The Best Noise Cancelling Headphones for Sleeping (tested)
Ever feel like getting a good night’s sleep is impossible? Noisy neighbors, traffic outside, or even a snoring partner can keep you tossing and turning all night. Earplugs might hurt your ears, and bulky sound machines bother others.
There’s a better solution: noise-cancelling headphones for sleep! These comfy headphones block out unwanted sounds with cool technology. Imagine finally falling asleep in peaceful quiet!
This guide will show you everything about sleep headphones. We’ll cover different styles, features to look for, and even calming sounds some models offer.
We tested popular headphones to find the best ones for you.
What are the best sleep headphones right now?
The best sleep headphones of 2024
Our pick for the best sleep headphones overall are the Soundcore by Anker Sleep A20 earbuds, for their find my earbuds features, comfortable fit, diversity of soundscapes to listen to, and battery life.
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Using ANC technology while still having a form factor designed for sleep, QuietOn 3.1 sleep earbuds are like an elevated pair of earbuds. Weighing just 1.8 grams, the lightweight feel is especially noticeable against a pillow — even if you’re a side sleeper.
These earbuds are interesting because they actually don’t play music, making them more like smart earplugs. That said, QuietOn uses advanced ANC technology that makes it easy to block out usual sleep distractions.
With no app, music, or Bluetooth connection, these are great if you simply want a silent night’s sleep, which, according to her testing, Darby did comfortably.
“As a noise-sensitive sleeper myself, I’ve tried sleeping with my 2nd-gen AirPods Pros before but found them too bulky. Therefore, I was impressed to find QuietOn’s ANC comparable to Apple’s while feeling less irritating to wear during sleep,” she wrote.
The earbuds have a 28-hour battery life and a frictionless fit with foam ear tips, which is ideal if all you want is silence and are willing to justify the price tag.
QuietOn 3.1 sleep earbuds tech specs: Form factor: Earbuds | Connectivity: NA | Battery: 28 hours | Fit: In-ear
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My bedroom looks over a busy Brooklyn street, and I can often hear the honks and skirrrrts of passing cars and cyclists while I try to fall and stay asleep. The street outside my window is also well-lit, so I normally wear a face mask to bed. This is all to say that I am in dire need of a sleeping device that not only blocks out sound but also bright light. The LC-Dolida does both pretty well.
The sleep mask comes with eye cups that truly block out any light in your field of vision, which I love. And the flat headphones hover over your ears. They aren’t notably immersive, but they dampen most sounds if you raise the volume high enough. I like to listen to brown noise playlists with these on to fall asleep, and I can confidently say I’m out in minutes when I have these on. Plus, the battery life is substantial. I can wear these for two nights straight without them dying on me — for around $20 (Amazon says it costs $40, but is normally around the $20 range with wavering discounts), that’s not bad at all.
I have a small head, move around in my sleep, and can rarely keep a mask on for the entirety of a night, so I wasn’t surprised when I woke up with the headphones off a few times. “If you sleep with a partner who snores, live next to a busy street, or have loud roommates, you will surely benefit from this headphone sleep mask. It’s everything I want out of a sleep device: it’s got a decent battery life, it’s comfortable, and it immerses you in noise that dulls — but doesn’t fully eliminate — distracting sounds around you,” I wrote in my spotlight of the sleep mask.
LC-Dolida Sleep Headphones and Mask tech specs: Form factor: Over-ear | Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2 | Battery life: 8-10 hours | Fit: Adjustable velcro strap
3. QuietOn 3.1 sleep earbuds
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Using ANC technology while still having a form factor designed for sleep, QuietOn 3.1 sleep earbuds are like an elevated pair of earbuds. Weighing just 1.8 grams, the lightweight feel is especially noticeable against a pillow — even if you’re a side sleeper.
These earbuds are interesting because they actually don’t play music, making them more like smart earplugs. That said, QuietOn uses advanced ANC technology that makes it easy to block out usual sleep distractions.
With no app, music, or Bluetooth connection, these are great if you simply want a silent night’s sleep, which, according to her testing, Darby did comfortably.
“As a noise-sensitive sleeper myself, I’ve tried sleeping with my 2nd-gen AirPods Pros before but found them too bulky. Therefore, I was impressed to find QuietOn’s ANC comparable to Apple’s while feeling less irritating to wear during sleep,” she wrote.
The earbuds have a 28-hour battery life and a frictionless fit with foam ear tips, which is ideal if all you want is silence and are willing to justify the price tag.
QuietOn 3.1 sleep earbuds tech specs: Form factor: Earbuds | Connectivity: NA | Battery: 28 hours | Fit: In-ear
4. Bedphones Wireless
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If you want headphones made for sleeping, look no further than the Bedphones. These headphones were designed with side sleepers in mind, as the speakers are thin and covered in soft foam padding. They lay flat against your ears while you listen to soothing sounds.
The adjustable memory wire ear hooks allow these sleeping headphones to fit all ears. While wireless, a cable connects the two drivers, and you can wear the cable in front of or behind your neck and tighten the cable slider to ensure the headphones stay secure even on restless nights.
