The 5 Best Headphones for Sleeping in 2022

Best Overall: MAXROCK Sleeping Earbuds

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Like all the others on this list, the MAXROCK headphones will help you fall asleep, but that’s not all they’re good for. The built-in microphone also lets you make and take calls on most smartphones and the snug earbuds stay in place even during vigorous exercise.

The multi-purpose button makes it easy to answer calls and, more importantly, to pause, play and skip tracks without having to flail around for your phone in the dark.

The headphones come in a small range of colors and are surprisingly durable for the price, with strong silicone earbuds that can handle plenty of abuse. They do a good job of blocking outside noise​ and barely protrude outside the ear canal when inserted, making them more comfortable to lie on than most earphones.

As usual with this type of headphone, the 1/4” drivers are better for spoken word or ambient sounds than music with thumping bass.

Best Budget: Koss "The Plug" In-Ear Headphones

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Most of these headphones won’t break the bank, but this earplug-like Koss model is ideal for those on a budget. It’s an unusual design, but the memory foam tips keep the headphones seated firmly inside the ear canal. That snugness helps block out more sound than the competition, while still staying comfortable even for side-sleepers.

The headphones come with extra tips — surprising at this price point — and they’re small and light enough to easily drop in a pocket or overnight bag as needed. Available in a range of colors, there’s little not to like about these great, low-cost sleep aids.

Best Splurge: Bose Sleepbuds II

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If you toss and turn at night because of stress, disturbances from neighbors or a snoring partner, the Bose Sleepbuds II offer a pricey but effective noise-masking solution to help you sleep more peacefully. These wireless earbuds are small and designed to fit snugly inside your ears to passively block out noise without adding extra bulk (great for side sleepers) and reducing the chance that they’ll fall out. 

The passive noise cancellation isn’t the only thing going for these sleep aids. They also play soothing sounds that are engineered specifically to mask noises that can distract from sleep and encourage relaxation. If you’re on the fence, these tiny but mighty earbuds are backed by a Bose sleep study that showed that participants with difficulties falling and staying asleep actually ended up having an easier time getting to sleep and noted better sleep quality overall. 

As for interacting with this sleeping accessory, everything is done through the companion app, including choosing and loading new sounds, setting alarms, and connecting and turning them on. The case conveniently charges the earbuds and turns them off for battery conservation, and you can expect up to 30 hours from a fully charged case or up to 10 hours from the Sleepbuds alone.

Best Clip-On: Panasonic RP-HS46E-K Slim Earphone

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If you find earbuds too painful to wear all night, and headbands too hot and sweaty, take a look at the Panasonic RP-HS46E-K Slim instead.

The flat drivers clip over each ear, and while you’ll still notice them when lying on your side, the low profile makes them more comfortable than you’d expect. Some side-sleepers just place a single earphone between their ear and the pillow rather than clipping it on, so they can roll away after falling asleep.

Fairly durable for the price, the headphones come with a four-foot cable. As with many of the other inexpensive models listed here, they come with a standard 3.5mm plug. With minimal noise-cancelation, these work better in relatively quiet environments. There’s a reasonable amount of sound leakage as well, so you may need to turn the volume down if you’re alongside a light sleeper.