Yahoo News 10 best earbuds and headband headphones to help you get a peaceful night’s sleep
Judging by the growth in sleep tech and apps with “sleep stories” for adults, more of us than ever are choosing to drift off while listening to audio – whether that’s ASMR, podcasts, music, guided meditation, audiobooks or ambient noises.
Finding the perfect headphones to aid sleep can be complex, and the right fit depends on what you listen to, how long you need a battery to last, and even your sleep position.
But first things first, is sleeping in headphones a good idea, or could it be damaging to your ears? For audio-fanatics, it’s basically good news – as long as you watch the volume – and let’s be honest, you’re probably keeping it low anyway if sleep’s your goal.
“As with all earphones you must ensure that the sound level is not high enough to cause damage and this is even more important when using them for extended periods of time,” says Kath Lewis, President of the British Academy of Audiology.
“It’s also important to let air into your ears to ensure they do not get moist, so look for ones which have holes in to let in some air.” She adds. “We would caution against any headphone use at night with wires as they can get tangled. As long as the earpieces fit well you will not damage your ears from the physical use of them.”
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So now that we’ve got the green light, how do we decide which ones to invest it? Obviously, the headphones you pick will depend on your own needs, but bonus points were given to those which could comfortably be worn by side-sleepers, those with noise-cancelling credentials, and longer battery life.
As most aren’t exactly cheap, many users might prefer those that are also functional for day-time use – the ability to take calls, listen to music and adjust noise cancellation for different settings were all handy, albeit non-essential features. Other people, especially those who struggle with sleep, might be happier to go all-in on a product that’s purely designed for nighttime use.
There are a couple of new offerings that only offer ambient sounds via an app, and although they won’t connect to your music library or Youtube, they make up for their lack of versatility via extreme comfort and impressive battery life.
On the plus side, the enormous range that’s available now suggests this is a real area for growth and development, so who knows, in a few years we might find products that tick every single box.
The best earbuds and headband headphones for 2021 are:
Best overall – Kokoon headphones: £309.99, Kokoon.io
Best for day use – Denon AH-GC30 wireless headphones: £227, Hifix.co.uk
Best for side sleepers – SleepPhones v7 wireless headband headphones: £73.45, Sleepphones.co.uk
Best stylish headphones – Technics F70 premium noise-cancelling headphones: £333.63, Amazon.co.uk
Best for noise-cancelling – QuietOn sleep earbuds: £149, Quieton.com
Best for white noise or rain sounds – Amazfit zenbuds: £110, Bonprix.co.uk
Best app-only system – Bose sleepbuds II: £229, Amazon.co.uk
Best for travel – Cambridge Audio melomania touch true wireless earbuds: £119.95, Cambridgeaudio.com
Best budget buy – Edifier TWS1 true wireless earbuds: £39.99, Amazon.co.uk
Best wired design – Meze Audio rai solo: £229, Amazon.co.uk
Kokoon headphones
Best: Overall
We were slightly sceptical about over-ear headphones in bed, however, when combined with the accompanying eye mask, we really started to understand the brand name – it does feel like being cocooned away from reality once you pop them on. Their patented “flexmould comfort” design makes the headphones very comfy around your ears, and the sound quality was good. They’d be especially good on planes or train journeys, as you really do feel like you’re in your own peaceful bubble.
The makers say that you need to get used to them, particularly if you’re a side sleeper. There’s a free app which, as well as meditations and breathing exercises, has some information on how to get the best out of them. The recommendation is a soft pillow, but even with a super firm one it’s possible to lie sideways with relative comfort after a bit of practice.
The only issues come when moving around – restless sleepers may find the weight of the headphones a bit restrictive (they’re only 350g, but it takes some getting used to). We found we woke up in the night briefly to take them off, although that’s the case with most available headphones.
There’s a tendency to get a bit warm with the mask as well, but the cushions are made from natural fabrics (and washable!) to help alleviate that. That said, if you want the feeling of being cut off from your worries in the outside world, these are a great option. Plus they’re wireless and would work equally well as day-to-day headphones.