The 13-hour battery life and inline microphone with a single-button remote are also impressive features.
Bedphones Wireless tech specs: Form factor: Over-ear | Connectivity: Bluetooth | Battery life: 13 hours | Fit: Adjustable ear hooks
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This headband headphone design from Perytong is a more budget-friendly option for sleeping headphones. The headband is made of soft, machine-washable, breathable material and features detachable on-ear headphones that can comfortably fit back and side sleepers.
The headband holds a decent battery life that lasts 10 hours per full charge and comes in more than 15 color options. These sleeping headphones can also work well for listening to music while you run or for zoning out while you meditate.
Perytong Sleep Headphones tech specs: Form factor: On-ear | Connectivity: Bluetooth | Battery life: 10 hours | Fit: Headband
How to choose sleep headphones
I understand that anything that helps me sleep is subjective, and if you live in a city or anywhere with lots of outside noise, sleep next to a partner who snores or breathes heavily, or have a health issue like tinnitus, you may need more help than others.
While any headphones can be used for listening to meditation or white noise content, comfort is key when you’re wearing them to bed every night. You should consider focusing on headphones specifically intended as sleep aids, headband-style sleep headphones or on the latest true wireless earbud products, which use very low-profile designs to provide the most comfortable sleeping experience.
How we tested
To find the best pair of sleep headphones, I compared four different pairs to see if they would help induce a better slumber. Specifically, I approached these products with the goal of blocking out the general noises of downtown Brooklyn as well as my husband’s snoring. I spent at least three nights sleeping with each product. Before I started, I downloaded and created accounts for each one’s compatible app, experimented with each app’s features and charged and connected each headphone to our phone using Bluetooth.
Fit
- Eartips and wings: I tried the three different-sized tips and wings in different combinations to find the ones that fit my ears the best.
- Position: I tested fit by lying on my side and my back before I went to sleep to see if the headphones became dislodged in any sleeping position.
Sound
- Noise isolation: To assess how well the earbuds blocked external sound, I wore them with and without the included audio. I also listened to a dryer cycle and a CNN newscast on modest volume.
- Range: How was the range of sounds available on each? Did they include the ability to listen to your own music or personal audio?
- App usability: I checked how easy it was to use the app and change sounds. I also listened to a range of sounds for each headphone and decided to stick to available variations on a crashing waves sound at a medium-to-low volume for nighttime testing.
Tracking
- Sleep: I used my Apple Watch paired with Apple Health to track my sleep for each pair of sleep headphones and compared that to any tracking I received from the devices themselves.
Should I buy wired or wireless headphones?
Wired and wireless headphones each have pros and cons. Fortunately, most headphones on this list have a headphone jack, allowing you to listen wired or wirelessly without buying a new pair.
You should listen wirelessly if:
- You don’t want to be tethered to your smartphone or laptop.
- You’ll be moving around a lot when you’re wearing your headphones.
- You prefer stylish and functional headphones.
You should listen wired if:
- You want to access higher-quality, uncompressed audio.
- You want decreased latency, especially when playing mobile games or watching videos on your smartphone.
- You don’t want to worry about your headphones’ battery dying.
What are the cons of wireless headphones?
Wireless headphones don’t have the best sound quality compared to wired headphones with analog signals. This drop in sound quality is because Bluetooth connections cannot transmit the large amounts of data that uncompressed audio files require. Uncompressed audio files are CD-quality or better, sometimes referred to as lossless audio or hi-res audio. These types of files are identified by their bit depth and sample rate.
Purchasing headphones that can access uncompressed audio files is particularly important if you’re using them to produce, mix, or master music—any critical listening task. Wired headphones are also recommended for people who enjoy critically listening to music for enjoyment. If you are a casual listener, you probably wouldn’t notice too much of a difference between compressed and uncompressed audio, and that’s totally okay.
Another disadvantage is that you need to occasionally recharge them to get the most playback time from your wireless headphones. If your wireless headset also uses a 2.4GHz USB wireless dongle rather than Bluetooth to connect to devices, you may be unable to use it with smartphones and tablets.
Should I buy wireless headphones or earbuds?
Wireless headphones and earbuds offer advantages depending on your use cases and preferences. If you don’t like having something physically in your ear, stick with headphones. Wireless headphones typically have a longer battery life than earbuds, too.
If you live an active lifestyle and want to listen wirelessly while running, walking, hiking, or exercising, I recommend purchasing wireless earbuds. Earbuds usually have an IP rating, which dictates how much water and dust ingress they can withstand before a malfunction occurs. Headphones typically do not have an IP rating, so companies did not test how they function when exposed to rain, water splashes, sweat, or submersion.
Are there alternative wireless headphones worth considering?
There are about as many different types of wireless headphones as there are people who shop for them. Here’s a short list of additional models that I thought were great options:
AcousticSheep SleepPhones Wireless
$100 at Amazon
The AcousticSheep SleepPhones Wireless are the only headband-style sleep headphones we tested. The Bluetooth unit and flat speakers are stuffed inside this washable headband, which you wear over your head, and allow you to stream music, ambient noise or podcasts from your phone to keep out the noise and let you sleep more soundly. The idea is that the soft headband is better for side sleepers, but unlike our other contenders, these couldn’t keep out the louder nighttime noises I so desperately needed to ignore.
