Maybe you’re the type of person who needs to listen to music or a podcast to go to sleep. Perhaps you live with other people or have thin walls in your apartment, playing audio from a speaker while you sleep could be disruptive to others around you. Or maybe it’s the noises that keep you up at night that you need to get rid of to have a restful sleep. Wearing headphones to sleep is clearly the solution for those issues, but unless you’re a perfectly still back sleeper, they can be wildly uncomfortable or difficult to wear.
We’ve compiled a list of the best headphones for sleeping, but it’s important to note that every pick has a caveat. As far as I can tell, no company has made truly perfect headphones for sleeping for every kind of person.
One major thing to note is that wearing headphones or earbuds while you sleep can be unsafe. Potential complications include ear infections and hearing loss, because you’re potentially putting pressure on something inside of your ear, and you don’t really know how loud your audio is while you’re unconscious. If you accidentally turn the volume up in your sleep and it doesn’t wake you up, you could sustain noise-induced hearing loss from being exposed to loud sounds for an extended period of time. So just know that there are potential dangerous, and try your best to mitigate them by being responsible with your headphones.
Editor’s note: this list was published on January 10, 2023, and is the first version of the article. Updates will follow as the market changes.
For our top five picks, you can find the isolation and frequency response charts at the end of some of the image galleries. You can learn more about how to read our charts here.
The best sleep-specific headphones is the Bose Sleepbuds II
The Bose Sleepbuds II masks noise around you, and also has a low profile in your ear, so you can sleep in any position without discomfort. It uses passive isolation, not noise cancelling, to mask noises at night so you can sleep peacefully. Bose claims it has a battery life of 10 hours, which is more than enough for the average person.
Bose Sleepbuds II
The Bose Sleep App offers sounds to listen to while you fall asleep, ranging from noise masking, to nature sounds, and tranquil sounds. Unfortunately, a big drawback is that these sounds are the only ones you can play through the Bose Sleepbuds II, and you can’t play any of your own music or podcasts.
Bose Sleepbuds II
Introducing Bose Sleepbuds II — tiny, comfortable earbuds with sleep technology that’s clinically proven to help you fall asleep faster. They work with the Bose Sleep app to deliver relaxing sounds that help you fall asleep, and use Bose noise-masking technology to cover unwanted nighttime disturbances that may otherwise wake you. So you get your best sleep ever. From wind down to wake up, this is your easy solution to better sleep.
The Shure SE215 is the best wired earbuds for sleeping
The Shure SE215 is a pair of wired in-ear monitors (IEMs) with excellent isolation, which will keep you soundly asleep and keep out lots of loud noises. It might seem like a surprise that a pair of moderately priced IEMs is a top pick, but hear me out: it’s multipurpose, accessible, sounds good, and won’t die on you overnight.
Shure SE215
8.3
The Shure SE215 comes with memory foam ear tips as well as silicone ones, so you can get a comfortable fit for the whole night. The earbuds also keep a pretty low profile in your ear, and hooks around the top of your ear so it stays in securely. Some people find this really comfortable to sleep in, while others can find the Shure SE215 somewhat uncomfortable. It all really depends on your ears and the ear tips you’re using, so you definitely should test all the ear tips to find your ideal fit.
Shure SE215-K
Sound quality • Wireform Fit • Sound isolation
If you want good sound quality, isolation, and a comfortable fit, these might be for you.
The Bose QuietComfort 35 II is the best over-ear headphones for sleeping
If you want headphones that will take you through your day and be comfortable for sleep, the Bose QuietComfort 35 II could be a good option for you. The headphones are, as the name insists, very comfortable, and you’ll likely be able to wear it for hours without discomfort. Back sleepers can easily wear these and drift off with the noise cancelling and some calming sounds on.
Bose QuietComfort 35 II
8
The Bose QuietComfort 35 II has a battery life of 21 hours, 12 minutes in our testing, which is enough to easily last two nights of sleep. Not only is this pair of headphones good for sleeping, it’s an all-around excellent pair of noise cancelling headphones. It’s a reliable option for commuters, office workers, and back sleepers alike.
In case you want to buy the QuietComfort 35 II, you might as well know how well the whole thing functions, even when you’re not sleeping. The microphone can pick up quite a bit of background noise in loud conditions like wind or out on the street. Regardless, it handles voices wells and will be perfectly fine for phone calls in quiet conditions.
The Bose QuietComfort 35 II is one of the best active noise canceling headsets. The companion app lets you manually adjust the ANC and other sound settings, and the slim design makes it comfortable to wear for hours.
Side sleepers may want to check out the AcousticSheep SleepPhones Wireless
If you’re interested in headband sleep headphones, the AcousticSheep SleepPhones Wireless is a great product in this field. The headphones wrap around your head, and there are speakers embedded in the sections that rest over your ears. It comes in two different fabric options, a lightweight polyester or a warm fleece fabric, and there’s a control panel on the Bluetooth module on the inside of the headband for controlling volume and playback. The SleepPhones Wireless also has a 24 hour battery life, so it’ll last you through a few nights before having to charge it.
