Many people use earplugs to fall asleep faster, stay asleep through the night, and enjoy deeper rest. Sleep earplugs help muffle common sounds like a snoring partner or outside traffic. But is wearing earplugs to bed bad for your ears? The good news is that no, sleeping with earplugs is not harmful. However, there are a few potential risks to be aware of. Let’s dive into them below under Is sleeping with earplugs harmful?
Why use sleep earplugs?
Sleep earplugs can make a world of difference if:
• you have trouble falling asleep;
• your sleep is interrupted because you are a light sleeper or often wake up at night;
• you struggle to sleep in unfamiliar environments, like on vacation;
• your partner snores;
• you live in a busy/noisy neighborhood
Is sleeping with earplugs harmful?
Sleep earplugs are a great way to block out noise and improve your rest. But is sleeping with earplugs bad for you? As we mentioned earlier: no, not in principle. There are certain things you should take into consideration, however. Sleeping with earplugs can be harmful if one or more of the following risks apply:
#1. You frequently get ear infections
Do you (often) suffer from ear infections? If so, sleeping with earplugs could potentially trigger or worsen your symptoms. In such cases, we recommend first seeking medical advice about wearing earplugs. It’s best to consult with a doctor or an ENT specialist to determine if earplugs are suitable for you.
#2. There may be a build-up of earwax
Our ears clean themselves with earwax. This substance acts as a barrier to prevent bacteria, dust and dirt from penetrating further into the ear and affecting deeper parts. However, you may experience earwax build-up or drying, which might lead to discomfort, irritation or pain.
Sleeping with earplugs isn’t pleasant in those cases. That is why your ears need proper care. But what exactly is good ear care? It is good to know that the use of Q-tips is not recommended. These actually push wax deeper into your ears and can damage your eardrum if you (accidentally) push a Q-tip in too deeply. It is better to use a damp cloth or cotton pad to clean the outside of your ears.
#3. Failure to keep reusable earplugs properly clean
Do you sleep using reusable earplugs, such as Alpine SleepDeep or SleepSoft earplugs? If so, hygiene is essential. For starters, we recommend washing your hands before inserting and removing your sleep earplugs, to avoid transferring bacteria from your hands to your earplugs. Furthermore, regular cleaning of sleep earplugs is crucial to prevent them from becoming a breeding ground for bacteria.
You should clean your reusable sleep earplugs about three times a week. You can do this using lukewarm water and possibly some soap or by using the disinfecting Alpine Clean cleaning spray. After cleaning, dry the earplugs with a tissue or kitchen paper. Your earplugs are instantly ready to use again and you can sleep tight! By keeping your earplugs clean, washing your hands, and handling them carefully, you can safely enjoy using earplugs every night.
Earplugs are reused longer than advised
Responsible use of earplugs also means checking how often you can hygienically reuse your sleep earplugs.
|
Type of earplugs |
Reusability |
|
Foam earplugs |
For single use |
|
Wax earplugs |
Reusable 10-15 times |
|
Earplugs with filter |
Reusable 100 times |
|
Custom-made earplugs |
Reusable for several years |
As you can see, you cannot clean foam earplugs and wax earplugs very well, if at all, because of the material. Foam earplugs should be discarded after a single use.
Sleeping with wax earplugs is bad if you reuse them more than 15 times. These types of sleep earplug are less durable and you have to replace them much more often than filter earplugs or custom-made earplugs (otoplastics).
View the full range of Alpine sleep earplugs and find out which earplug is right for you!
#5. Sleep earplugs inserted incorrectly
The proper way to insert depends on what kind of sleep earplugs you have. You insert the reusable Alpine earplugs with filter as follows:
• hold the end of the earplug (the filter side) with one hand;
• use your other hand to gently pull the top of your ear up and away from your head;
• carefully insert the earplug into the ear canal;
• let go of your ear. The earplug is well positioned if you feel no pressure or pain
Does sleeping with earplugs cause tinnitus?
No, tinnitus (ringing in the ears) is not caused by sleeping with earplugs but by hearing damage. This is usually due to years of exposure to (overly) loud noises and sometimes due to hearing, brain or jaw joint abnormalities.
For more information, check out our blog post: What is tinnitus?
A good night's sleep without worrying about sleep earplugs!
In short: sleeping with earplugs is not harmful, even if you use earplugs to sleep every night. However, it is very important that you insert earplugs correctly and pay close attention to hygiene; you should keep your earplugs clean (if you choose the durable, reusable type) or replace them regularly (for foam and wax versions) and wash your hands before handling your earplugs.
In addition, it is important to take good care of your ears. But if you do not suffer from ear infections or earwax build-up, you can use your earplugs to sleep every night with no worries. Sweet dreams!