Buy now £309.99, Kokoon.io
Denon AH-GC30 wireless headphones
Best: For day use
A pair that’s great for day use, these wireless Denon headphones have an impressive variety of noise-cancelling settings, wherever you find yourself (including an office or on a flight), plus you can take calls on them. We also liked that they come with a cable, so you could plug them into a phone if the battery runs out unexpectedly (although it lasts an impressive 20 hours). Easy to pair, and well-padded, they’re a viable option for back-sleepers, but side sleepers can’t really use them in bed at all, except for pre-sleep relaxation.
Buy now £227.00, Hifix.co.uk
SleepPhones v7 wireless headband headphones
Best: For side sleepers
Compared to the other options, SleepPhones might seem a bit basic. It’s essentially a fleece headband, with speakers tucked inside, and connects to your phone via Bluetooth. It’s not as versatile or luxurious as some of the others, but it is extremely effective for bedtime use, particularly for side-sleepers. While it’s designed to be worn around the forehead, we found the speakers aligned better when used over the eyes (which also meant less faff when combining this with an eye mask) – it was comfy enough to let us sleep through the night.
Happily, you can pop out the electronic components and wash the band regularly, which cheaper imitations don’t always allow. We’re also impressed with their eco-credentials – not only can you buy replacement parts from just £3.99, but can also buy the device at a reduced rate with eco packaging. So, while it might seem pricey initially, you can at least keep them going for years to come.
Our only reservations for the band would be that it probably gets quite warm wearing it during the summer, and if you sleep next to a snorer it doesn’t have the noise cancelling clout of some other devices.
Buy now £73.45, Sleepphones.co.uk
Technics F70 premium noise cancelling headphones
Best: Stylish headphones
This pair of headphones is arguably the most stylish, and feels light to carry. However, the headband isn’t as well padded as the alternatives, so while they’re not uncomfortable, you’re definitely more aware of wearing them than some of the others. Again, they come with a cable so they can be used with a wire if their battery runs out (it’s set to last 20 hours).
This is another pair of headphones that could only work for back sleepers – they’re well padded against the ear, but lacked the instant muffling effect of the Denon (£73.45, Amazon.co.uk) or Kokoon (£309.99, Kokoon.io) sets. They claim to have different levels of noise cancellation, but we could still hear surrounding noise quite clearly, even on the high setting. They’re a perfectly decent offering, but for us not quite as comfy or as effective as others we tried.
Buy now £333.63, Amazon.co.uk
QuietOn sleep earbuds
Best: For noise cancelling
If you’re not a fan of any noise as you nod off, but traditional earplugs just aren’t cutting it, QuietOn sleep earbuds are a great option for plain, simple noise cancellation. It’s actually remarkable how much difference they make: snoring, traffic…even just the sound of someone else moving around in their sleep is muffled effectively.
They sit comfortably in the ear, even when side sleeping, and for us, they didn’t fall out during the night. Each headphone has a button to turn the noise cancelling on and off, and even without it turned on there’s noticeable muffling. They don’t offer any bells and whistles, but they work extremely well, so if you’re looking for soothing silence (or near enough) these do the job.
Buy now £149.00, Quieton.com
Amazfit zenbuds
Best: For white noise or rain sounds
The problem that many wireless headphones have is the issue of battery life. Streaming soothing music, podcasts and more takes a heavy toll on their juice, meaning users often have to recharge them frequently, or face being left in silence in the middle of the night. That’s why there’s now a growing market for headphones that don’t have those traditional functions, and instead play ambient sounds and music, downloaded to the device itself via an app. Amazfit’s zenbuds are one of this new variety.
This is not only helpful if you have patchy wifi or have run out of data, but it also means they can keep playing continuously for 12 hours on a single charge. The downside? For one thing the preview function of clips didn’t work at all for us, so it was a case of downloading blind – and each one took around 11 minutes to download. This is despite each clip actually being incredibly short – a few seconds, which is then looped back infinitely. This works okay on white noise or raindrops, but anything musical or fast-paced becomes increasingly irritating, especially when you can hear where the loop rejoins itself.