One big caveat with this is that it has the potential to shift overnight, and you might wake up with the speakers far from your ears. Additionally, the SleepPhones Wireless also doesn’t isolate sound very well, so if you’re being bothered by bumps in the night, this won’t do you much good.
AcousticSheep SleepPhones Wireless
Comfortable • Good for side sleepers • Multiple color options
Catch your Zs with these headband-style headphones.
The SleepPhones Wireless is made specifically for sleep, so you can drift off to music, podcasts, audiobooks, or anything else you want. It’s a great option for side sleepers, since it’s so low profile against your head.
If you’re tight on cash, the Moondrop Chu has you covered
A comfortable, fairly low-profile pair of wired earbuds for under $25, the Moondrop Chu has excellent isolation and sound quality. It hooks around the back of your ear for a secure fit, so it’s less likely to dislodge in your sleep. It connects using a 3.5mm TRRS cable, so you’ll need a headphone jack for these earbuds.
Moondrop Chu
7.8
The Moondrop Chu has an in-line mic and control module on the wires, so you won’t have any accidental misfires overnight from moving your head. The biggest problem this pair of earbuds presents is just the pressure you might be putting on your ears if you’re a side sleeper. There’s also the added potential wrinkle of wearing wired earbuds while you’re asleep and rolling over—you may wind up damaging them, or at least just pulling them out of your ears.
You can purchase the Moondrop Chu with or without a microphone, so if you want to use this for phone calls too, make sure to buy that version. Voices are picked up well by the microphone, and it handles ambient noise well enough that it won’t mask your voice.
Moondrop Chu microphone demo (Ideal conditions):
Moondrop Chu microphone demo (Office conditions):
Moondrop Chu microphone demo (Street conditions):
How does the microphone sound to you?
388 votes
1 (Awful)
3%
2 (Bad)
3%
3 (Okay)
37%
4 (Good)
48%
5 (Perfect)
10%
Moondrop Chu
Affordable earbuds • Decent ANC • Good fit
How is the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) for sleeping?
Lily Katz / SoundGuys
The earbuds have pressure-relief vents which make the ANC listening mode more comfortable.
A lot of people can attest to having fallen asleep wearing their Apple AirPods Pro, whether in bed, on the bus, or on a plane. It’s a popular pair of earbuds, so it’s bound to happen. The consensus seems to be that it’s fairly comfortable to fall asleep while wearing the AirPods Pro, but not if you put pressure on the earbuds by sleeping on your side. The second generation of the AirPods Pro also comes with another size of ear tips, so you can choose from more fit options to stay comfortable. It also has great isolation and noise cancelling, so you can quietly enjoy your rest.
You can manage to sleep comfortably wearing a pair of AirPods Pro by wearing only a single earbud if you’re sleeping on one side, or wearing both earbuds if you sleep on your back or upright. Just make sure you don’t accidentally fire off gestures in your sleep, you don’t want to max out your volume without realizing. A major caveat here is the battery life, which is only about 6 hours, so your AirPods Pro will die before you wake up.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation)
Impressive ANC • Comfortable fit • Wireless charging
One of the best true wireless earbuds for iOS users
The second generation of AirPods Pro features top-quality active noise cancellation in a water-resistant package.
The best headphones for sleeping: Notable mentions
The ear cups are slightly larger than the previous version and the padding is a little less plush, but still comfortable.
Sony WF-1000XM4: The Sony WF-1000XM4 has great noise cancelling and comfortable memory foam ear tips, making these great for back sleepers or sleeping on commutes. It’s available for $178 at Amazon.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro: While the battery life of 4 hours, 50 minutes isn’t great, the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro is super comfortable. This is another great pair of earbuds that will take you through your commute naps with great noise cancelling. It’s ideal for Samsung phone users, since they will get the most out of these earbuds. Pick it up for $179.99 at Amazon.
Google Pixel Buds Pro: The 7 hour battery life won’t quite get you through a whole night of sleep, but the fairly low profile of the Pixel Buds Pro could be good for sleeping, as well as the good noise cancelling. You can purchase it for $192.5 at Amazon.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II: Another good transit or plane sleeping companion, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II have really good ANC and a battery life of 7 hours, 15 minutes. You can get it for $279 at Amazon.
Sony WH-1000XM5: In the same vein as the rest of the notable mentions, the Sony WH-1000XM5 is ideal for sleeping upright or on your back. It has top-of-the-line noise cancelling, sounds great, and has a long battery life of just under 32 hours. It’s pretty pricey at $348 at Amazon.
Sony WH-1000XM4: I’ve fallen asleep in my Sony WH-1000XM4 many times since I bought them, and it’s a very comfortable pair of headphones for sleeping upright or on your back. The noise cancelling is perfectly good for blocking out any annoying noises for when you need to take a nap. It’s a bit more affordable than its successor at $329 at Amazon.
Anker Soundcore Life Q20: A way more affordable option for noise cancelling headphones for sleeping upright or on your back, the Soundcore Life Q20 has solid noise cancelling for the price of $59.99 at Amazon.
