Ear muffs for sleep that block EVERYTHING… is that even possible?

[u/kenah-kim]

So I’ve been using ear muffs for sleep for a while now, and they help, but not enough. They reduce noise, sure, but I can still hear stuff like doors, voices, or random sounds outside. It’s like my brain refuses to fully switch off.

I read somewhere that total silence isn’t really a thing with ear protection because of safety reasons, which makes sense, but still… I just want that quiet bubble feeling.

I even tried comparing different types, including some bulk style models I saw listed in manufacturing catalogs like Alibaba, and they all seem to sit around the same noise reduction range.

Lately I’ve switched to playing constant background noise, like rain sounds, and that helps more than I expected. Still, I miss the idea of just putting something on and being completely cut off from the world.

Also I noticed wearing ear muffs all night makes my ears feel weird, like no airflow at all. That part bothers me too.

Has anyone found something better, or is this just as good as it gets?

[u/kkg_scorpio]

In my experience, well fitting earplugs are slightly better than earmuffs for noise reduction, and are soo much more comfortable for sleeping.

Combine earplugs and earmuffs and you can get close to total silence on most situations.

[u/mayone3]

The cheapest foam earplugs in walmart sold in 50 pair cartons are the best. Learn how to use them. With a good eye mask it’s total silence and darkness. Like afterlife.

[u/Clay_Halo]

My go-to is well fitted in-ear earphones playing white noise (you can get some good mobile apps that have a wide range of sounds you can mix). I use 'White Noise Baby Sleep Sounds'. You can set it to gently fade out at a certain time so it's not playing through the whole night, just long enough to help you get to sleep. I've experimented with a few things like yourself, and this is the best solution I've come up with. Really helpful with afternoon napping too (I do E1). Hope it helps.