I hold a bachelor’s degree in both music performance and audio production from Ithaca College, and I’ve reviewed more than 2,000 pairs of headphones for Wirecutter alone. So I know what’s possible and available in headphones and earbuds.

For this guide:

• I’ve tested more than 20 pairs of sleep-specific headphones and earbuds.
• I spent at least a week wearing each pick at night, assessing the fit, comfort, and masking ability of each pair—in situations with jackhammers next door, drunken Vegas partiers loping by outside, snoring roommates, barking dogs, a shrieking parrot, and young children scream-laughing and thumping down the hall like elephant-sized banshees.
• Per Wirecutter’s standards, I don’t own stock or have any other financial interest in a company or industry that I cover or am likely to cover.

Like all Wirecutter journalists, I review and test products with complete editorial independence. I’m never made aware of any business implications of my editorial recommendations. Read more about our editorial standards.

Sleep headphones are for people who have difficulty falling or staying asleep and find that audio—be it white noise, music, or meditations—can help. Traditional earbuds and headphones are usually uncomfortable to lie on, and earbuds can fall out once you sink into your pillow. Sleep headphones are supposed to be soft enough to lie on all night (though many we tested were not), and when they fit properly, they should stay in place until morning (again, many did not).

Of course, headphones aren’t the only sleep-assistance option. If you live alone, or if you and the person you share a bedroom with enjoy the same tastes in listening material, a small speaker or a white noise machine could serve you just as well. If your aim is simply to block disruptive noises, earplugs are a far more economical choice. But for folks who find that earplugs aren’t sufficient, or who bunk with someone who isn’t into the same audiobook, TV, or ASMR bedtime habits, sleep headphones provide a way to drift off to your favorite media without disturbing others.

What people need to sleep comfortably is very personal, and someone might want to wear headphones while they’re sleeping for a number of reasons. Some folks want to fall asleep while listening to audio without disturbing a roommate or partner. For others, the goal is to muffle and mask disturbances. People with tinnitus may need a distraction from the irritating ringing in their ears that can prevent sleep altogether.

So, when we approached the idea of reviewing sleep headphones, we knew that we’d likely end up with different recommendations to address different situations. We created an ambitious list of the most important features necessary in a good pair of sleep headphones:

• They should be comfortable, no matter your sleep position. Sleep headphones primarily come in three styles: wireless earbuds, earmuffs, and headbands with speaker drivers inside. Earmuffs are best suited for back-sleepers, headband options are best for folks who dislike the feeling of earbuds or earplugs in their ears, and earbuds generally block more external noise. Comfort also means no wires, as it’s easy to become tangled in a headphone cable when you move in your sleep. We also kept an eye out for options that fit the needs of those who wear bonnets or headgear at night.
• They should fit a wide variety of head and ear sizes or offer a few sizes to choose from. If a headband is too tight, it can cause headaches. If it’s too loose, it will slip off. If your aim is to block noise, the earbuds must fit properly to seal off your ear canals.
• They should let you access whatever audio you need to fall asleep. What’s relaxing to one person may be grating to another. Whether your jam is music, audiobooks, white noise, meditation, or ASMR (video), sleep headphones should be able to accommodate it.
• They should be reasonably easy to clean. Earbuds require only an occasional wipe-down and sound-tube clearing. But for a fabric headband, you need to be able to wash it regularly. If the speakers and other electronics are challenging to remove and replace, or if the headband doesn’t wash well, you won’t be able to keep your sleep headphones in good condition.
• The battery life should be at least 10 hours. The National Sleep Foundation recommends seven to nine hours of sleep each night, so we added an hour of listening time to allow for winding down before sleep. Though not everyone listens to audio all night, folks who are using headphones to block out disturbances or light sleepers who are using music or white noise to avoid being startled awake need a full night’s worth of battery power.
• They should be free of distracting beeps or bright lights. Such things might disturb you during the night. If the device starts to beep to warn you that the battery is low during the last hour of use, it’s likely going to wake you.
• They shouldn’t be expensive. This point is especially important since many of the features that make a good pair of sleep headphones make them impractical to use during the day.
• They should sound reasonably good and have minimal latency. We don’t demand the same high level of audio performance here as we do with our standard earbud and headphone recommendations, but we’d like sleep headphones to offer decent sound quality. Being forced to listen to piercing or muffled sounds is just plain annoying when you’re trying to unwind, and the headphones can’t mask lower-pitched sounds if they don’t have some bass. Significant latency causes dialogue not to match up with lip movements in video if, for instance, you watch Netflix to fall asleep.

