Keeping Out the Noise, Letting In the Sound
Your neighbor’s dog barks at random times during the night. You’ve again gotten jolted out of your slumber by a barking concerto in the early morning hours and can’t fall back asleep. Lying there you wonder, “How the heck do I block this barking noise?” One pup starts barking for good reason, but shortly thereafter …
Have you ever experienced a low-frequency humming noise in your house that kept you awake? On a recent trip to Vietnam, I had one of these weird sounds in a hotel room. I checked into the hotel and almost immediately noticed a humming noise in my room. Being the low-frequency noise “hater” I am, I …
Read moreWhat’s That Humming Noise in My Hotel Room? Can I Get Rid of It?
All earplugs in this review are excellent for blocking noise during sleep. I have tried a large variety of earplugs of different shapes and sizes over the years and come up with this particular selection to give you the best possible chance to find a comfortable plug that suits your ear canal and needs. My …
Read moreThe 6 Best Earplugs for Sleeping – and a Way to Boost Their Performance
Update [March 2025]: 3M has released a new version of these earmuffs. I have published a comprehensive review of the new Worktunes Connect v2 based on hands-on testing. The review also includes practical comparisons with this original model. Combining hearing protection earmuffs and Bluetooth headphones for listening to music and making phone calls is what …
Back sleepers have it easy. They can sleep with almost any type of headphones or earbuds as long as they are comfortable. However, if you are side sleeper, you may have found it almost impossible to sleep with your favorite over-ear headphones and uncomfortable to sleep with most earbuds and in-ear headphones. Perhaps you have …
I work in libraries, offices and coffee shops, and I enjoy all three for their different vibes and inspiration. With different environments though come different mixes of distracting noises, and I can’t concentrate well with too much noise. Chatter, someone on the phone, whispering, coughing, eating noises, clicking keyboards, creaking floors, AC, ventilation, generator, and …
Read moreThe Best Tools to Block Noise While Studying or Working in an Office
Your partner or roommate is snoring like a chain saw, and nothing seems to work. You have tried earplugs but they either don’t block enough of the snores or you just can’t tolerate them. Now you are wondering, “Do these expensive noise-cancelling headphones block out snoring?” I have asked myself the same question. And I …
Learning how to put in earplugs isn’t rocket science, or is it? Sadly, in multiple studies, fitted earplugs did not even provide half the noise reduction that was printed on the package. The striking difference between the noise reduction rating (NRR) obtained in the lab and real-world noise reduction prompted the National Institute for Occupational …
Read moreHow to Put in Foam Earplugs and Test Their Fit for Optimal Noise Reduction
Foam earplugs are very effective at reducing noise across the whole frequency range. Unfortunately, not everyone can tolerate foreign objects in their ear canal. Other people like me, sometimes need or want to give their ears a break from earplugs without completely giving up on noise reduction when going to bed. Others yet may be …
Wax earplugs, invented in 1907, and virtually unchanged to this day, and moldable silicone earplugs have a huge following, and for good reasons. Still, foam earplugs are the most popular earplugs today. They come in all shapes, colors, and sizes. On average, they are also the most effective for blocking noise: I am a huge …
Read moreFoam vs Wax vs Silicone Earplugs: How Do They Compare and When to Choose One Over the Other