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If you’re a light sleeper, you know the frustration of waking up at the slightest sound. Someone closing a car door outside, the wind or rain, someone else in your house making any noise at all — you don’t need me to tell you all of the minor sounds that can wake you up and lead to a very restless night.
While there are tons of sleep machines on the market that help block out the extra noise, if you need complete silence to sleep, it’s time to invest in a quality pair of earplugs specifically designed for sleeping, like theseLoop Quiet Ear Plugs. Made of soft silicone, the Loop Quiet Ear Plugs are reusable and have a noise reduction rating of 27 decibels, which is slightly more than someone whispering in your ear.
Priced at $19.95, they come in six colors, and each box has one set of earplugs with eight ear tips in four sizes so you can find which one is best for you without having to buy a new pair. If you find that your ears hurt with the earplugs in, you’ll want to go down a size, while you’ll want to go up if they don’t reduce the sound enough or if they fall out.
The earplugs do not completely block noise. They’re designed so you’re able to sleep soundly, but still hear some sounds in case of an emergency. If your phone, for example, sends you a severe weather alert, you will still hear it with the earplugs in. Aside from sleeping, they can also be used for anything you need earplugs for, like concerts, traveling, working at a noisy location or even if you need to block out background noise for studying, reading or meditating.
I recently tried the Loop Earplugs for a full week, putting them to the test while sleeping, reading and meditating. First things first: regardless of what you’re using them for, they are so soft and flexible that after a few minutes, you’ll likely forget you’re wearing them — except, of course, for the fact that you won’t be able to hear minor noises around you.
First, I used them for sleep and found that because the loops don’t stick out like an earbud headphone would, you can sleep on your side without the earplug bothering you. While I did fall asleep with them in my ears the first time I tried them, when I woke up in the middle of the night (not because I heard a noise!), I ended up removing them and using my sound machine instead. They definitely helped me fall sleep, but after using them several times, I found that I actually sleep better with some noise, and that the lack of noise was a problem for me. Obviously, that won’t be an issue for everyone, and for those who need complete silence, these are a dream come true.
Instead of using them for sleep, I have been using them during meditation the last few days, which they are absolutely perfect for. Because they’re so comfortable, your mind doesn’t drift into thinking about something being in your ear. They’re great at toning down the outside noise in a busy subdivision — which includes kids playing, lawn mowers, etc. — when I am meditating outside and random household sounds like the washing machine and dishwasher when I’m inside.
They are super easy to put in, remove and clean, and I have had zero issues with them falling out or even moving around while sleeping. Just be sure you’re using the right tip so that you don’t hurt your ears or get frustrated with them staying put.
I have not used them while on an airplane, in extremely loud situations like a concert, or while swimming, so I would recommend reading some of the more than 23,000 reviews on Amazon (with more than 14,700 5-star reviews) to see what other people say for those specific instances.
For sleeping and general sound reduction, however, these are quite impressive.
While the Loop earplugs are priced about the same as other reusable ear plugs, if you’d like to try something else, you’ll find plenty of options on Amazon.
These Anbow ear plugs are currently 56% off, priced at $7 for three pairs. While they are not meant to eliminate all noise (just like the Loop earplugs, as that would be unsafe if there was an emergency), they can be used for sleeping, flying, travel or swimming to avoid getting water in your ears. Made from BPA-free silicone, they have a soft design made especially for side sleepers and can be washed and reused.
With more than 16,000 reviews, the earplugs have 4.2 out of 5 stars, with customers saying they work well, eliminate noise, are great for light sleepers and are easy to clean.
Of course, you can also get earplugs meant for just one use, including these Ultra Soft Foam Earplugs that come with 60 pairs for just $8.09, which makes them about 13 cents each.
Have you ever tried using earplugs to help with your sleep?
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