With all of the above criteria in mind, we called in every brand-name set of sleep headphones we could find and a selection of affordable but lesser-known options on Amazon. (And what we received proved to be quite interesting—check out the Competition section for more details.)

I tested each set for Bluetooth-connection reliability, fit, comfort, and sound quality. Wearing each pair, I tried lying in bed in various positions. To note audio quality and to check for delays caused by Bluetooth-signal latency, I listened to music and watched streaming video. For the headband-style models, I took the drivers and Bluetooth modules out of the headbands and put them back in again to gauge the difficulty of the process. And of course I tried sleeping in every pair.

As a final step, we sent the most palatable pairs to a Wirecutter staffer who has tinnitus to gain feedback on how well they performed in that situation.

Most of the sleep headphones we tested had at least one major flaw that kept us from wholeheartedly recommending them: The headphones were uncomfortable or didn’t fit properly, were overpriced, were difficult to reassemble after cleaning, or produced distractions that might interfere with sleep—or many of the above. However, two sets emerged as solid options for different preferences.

If you’re trying to block out or mask sounds in order to fall or stay asleep, the Soundcore Sleep A20 earbuds are designed for that purpose. The earbuds’ isolating design blocks noise more effectively than headband-style sleep headphones can. That isolation—in combination with the audio you can play through the earbuds—can muffle snoring partners, barking dogs, and even construction racket. However, if you don’t like the feeling of earbuds during the day, these probably won’t serve you well at night.

They block and mask disruptive sounds. These sealed earbuds block external noise quite well. Note that this is not an active-noise-cancelling device; active noise cancellation, while effective on sustained low-pitched sounds such as airplane noise, isn’t adept at reducing intermittent sounds like hammering or higher-pitched sounds such as voices. Instead, the A20 set uses physical isolation in conjunction with your chosen audio to block and obscure distractions.

The A20 earbuds’ thin and tiny design makes them more comfortable to lie on than standard earbuds. The puffy stability wings cushion the earbuds for side-sleepers while holding the earbuds in place—even if you toss and turn.

Should you drop an earbud in bed, the Soundcore app has a Find My function that causes the earbuds to emit a loud chirp.

We like the simple tap-based controls better than touch controls, as they reduce the risk of accidental playback changes during the night, and the set can give you up to 14 hours’ worth of sound.

The app includes a variety of masking sounds that you can load directly onto the earbuds. For best results, you should listen to something with a pitch similar to that of the noise you’re trying to block out. You can even combine up to three of those sounds to make a custom soundscape. You get a few presets that are labeled specifically for masking low-, mid-, and high-frequency sounds; one of our testers with tinnitus found a track in the same frequency range as their ringing, which helped make it less noticeable.

Once you’ve selected your sounds, you can load them directly onto the earbuds so that you don’t have to keep your phone connected to them all night. The preloaded sound files play on a loop, which means that once your chosen track has begun, you won’t need to worry about anything interrupting your audio.

You can also stream content via Bluetooth. If the built-in sounds aren’t for you, the A20 set also can stream your favorite music/ASMR/soundscape tracks from your phone—but this function reduces the earbuds’ battery life. With preloaded sounds, the A20 set played for around 14 hours in our tests. If you stream music instead, you’ll probably get about 10 hours, which still should be enough for all but the longest lie-ins.

Another option is to start out streaming and transition to preloaded sounds when the A20 senses that you’ve fallen asleep—doing this will provide you with more hours of battery life. Or, if you just need the audio to fall asleep, you can choose to have the sound stop after a set number of hours.

