplugs That Are Easy to Use and Clean.

Foam and wax earplugs require some form of molding before inserting them into your ear canal. You need to roll foam earplugs with your fingers into a cylindrical shape before insertion. The earplug then expands inside your ear. Wax earplugs also require rolling before insertion and pressing into place in your outer ear. Silicone earplugs are the easiest to use. There's no need to mold them before inserting them.

As we mentioned earlier, you need to clean your earplugs regularly to prevent earwax buildup or infections. Foam earplugs are usually disposable and designed to be thrown out after a single use. Unlike foam, silicone is a non-porous material that doesn't absorb dirt, bacteria, or sweat. Silicone is also easier to clean than wax, which is softer and malleable. Wax earplugs also tend to trap dirt and bacteria.

Choose Earplugs With a Suitable Noise Reduction Rating.

Good earplugs for sleeping should block sound adequately, not leave you in complete silence. Maximum noise reduction means you won't be able to hear emergency alerts, such as burglar and fire alarms, your dog barking to warn you of intruders (or hunger), emergency calls, or even a baby crying.

The noise reduction rating (NNR) is the unit of measure that quantifies the effectiveness of hearing protection devices, like earplugs or earmuffs. The higher a device's NRR, the more noise it can block.

If you're using them for sleep, choose earplugs with a light to moderate NRR, ranging from 14 to 25 decibels (dB). Does your partner snore? If so, wear earplugs for snoring to reduce the constant noise. These will also block noise from noisy next-door neighbors or traffic, but will still let you hear important alarms.

Meanwhile, if you're planning to watch a live concert, protect your hearing from loud music with earplugs with an NRR rating of 20 to 25 dB. Working in construction or operating heavy machinery? An NRR rating of 30 dB and up is ideal. If you're a professional marksman, an NRR rating of 33 dB and up is recommended for hearing protection from gunfire.

A high NRR doesn't automatically guarantee satisfactory noise reduction. You need a combination of comfort, proper fit and sizing, ease of use, maintenance, and, of course, proper insertion to experience optimal sound-blocking from earplugs.

The Best Earplugs for Sleeping: Manta Sleep Earplugs

Before you click away and start looking for earplugs, why not consider Manta Sleep Earplugs? We tested them against other leading brands, and they rated #1 for side-sleep comfort.

Let's explore their key features:

They’re effective at safely reducing noise. The foam core provides superior sound reduction. The earplugs reduce noise while allowing you to hear emergency alerts with a 14 dB NRR.

Conclusion

Earplugs are an excellent, affordable and effective solution for anyone looking to reduce noise and improve sleep. When choosing earplugs, ask yourself these questions:

• Do they fit properly?

• Are they the correct size?

• Are they comfortable overall?

• Are they comfortable for side sleeping?

• Do they have an NRR rating that reduces noise without completely blocking it for safety reasons?

• Are they reusable and durable?

• Are they easy to use?

• Are they easy to clean?

Finding an excellent pair requires research and, unfortunately, guesswork. Luckily, Manta Sleep Earplugs tick all the boxes. If you decide to give them a try, let us know whether they helped turn down the noise and improve your sleep quality. Leave a comment below.

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