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The best sleep headphones of 2024: Expert tested
When is the last time you experienced a silent night of sleep where you didn’t wake up — not even once? If your answer is “I don’t remember,” perhaps it’s time you get yourself a pair of sleep headphones. Although sound machines can effectively block out noises while you sleep, sleep earbuds offer a more compact, subtle, and personal approach that won’t wake the partner sleeping across from you.
ZDNET staffers conducted hands-on testing and extensive research to find sleep headphones equipped with flat speakers, active noise canceling (ANC) technology, and a long-lasting battery life that can be a game changer for a good night’s rest, especially if noise is your number one nightmare. Some are earbuds that stick in your ear for the whole night, and others wrap around your head or eyes for a quicker and easier descent into slumber. These are our top picks.
Also: The best noise-canceling headphones
What are the best sleep headphones right now?
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. Find out how the sleep headphones we’ve tested stack up on this list — and on your pillow.
The best sleep headphones of 2024
Pros
- A comfortable fit
- So many soundscapes to layer and listen to through the app
- Long battery life
- Find my earbuds feature
Cons
- Does not cancel noise well
- App experience isn’t always intuitive
A good pair of sleep earbuds should be nearly unnoticeable in your ears as you sleep. When I slept with them for a few nights, the new Soundcore A20 sleep earbuds got as close to invisible as a pair of earbuds can. As a side sleeper, I had no trouble wearing these while I slept, because the flat end of the earbud doesn’t put pressure into my ear or cause discomfort that keeps me up.
More: These sleep earbuds are a dream for side sleepers. But there’s a catch
The A20 improves on the previous model, the A10, through longer battery life, a new find my earbuds feature, and Twin Seal ear tips for added noise masking. But while the updates make the earbuds easier to use, the earbuds still aren’t without their flaws. These aren’t the best for canceling environmental noise, like a snoring partner, a busy street your bedroom looks out upon, or a loud upstairs neighbor blasting their music.
I’d recommend these less for people who want to dim down a loud bedroom setting and for others who already have a silent sleep environment and are looking for a comfortable earbud to use for listening to audiobooks, music, or other soundscapes to fall asleep.
Soundcore Sleep A20 earbuds tech specs: Form factor: Earbuds | Connectivity: Bluetooth | Battery: 14 hours in the earbuds and 80 in the charging case | Fit: In-ear
Pros
- No light enters the sleep mask
- Great for partial awareness
- Nice battery life for the price
Cons
- Speakers could be louder
- Charging cord is right next to your face as you sleep
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.
More: Trouble sleeping? I used this $19 wearable to fall asleep near instantly
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
Pros
- Long battery life
- Comfortable for side sleepers
- Cable slider and adjustable hooks ensure a secure fit all night
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
Pros
- Affordable
- Comfortable to wear
Cons
- No auto-off feature
- Volume can be loud even on the lowest setting
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
| Sleeping headphones | Price | Battery | Form factor |
| Soundcore by Anker Sleep A20 | $150 | 14 hours | In-ear |
| LC-Dolida Sleep Mask and Headphones | $20 | 8-10 hours | Over-ear |
| Bedphones wireless | $149 | 13 hours | Over-ear |
| Perytong Sleep Headphones | $20 | 10 hours | Over-ear |
*Lowest price at the time of writing. Please note that prices may vary based on retailer and available promotions, sales, or discounts.
Yes, it is medically safe to fall asleep while wearing headphones. It is recommended to keep the volume below 85 dB. Also, over-ear or on-ear headphones are preferred over earbuds when considering long-term use since wax buildup and ear canal damage can potentially happen over time with earbud use. So if you’re concerned with that, consider a sleep headphone headband instead of one of the earbuds on the list.
The same goes for playing music. You should try to keep your volume level between 60 and 85 decibels, audio experts confirm. 60 decibels is equivalent to the volume of a normal conversation you have with someone, while 85 decibels sounds like a trafficked city intersection or a loud restaurant.
It depends on what you’re looking for relative to the position(s) you sleep in, whether you want ANC, and what price point you’re willing to spend.
| Choose these headphones for sleeping… | If you want… |
| Soundcore by Anker Sleep A20 | The best sleep earbuds. Unobtrusive, these earbuds are no bigger than a nickel, have a 14-hour playback battery life, and track your sleep. They don’t cancel noise, so I’d recommend these to people who sleep in a silent bedroom and want to fall asleep to relaxing soundscapes. |
| LC-Dolida Sleep Mask and Headphones | The best sleep mask and headphone combo. Cancel out noise and sound with these on. |
| Bedphones wireless | The best sleep headphones. If you’re a side sleeper, the flat and foam-padded design was made with you in mind. You’ll also get 13 hours of battery life. |
| Perytong Sleep Headphones | The best budget-friendly sleep headphones. Only $20 on Amazon, this over-ear headband is price and comfort-conscious. |
We selected these top sleeping headphones by doing extensive research into the product category, as well as performing some testing of our own while considering the following factors:
- Flat speakers: There’s no point in sleeping in headphones if they’re not comfortable — and nothing is more uncomfortable than something poking in your ears. We looked for headphones with speakers that sit comfortably in your ears and against your pillow.
- Active Noise Canceling capabilities: We looked for headphones that cancel or block out noise so that you can have undisturbed rest.
- Battery life: All of our picks have battery life that will last you through the night from six to 28 hours.
- Price: The sleeping headphones on this list range in price from $12 to $300. While you don’t need to spend hundreds on a pair of good-quality sleep headphones, more features come with a higher price tag.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are noise-canceling headphones good for sleeping?
Noise-canceling headphones are great for sleeping since they have built-in technology that virtually blocks out any noise in your bedroom, making it easier to fall asleep in silence.
However, noise-canceling headphones for sleeping are not the best option in the case of an emergency since you’re essentially tuned out to the world — especially if you already consider yourself a heavy sleeper.
Headphones vs earbuds vs Bluetooth sleep masks: Which one takes the crown?
That depends on what you want to get out of your sleep companion. Headphones are best for back sleepers who want to listen to something to get them asleep, while earbuds and sleep masks may work better for side sleepers. Earbuds are the most comfortable, while headphones and Bluetooth sleep masks take some finagling and getting used to.
Best Headphones for Side Sleepers
Our top two picks, the Soundcore by Anker Sleep A20 earbuds are going to be a side sleeper’s best bet. If you only need a pair of earbuds for listening to sounds to go to bed and don’t need any noise-canceling properties, I’d recommend the Soundcore earbuds.
Do sleep headphones block out snoring?
Sleep headphones that include noise-canceling capabilities are your best bet for blocking out snoring. That’s because headphones with noise-canceling technology use reverse sound waves to nix the external noises around you. A headphone with only sound-masking technology can only do so much to block out the sounds of a snoring partner right next to you. Plus, without a noise-canceling feature in your earbuds, you’ll need to raise the volume high on your sleep headphones to mask snoring, but too high of a volume could deter you from falling asleep.
Why were Bose SleepBuds discontinued?
Bose discontinued its popular SleepBuds because, despite the earbuds’ cult following, the earbuds didn’t garner mainstream adoption, a Bose spokesperson told the Verge. But the good news is that Bose partnered with three former employees to revive the SleepBuds, and you can grab a pair through its Kickstarter.
Of course, you could always fall asleep using the headphones you already have — they just might not be as comfortable or made for sleep as much as our top picks. So here are some other options we recommend.