The battery in the charging case holds five additional charges and can fully power up the earbuds in 90 minutes.

The sound quality is balanced, with no piercing highs or booming bass. The set offers enough bass to help mask lower-frequency distractions and reproduce rumbling thunder in a soundscape, as well as nimble high frequencies to handle delicate raindrops.

The sound is good enough that you may also choose to use these earbuds when you’re awake, and you can adjust the EQ settings in the app to meet your specific listening preferences.

The earbuds are small and surprisingly comfortable. Each earbud is tiny—about the size of a peanut butter M&M—and far thinner than most true wireless earbuds that are made for daytime use. The pair comes with four sizes of isolating tips, three pairs of perforated “breathable” tips, and three sizes of stabilizing wings. The breathable tips reduce the earbuds’ occlusion effect (a side effect of all sealed earbuds) but do not block sound, so we don’t recommend using these tips if you are seeking maximum noise blocking.

Though the body of each earbud is made of hard plastic, the wing is puffy, so the earbud sinks into a cushion of air. However, people who don’t like the feeling of earbuds in their ears or who sleep on firm pillows could still find the pressure uncomfortable. In addition, to achieve the small size, the A20 set lacks microphones, so you must take the earbuds out to answer a call.

An alarm is built in. Because this set blocks sound so well, you likely won’t be able to hear an alarm clock. Fortunately, the earbuds offer their own alarm, which you can set via the app. You can set up to five different alarms and choose which days of the week they are active. You can also choose between four different alarm sounds. A firm double-tap silences the alarm. However, there is no snooze button.

The system provides data on your sleep. If you’re into tracking your shut-eye, the A20 tracks the quality of your sleep, including data such as duration and timing of sleep depth, how many times you roll over, and which position you sleep in most.

The data is not as in-depth as what you can get from other sleep-tracking devices, but what it collects is useful, and you can make the results more accurate by doing the sleep-position calibration in the app.

The A20 is water-resistant and has a warranty. If you happen to splash these earbuds with water, they’ll survive, as they have an IPX4 rating. Soundcore, which is owned by Anker, covers the A20 set with a 18-month warranty. If you purchase from the Soundcore site, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

You can’t use your own alarm sounds. If you are accustomed to waking gently with a custom tone, using the Soundcore Sleep A20 pair may take some adjustment. We found the included alarm sounds pleasant and effective, but if you prefer a specific alarm sound on your phone, the A20 may not play that alarm in your ears.

iPhone alarms still sound, but it comes out of the phone, not the earbuds. Google Pixel alarms play in the earbuds, but only if you’ve connected them via Bluetooth; plus, the alarm plays at the same volume as your media, so it may not be loud enough to wake you if you’re a heavy sleeper.

This pair also lacks a snooze function. We made a work-around by setting three different alarms 10 minutes apart.

The earbuds might block sounds too well. Another concern is that this pair’s isolation and masking are so good that people who need to be alerted to an emergency may not hear the alert.

If that’s a concern, you can use the perforated eartips and play your masking sounds at a lower level. It’s not ideal, but it’s better than earplugs.

They’re somewhat pricey. At the original price of $150, this pair is quite expensive for an earbud set that can’t work for phone calls and has limited bonus features (such as active noise cancellation or better water resistance).

But there literally isn’t any other earbud set available that does what the Soundcore Sleep A20 pair does, and at least the sound quality is good enough that you could use these earbuds during the day if you wanted. Earplugs can reduce the sounds around you, but they don’t play soothing audio—and they also cause you to experience the occlusion effect, which amplifies every sound your body makes.

AcousticSheep’s SleepPhones Wireless sleep headphones are great for the person who enjoys drifting off to the sound of their favorite sleep tunes, ASMR videos, or meditations—but can’t stand the feeling of earbuds in their ears. This was one of the most flexible, comfortable designs we tested, as the flat, felt-covered speakers reside in a soft, fabric headband.

