Why can't I close my ears?

June 14, 2021 6:29 AM

I need ear plugs for sleeping. What can you recommend?

I'm running the window AC all night and its a bit noisy. For sleep, I am using those foam ear plugs which I use for the workshop but they do surprisingly little in this situation.

posted by falsedmitri to Health & Fitness (20 answers total)

For sleep, I am using those foam ear plugs which I use for the workshop but they do surprisingly little in this situation.

Hmm, are you sure you are using them correctly? When I insert them correctly I can no longer hear even cars passing by the window on the ground floor, it's weird that you're still hearing the AC. I've found that the second step of the instructions I linked is vital, the ear needs to be pulled up in order for the hearing canal to straighten to allow the plug inside.
posted by victorstanciu at 6:34 AM on June 14, 2021 [8 favorites]

I agree with victorstanciu that the method of insertion might be a factor. Also, check the decibel reduction. I have some cheap foam ones from CVS that are rated to 32 decibels. They are so noise-blocking that I have to set my phone to vibrate and sleep on it to wake up when my alarm goes off. I don't hear it.
posted by pangolin party at 6:43 AM on June 14, 2021 [3 favorites]

I find those foamy ones always fall out or move about when I try to sleep with them, so I've moved to my Gran's favourite...wax ear plugs. Moldable and sticky so you can get them in and they usually stay in.

She did once wake up chewing one though, so YMMV!
posted by london explorer girl at 6:53 AM on June 14, 2021 [3 favorites]

For sleeping I have found that muffle wax are good because they are easily adjustable, just roll them in your fingers to make thinner - so you can get a balance between comfort and noise deadening.
posted by Lanark at 7:12 AM on June 14, 2021 [1 favorite]

I think ear plug fit is a pretty individual thing, but I like the Flents Quiet Please ones: they don't fall out (I think it helps that they're not tapered) and are comfortable and as effective as any I've tried (more so than most). So far the only tapered kind I've found that works well and stays in is these, though for me I can't comfortably wear them for as long as I can with the Flents.

Agreed that it's important to insert them right.
posted by trig at 7:34 AM on June 14, 2021 [1 favorite]

I also swear by silicone ear covers, mack's Pillow Soft® Silicone Putty Ear Plugs are the ones I use. You can reuse them for several days before they get gross / dont stick anymore. Grocery stores and target/Walmart carry them near me.
posted by TheAdamist at 7:35 AM on June 14, 2021 [2 favorites]

The roll-up foam earplugs (as mentioned above) can have 32db+ noise reduction, but they do feel kind-of invasive when you put them in right. When I traveled all the time, I used to put them in before going into the airport, and by the time I got to my hotel and took them out, it wasn't unusual for the tip end to be stuck to ear wax. That's how far it goes in when you (1) roll-em-thin, and (2) hold them in your earhole while (3) pulling up on your ear with your other hand.
posted by adekllny at 7:38 AM on June 14, 2021 [1 favorite]

The Howard Leight foam earplugs work very well for me, when inserted properly. I only get it right about half the time, though. I would probably be less pleased with them if I was looking for absolute silence, but they're enough to let me sleep even when the neighbors are pretending they are running an outdoor dance club.
posted by wierdo at 7:46 AM on June 14, 2021 [1 favorite]

Earplugs in general never seem to work that great. Those earplugs that are wax that mold to your ears are usually the best of the bunch, though.
posted by jenfullmoon at 7:47 AM on June 14, 2021 [1 favorite]

Whatever foam plug you get, use Oto Ease ear lube or similar, it lessens discomfort of having them in for a long period
posted by canoehead at 7:53 AM on June 14, 2021 [1 favorite]

Foam earplugs work great, but 90% of people do not insert them correctly. You have to roll, pull, hold. Roll the plug until it's really skinny, reach around with your opposite hand and pull up and back on your ear (which straightens the ear canal), and then insert the foam plug until the end of it is nearly flush with the opening of your ear canal. Then hold it there while it expands.
posted by Lutoslawski at 8:07 AM on June 14, 2021 [4 favorites]