In addition, I was not thrilled with having to wear something around my head every night and tended to get sweaty from the material — though you can wear it as an eye mask instead of a headband, if that better suits you. My biggest problem with the SleepPhones Wireless, however, is that you have to remove the Bluetooth unit every night to charge it, and the speakers inside the headband tend to shift while you sleep. But if you hate the idea of sleeping with anything inside your ears, they’re a strong alternative to traditional sleep headphones.
QuietOn 3.1 Sleep Earbuds
$289 at Amazon
The QuietOn 3.1 are more like an extremely high-end pair of active noise-canceling earplugs than an all-around sleep machine. The QuietOn 3.1 earbuds are self-contained, so they don’t use Bluetooth to pair with an app, won’t help track your sleep and include no extra sounds for noise masking. Rather, they use ANC to block outside noise, and they’re constructed from a soft foam instead of hard plastic elements like the other sleep-oriented earbuds I tried.
I found the soft material difficult to get a secure fit with — they’re very different from traditional headphones, and after three nights, I still can’t be sure I had them at peak performance. They never felt quite comfortable and fell out of my ears on several occasions. The company will replace a single earbud for 80€ plus a 20€ shipping fee (roughly $87 plus a $22 shipping fee), but you’ll need to contact customer service directly.
The QuietOn’s noise cancellation filters out most low-frequency noise like traffic and snoring very effectively, feeling strangely isolating in comparison to earbuds that played white noise or ambient sounds. If you want absolute quiet, however, these may be exactly what you’re looking for — though they didn’t quite do it for us.
The sleek, white oval charging case flips open to reveal two traditional-looking plastic, lightweight earbuds, sans wings. They are also the smallest of the models we tested because they don’t include a Bluetooth transmitter or much other componentry. QuietOn says battery life is about 28 hours on a single charge plus another two nights from the case.
Philips Sleep Headphones With Kokoon
$250 $188 at Kokoon Technology
These Kokoon Nightbuds are the second iteration from the company. And though they were definitely more comfortable than the first product, I still didn’t love the idea of sleeping with a cable behind my neck. Again, sleep is a wholly subjective experience, and the new, slimmer earbuds felt pleasant enough inside my ears, but the generally unwieldy design of a bulky volume module held on the back of your head via a lumpy cable was not conducive for me.
The new Nightbuds come with five different-sized ear tips, so at least you will almost certainly be able to find the correct fit to keep out all that unwanted noise. I was also pleased with the updated app, which detects when you fall asleep, then lets you decide to have your chosen noise fade out gradually or even tune it to “colored noise” once it senses you’ve fallen asleep. You can choose from a library of built-in sounds in four categories (Going to Sleep, Feeling Anxious, Disrupted Sleep and Brighter Mornings), or listen to your own music or audio. They also let you set up a sleep schedule with an alarm to wake you in the morning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, noise cancelling headphones can be effective at reducing unwanted noise:
Active Noise Cancelling (ANC): This technology uses microphones to pick up external sounds and generate sound waves that cancel out the noise. It works best for low-frequency noises like engine hums or air conditioning.
Passive Noise Isolation: This is achieved through the design of the headphones, which physically block out noise. Over-ear headphones and well-fitted in-ear models can provide good passive noise isolation.
Combination: Many noise cancelling headphones combine both ANC and passive noise isolation to provide a comprehensive noise reduction experience.
Yes, it is generally okay to sleep with noise cancelling headphones, but there are a few considerations:
Comfort: Choose headphones that are comfortable to wear for extended periods, such as soft headband-style headphones or in-ear options designed for sleep.
Safety: Be mindful of the volume level to avoid potential hearing damage. Prolonged use at high volumes can be harmful.
Fit: Ensure the headphones fit well and don’t cause discomfort, especially if you tend to sleep on your side.
Several types of headphones are designed to block noise while sleeping, including:
Headband-style Sleep Headphones: These headphones combine soft fabric with built-in speakers, making them comfortable for side sleepers. Examples include the AcousticSheep SleepPhones and CozyPhones.
In-ear Sleep Earbuds: Compact and designed to fit snugly in the ear, some options include the Bose Sleepbuds II and QuietOn Sleep Earbuds.
Over-ear Noise Cancelling Headphones: While bulkier, some over-ear models like the Bose QuietComfort series and Sony WH-1000XM4 can be comfortable enough for some sleepers, particularly those who sleep on their backs.
Yes, sleep headphones can help block out snoring to some extent, especially if they have good noise isolation or active noise cancelling features:
Noise Isolation: Headphones that create a physical barrier to outside noise can help reduce snoring sounds.
Active Noise Cancelling (ANC): Headphones with ANC technology can effectively reduce low-frequency sounds like snoring. Combining ANC headphones with white noise or soothing sounds can further enhance the ability to block out snoring.
If you have any further questions or need specific recommendations for sleep headphones, feel free to ask! Your feedback is important to us, and we are here to help you find the best solution for a peaceful night’s sleep.