The headbands come in a variety of sizes and fabrics. Available in fluffy fleece or a lighter-weight, more breathable “breeze” fabric, the SleepPhones can work as a headband or sit over the eyes. (If you want total light blocking, you may prefer to use a separate sleep mask instead.)

The fabrics are stretchy, and the headbands are available in small, medium, and large sizes, so no matter the circumference of your noggin, you should be able to find a fit that’s snug enough to stay in place but not brain-squeezing tight.

They’re easy to keep clean. The electronics are removable, so you can easily machine-wash your headband or swap it out when it gets worn. We laundered our headband several times following the instructions, and it washed up perfectly. You can buy additional headbands separately for $20. The headbands feel better made than those of cheaper competitors, with thicker fabric, better stitching, and a Velcro closure rather than a nonsealable opening.

The speakers are color-coded so that you can easily put them back into the headband properly: The right speaker has red stitching, the left has green stitching, and the softer gray side of the speaker should face toward the ear. With other headband-style options we tested, we had to guess which way to put the drivers back.

Plus, AcousticSheep backs the SleepPhones with a one-year warranty, whereas most of the lower-priced competitors don’t even have a company website for you to contact someone if your headphones break.

The onboard controls are easy to access. The Bluetooth module provides raised controls for volume, track skip, play/pause, and power. Although the module resides under the headband fabric, the controls are relatively easy to use by feel. With my phone placed on the bedside table, I never had connection issues and could even walk a few rooms away to the bathroom with no problem.

AcousticSheep claims that the battery life of the SleepPhones Wireless pair is 24 hours. Our testing yielded over 24 hours of play time, but this can vary depending on your volume level. A full charge from a dead battery takes around four hours, so if you want audio to play all night long, it’s best to plug in your SleepPhones every few days.

The sound is good but lacks bass. Overall, the sound quality was quite good in our tests, with decent clarity on high notes and no harshness or other cheap-sounding aspects to the low and high frequencies. These headphones had more bass response than the cheaper options we tried: The drivers actually played some low bass notes on hip-hop tracks, whereas the budget pairs reproduced only overtones.

That said, the SleepPhones are by no means bass-heavy and can’t reproduce the deep booms in movies (such as the resonant aspects of the infamous Inception “braaaaam”), but considering the headphones’ intended use, at bedtime, we’re willing to let this slide.

We found that all of our top models helped to mask tinnitus equally, provided that they fit well and offered enough sound options. Our tester who has tinnitus liked that they were able to use the same tracks with the SleepPhones that they usually play through a small speaker.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

The fabric headband doesn’t block as much sound. Compared with earbuds or the earcups on over-ear headphones, the fabric allows more sound to get in and out. If you’re listening at max volume, someone in bed with you in a very quiet room may hear a buzz or the tizzy outline of what you’re listening to.

You can still hear some surrounding noise while wearing the SleepPhones, too, though that ability may be a perk if you’re concerned about hearing a child or pet, or if you prefer auditory awareness for safety.

The headband design isn’t ideal for everyone. People who wear hair bonnets to bed, who use nighttime skin treatments that can harm fabric, who wear certain CPAP masks or headgear at night, or who tend to feel hot when sleeping might find that the thick headband just doesn’t fit into their routine. People who shift about in their sleep may find that the headband eventually slips out of place or falls off.

They’re a bit pricey. The biggest drawback is that the SleepPhones design doesn’t transition well to daytime use, which may make accepting the $100 price tag a lot harder. Although AcousticSheep says you can use the breeze-fabric headband for working out, we’d be hesitant to do so since the electronics aren’t rated for any moisture resistance, and sweat damage could void your pair’s warranty.

Additionally, these headphones lack a microphone, so if you want to take a call, you need your phone nearby.

Testing for this guide reminded us why we generally don’t test things from smaller, unknown brands available on Amazon. Opening each set of budget sleep headphones we purchased was a bizarre experience. Although the headbands matched the photos displayed on Amazon, the brand names printed on the headphones often didn’t match what was on the box or what was on the purchase listing. One pair didn’t have any company information on the box, simply the generic term “Bluetooth Headband” emblazoned on the package. This might not seem relevant—except it means that you don’t know who to contact if something goes wrong.