Umpteenthing foam plugs. I, too, often have to resort to ear plugs for sleep, and just have a bag of the things in my nighttable. They can definitely be twiddly to insert (my left ear canal seems to be much narrower than the right one) but once you get the hang of it, the seal is solid.
posted by Thorzdad at 8:31 AM on June 14, 2021 [1 favorite]

Note that if you get your foam ear plug wet, it's worthless. They lose their springiness, or to be precise, the delay in returning to their original shape disappears, so you don't get enough time for insertion, after rolling. Therefore, make sure your ear channels are dry before inserting. I favor the blue "Xtreme" Hearos, although I understand they're too large for some people.
posted by Rash at 8:48 AM on June 14, 2021 [1 favorite]

Echoing that foam ear plugs just fall out immediately but wax ear plugs work. I tried a number of them and the mack's indicated above work very well and are v inexpensive and available online.
posted by artificialard at 8:51 AM on June 14, 2021 [2 favorites]

You definitely want silicone - much better than foam. I use Bioears, don't know if they're available in the US but that's the kind of thing.
posted by penguin pie at 9:42 AM on June 14, 2021 [1 favorite]

I had a roommate who used construction-quality noise-cancelling headphones. He said he was a light sleeper who couldn't hear a thing and that we could make as much noise as we pleased.
posted by aniola at 9:55 AM on June 14, 2021 [1 favorite]

I've been sleeping with earplugs since I was a teenager and my favourites are Moldex Spark Plugs, but my ears are different from your ears and what works well for me might not for you. While all earplugs look pretty similar there are different materials, sizes, and basic shapes and you will probably have to try a few different kinds until you find a pair that are both comfortable and block enough sound.

I think the best thing you can do for yourself is to buy this sampler pack so you can try a bunch of different kinds. That pack is made up of all the most popular earplugs for sleeping in so you're likely to find a winner in there.
posted by forbiddencabinet at 9:55 AM on June 14, 2021 [1 favorite]

Everyone's got their favorites, these are mine. I sleep with ear plugs nearly every night and I find having a relatively clean pair and often starting out the night before I put in my ear plugs with the fan on (I don't have AC) can help me get used to the noise before trying to sleep. Also I definitely do the roll and hold method (my ears don't require the pull step for whatever reason) and I can literally hear the clock ticking getting fainter and fainter as the plugs expand. They're not so silencing that I can't hear my phone alarm, but I miss most other noises hwich is fine with me.
posted by jessamyn at 10:19 AM on June 14, 2021 [1 favorite]

Decibullz! These things are great. I use them frequently for sleep. They're also waste-reductive because you buy one pair, mold them to your ear (they are made of a plastic that is soft enough to mold in very hot water, but much harder than silicone so the plugs will hold their shape and don't have a squishy texture). When making these to fit your ear, it's important that the fit be exact, for maximum decibel reduction. I think these were designed for shooting ranges.
posted by erattacorrige at 10:28 AM on June 14, 2021 [1 favorite]

I have used the bog-standard orange Howard Leight ones for years, and they work great. You can't just smash 'em in there and hope for the best, though. It's a two-handed operation to insert them right, but if you do, it will block out 99.9% of the noise 100% of the time. Expanding on what others have said, here's what I do:

FOR THE RIGHT EAR:
- Make sure your ear canals are dry
- Roll the narrow end earplug into a reeeeally narrow cylinder between the thumb and fore- or middle finger of your right hand
- While still rolling the earplug with your right hand, reach around the back of your head with your left hand, and pull the right ear up from the top (hook your finger under the ridge right near the top of the ear)
- While still holding your ear up, insert the earplug until it's almost flush with the opening of your ear canal
- Keep holding your ear up. You'll feel the earplug expand. As it expands, you can work it in a little deeper, or pull it out a bit if it's in too deep. This is all dependent on feel, there's no real guideline for exactly how far to go except that it should not be in so deep it causes pain or discomfort
- do the same thing with the other hands for your left ear

This all sounds very involved, but in reality it takes like 10-15 seconds per ear. And it makes a world of difference.
posted by pdb at 8:48 PM on June 14, 2021 [3 favorites]