That said, the headphones themselves are one of the comfiest pairs we’ve tried, and the packaging is incredibly elegant. We also liked that they can detect when you drop off and can be programmed to stop playing at that point. But the sounds available on there are very limited – the library had around 20 options, of which only four or so actually were soothing to us.
The app itself isn’t terribly user friendly – surprisingly it doesn’t seem to have a dark mode for night time use – and is geared more generally towards other Amazfit products. It also wants to collect all sorts of information – weight, height, step count goal – that doesn’t seem relevant without the accompanying fitness tracker and other products. Hopefully with future releases and updates the library will increase, and these will become a more appealing investment.
Buy now £110.00, Bonprix.co.uk
Bose sleepbuds II
Best: App-only system
Bose’s new offering to the world of insomniacs is also an app-only system, rather than a traditional headphone. They’re not recommended if you love drifting off to podcasts, ASMR, etc, but if you’re after something slightly fancier and more varied than plain white noise, these are a good option.
They’re soft, small and squishy – much comfier than traditional in-ear headphones – and store audio on the device itself rather than streaming, which again means a longer battery life. They don’t detect sleep but you can set the sound to run for a specific amount of time (including all night long).
The app itself is far superior to the Amazfit’s one, with a night mode setting and a wider, more impressive ambient library. You can nod off to soothing tunes, natural effects such as rainfall, and special ambient sounds designed specifically to block out other noises, such as snoring. They’re pricey but deliver what they offer extremely effectively.
Buy now £229.00, Selfridges.com
Cambridge Audio melomania touch true wireless earbuds
Best: For travel
These wireless in-ear buds are really comfy – actually a viable option for side sleeping – and the sound quality is great. They boast a competitive nine hours of battery life (and 36 more from the carry case) so a great option for travel. Cleverly, while they have touch controls – handy for listening to music or taking calls during the daytime – you can easily turn these off via the app, meaning you won’t be messing with the volume each time you turn over. The main downside is with Bluetooth pairing, occasionally just one bud will pair and the other is harder to locate, and it can be a slow process compared to other brands.
Buy now £119.95, Cambridgeaudio.com
Edifier TWS1 true wireless earbuds
Best: Budget buy
These earbuds are wonderfully straightforward in terms of pairing, and offer brilliant noise-cancellation – the outside world seems pleasingly muffled. They also offer a 12-hour battery life (plus more when recharged from their case), which is impressive considering the price. While they’re slightly too bulbous to allow resting your head directly onto them, you can switch to using a single bud thanks to “bud-to-bud role-swapping” technology, so side sleepers don’t miss out. They’re also good all-rounders and would work well for phone calls and use when out and about.
The main downside for night time use is that when audio is paused or stopped (say, you’ve dropped off and your podcast has ended), they flash bright lights from each bud, which, without a decent eye mask, is likely to wake you up.
Buy now £39.99, Amazon.co.uk
Meze Audio rai solo
Best: Wired design
Obviously wireless headphones are preferable for sleeping – it can be nightmare-inducing to wake up feeling tangled – but there’s arguably something to be said for a second option with a wire. After all, it’s frustrating to get to bed and realise you’ve not charged your wireless set – so these, which easily plug into your phone, could be a sleep-saviour.
These fit securely into the ear with no slipping out as you sleep, but the sound quality was slightly muffled compared to some of the alternatives. They’re designed around comfort – using a special technology to mould into your ears – and although it’s hard to tell whether that’s the case, they were surprisingly comfy. It’s possible to drift off lying on one as a side-sleeper (albeit waking in the night to remove them).
Buy now £229.00, Amazon.co.uk
The verdict: Headphones and earbuds for sleep
Our favourite all-rounders were the Kokoon headphones, which work for all sleeping positions and have impressive noise-cancelling abilities. While pricey, they would also be a good option for day-to-day use, without compromising on sleep-inducing design.
The best budget option was the SleepPhones band, which is comfy enough to wear all night long, and works particularly well for side sleepers. Meanwhile, if you’re after ambient sounds rather than a traditional headphone, Bose SleepBuds II are hard to beat.
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For more sleep-savvy tech to improve your shut-eye, read our review of the best sleep apps for tracking, meditation and waking up gently