Also, since we first published this guide in 2021, many of the budget sleep headbands we’ve tested have already disappeared from Amazon. If you’re curious, we have an archive of some older models we’ve tested.

1More Sleep Earbuds Z30: These earbuds are similar in size and shape to the Soundcore Sleep A20 set, and 1More claims up to 32 hours of battery life. However, in our tests the Z30’s built-in sounds played for a maximum of only three hours—so any sound you’re trying to mask may wake you up as soon as the audio stops playing. The battery life is longer when you’re streaming via Bluetooth, but if you run the battery out, the low-battery alert may wake you up. A firmware update “reduced the alert volume by 50%,” but regardless we’d prefer that the earbuds simply power off without waking us up by announcing their departure.

AcousticSheep SleepPhones Effortless: This pair performs nearly identically to the standard Wireless version but offers wireless charging capabilities. Unfortunately, the way you have to lay the SleepPhones Effortless on the charging pod is awkward, so it’s hard to know for certain that you’ve aligned it correctly, and the battery life is 10 hours versus the 12 hours of the newest Wireless edition. As a result, we don’t recommend paying the extra money for this feature.

HoomBand: This headband-style set is similar in design to the SleepPhones model and generally costs a little less. Overall, this is one of the better options we tested, but we found a few aspects to consider. The sound quality had slightly less detail in comparison with the SleepPhones but far better clarity than what we got from the budget options we tested. The battery life is only 10 hours, and the Bluetooth module is a chunky, cuboid component with only play/pause capabilities. The HoomBand’s designers thoughtfully cushioned that module, and the speakers, with a foam lining, but back-sleepers with firm pillows may still feel the lump.

The headband’s foam holds in heat more than the AcousticSheep headbands, and the broad design is comfortable but may not appeal to folks who wear sleep masks. The HoomBand also offers you fewer choices in material and sizes; currently the headbands are available in only one color and two sizes. Although the foam adds structure and cushioning, getting it in and out of the headband is a little tricky.

The HoomPlay app’s offerings (which the company says are updated regularly) are a nice perk. The tracks range from 25 to 60 minutes and can loop to play all night. Should you choose not to use the app, the HoomBand headphones also stream audio via Bluetooth.

Philips Sleep Headphones with Kokoon: This pair of sleep earbuds is packed with features, but the downside lies in their comfort. This set isn’t ideal for back-sleepers, as the Bluetooth and volume-control module rests behind your head and connects to the earbuds via a wavy cable. You can lie on it, but it can affect streaming connectivity, and people who have sensitive noggins or wear their hair back or in a cap might find the module (which is the size of a curved Pepperidge Farm Milano cookie) annoying.

The cable also is problematic, as the headphones ship with a clear warning not to stretch the cable—which could easily happen if you snag it in your sleep. For side- and stomach-sleepers, the part of the cable that attaches to the earbuds smashes into the ear all night and can become irritating.

Musicozy Sleep Headphones: Though the packaging said “Musicozy,” the headband was labeled “Enjoying.” This headband had uncomfortable drivers, a lack of bass, and a blinking light. The headband was on the snug side for us; folks with larger heads may not like the fit.

SnoozeBand Deluxe: The broad design of this pillowy sleep mask felt too wide and hot, especially for summer use. Side- and stomach-sleepers are likely to find the volume on the pillow-side ear far louder than on the other side, which makes music and white noise sound unbalanced. We prefer our sleep mask pick with separate headphones.

ToPoint Sleep Headphones: This pair (sold by ToPoint at the time of our testing but now rebranded as Musicozy) consisted of headphones and packaging that said “Musicozy.” And as with the other budget headbands we saw, which all seemed to be made with similar electronic parts, the speakers were uncomfortable to lie on for long periods, the headband had an annoying blinking light, and the low bass was lacking. This pair also beeped very loudly when the battery was low. The headband was one of the smaller models we tested; it would fit smaller noggins better than larger ones.

This article was edited by Adrienne Maxwell and Grant Clauser.