Sing Me To Sleep

October 20, 2009 6:48 AM

What kinds of earphones/earbuds can I wear to bed?

I like to listen to music and podcasts as I'm falling asleep. I don't like to have speakers on, as that would disturb people in adjoining rooms, so I wear my iPod earbuds. They're okay as long as I'm lying on my back, but I tend to fall asleep better if I'm lying on my side.

The problem is that earbuds dig into my ears when I lie on my side, and headphones press too hard against my head and the pillow. I sometimes take one earbud out, but that means it's harder to hear, plus I turn over quite often.

Is there a product that would work better to help me listen and snooze?

posted by xingcat to technology (13 comments total)

These are the best in my opinion, have bought three pair, here's a review from Kevin Kelly.
posted by Benzle at 6:51 AM on October 20

Maybe a speaker pillow?
posted by Grither at 6:54 AM on October 20

I bought these Altec-Lansing noise-isolating earbuds for a long flight, and now my wife wears them to sleep every night. They're comfy and the silicone part is near-impossible to pull off, which was happening almost every day with an earlier, different pair.
posted by range at 7:02 AM on October 20

I had a pillow speaker [like the speaker pillow, but different!] when I was a kid and was surprised how easy it was to hear through the pillow but how no one else in other rooms could hear it.
posted by jessamyn at 7:16 AM on October 20

The answer to your question will also be the answer to the "what earphones can I wear on the beach?" question. Hurrah!
posted by devnull at 7:43 AM on October 20

I listen to podcasts when going to sleep, and have done so every night for a few years. I sleep on my side with no pain or even noticing I have an earbud in. I used to use Sony Fontopia earphones but now have a pair of Sennheiser CX300s.

I could wear both if I wanted to listen to music but I'm paranoid about not being able to hear my environment. I therefore just wear one on the pillow side and it's great. Being earbuds, my wife cannot hear anything either - unlike with a speaker pillow (in my experience).
posted by wackybrit at 8:01 AM on October 20

I've thought of the pillow speakers/speaker pillows, but I am a delicate hothouse orchid who uses 4 pillows beneath his pampered head, so I'd need to find a way of having the speakers work either between pillow layers or be loud enough to soak through that huge mound of puff.

Keep the ideas coming!
posted by xingcat at 8:03 AM on October 20

It's worth noting, by the way, that the default iPod earbuds are.. earbuds, and are therefore ridiculously uncomfortable (I can't even wear earbuds in regular life - perhaps I don't have the ears for it!). Look into "in ear" earphones. These do not need to jut out any further than your ear naturally does already.
posted by wackybrit at 8:03 AM on October 20

You might check out this head-fi forum for more information, particularly that sticky thread about in-ear canalphones. These folks eat, sleep, and breathe headphones.
posted by ropeladder at 8:45 AM on October 20

Here's a thread with some suggestions. The asker states a $300 budget but I think the suggestions are a range of prices.
posted by ropeladder at 9:04 AM on October 20

These behind the ear headphones work great for me listening to music while going to sleep.
posted by oozy rat in a sanitary zoo at 10:31 AM on October 20

I use cheap skullcandy ear buds (they are marshmellow soft and go inside your ear. They feel quite a bit different than regular ear buds) and just wear one in the ear which is not on the pillow, otherwise it hurts. Usually they fall out when I am sleeping. It sounds like this might not work for you, however...
posted by lucy.jakobs at 10:48 AM on October 20

I've been doing just this with a pair of Razer m100 earbuds for a couple of years now. They're tiny and lightweight, don't stick out of the ear much, and have good sound.
posted by Nameless at 2:03 PM on October 22