What you should know about the best headphones for sleeping
Low profile earbuds are best for side sleepers
The fit feels fine for working at a desk, or sitting, but requires adjustments if you go out for a walk or jog.
When looking for earbuds to sleep in, you want to make sure they don’t stick out of your ears too much so you can sleep in any position without pain. If you’re looking for earbuds for sleeping that double as everyday earbuds, finding something with a low profile is key. If you’re looking for headphones for only sleep use, there are headband-style headphones for sleeping that are comfortable in any position.
Back sleepers have more options
Sleeping on your back obviously makes this easier, since you don’t have to worry so much about your earbuds or headphones hurting your ears while you sleep. You can get away with pretty much any wireless earbuds or headphones if you’re a back sleeper, as long as it has ample battery life (over 8 hours), and fits comfortably on your ears. The world is your oyster, as you can consider more affordable headphones, or top of the line noise cancelling earbuds.
Battery life should last you all night
Lily Katz / SoundGuys
Your headphones battery life should last you all night, ideally.
You can wear wired headphones to bed, and our top pick is, indeed, a pair of wired earbuds. But if getting tangled in wires is a concern, wireless headphones are the way to go.
The caveat there is that you don’t want your headphones dying on you while you’re sleeping, unless you just need headphones to lull you to sleep for a short amount of time. On average, adults should be getting at least seven hours of sleep a night, so your headphones should accommodate that, and more. Some people take a while to fall asleep and need an hour of buffer time with their headphone battery life, and many people need more than just seven hours of sleep. Aim for headphones with a battery life of 10 hours at least, since that gives you enough time to fall asleep, and can accommodate people who sleep closer to nine hours a night.
Mono and stereo listening
Your phone’s accessibility settings will have sounds options where you can opt for mono audio.
As a side sleeper, when I’ve slept in earbuds I take out one of the earbuds so I can rest comfortably on the pillow while listening to music through one ear. If this is what you want to do with your earbuds, it’s a good idea to change your audio settings to mono, so you’re not just getting one channel of audio through your earbuds while you sleep. You can do this by going into the audio section of your phone’s accessibility settings. If you never move your head around at night, some earbuds have a single earbud listening mode that allows you to have mono sound through one earbud.
Noise cancelling vs isolation
You get three ear tips, a hook and loop cable holder, and a semi translucent striped cable.
Passive isolation and ANC both keep sounds out of your ears to ensure a restful sleep, but they work differently. Passive isolation uses a physical barrier to keep sound out, so the fit of your ear tips or the seal of your headphones matters a lot. ANC cancels out noise using inverse frequencies to what’s going on around you—it will keep out droning noises your headphones can pick up and cancel out, but incidental noises muffled better by passive isolation. The best way to keep sound out is with headphones or earbuds that have really good passive isolation, along with ANC.
How we test the best headphones for sleeping
We use a Bruel & Kjaer 5128 artificial head to perform isolation and frequency response tests, as seen here with the AirPods.
At SoundGuys, we perform objective tests to measure things like frequency response, isolation, microphone quality, and more. To do so, we use a Bruel & Kjaer 5128 head and torso simulator (HATS) with an anatomically realistic ear canal and outer ear. After we collect all of this data, we then score each product through various objective and subjective measures. When it comes to things we aren’t able to test hands-on, we do diligent research in order to find the products that best fit your needs.
How we choose the best headphones for sleeping
Based on our objective testing and uses of the products, we choose which products fit each criteria a person might need to fulfill. Our team confers with one another regarding the best products for a given category before presenting our list to you. It’s not over after we hit “publish,” though. We treat every article as a living document, and update it as new and worthy products come out.
Why you should trust SoundGuys
Austin Kwok / SoundGuys
We put in the time to test products objectively, and we’re not paid to tell you to like anything.
Each writer at SoundGuys has accumulated years of experience reporting on the consumer audio market, and our staff adheres to a strict ethics policy. Our team doesn’t directly sell any products or have any personal financial stake in whether you make a purchase. We pride ourselves on transparently outlining objective facts, while accounting for the subjective experience to contextualize an audio product’s performance. When we do misspeak, we correct and own up to it.
The federal government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform, but stopped short of ordering people to stay off the app.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the government’s “wind up” demand Wednesday, saying it is meant to address “risks” related to ByteDance Ltd.’s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.
“The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” he said in a statement.
The announcement added that the government is not blocking Canadians’ access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content.
However, it urged people to “adopt good cybersecurity practices and assess the possible risks of using social media platforms and applications, including how their information is likely to be protected, managed, used and shared by foreign actors, as well as to be aware of which country’s laws apply.”
Champagne’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking details about what evidence led to the government’s dissolution demand, how long ByteDance has to comply and why the app is not being banned.
A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of well-paying local jobs.
“We will challenge this order in court,” the spokesperson said.
“The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive.”
The federal Liberals ordered a national security review of TikTok in September 2023, but it was not public knowledge until The Canadian Press reported in March that it was investigating the company.
At the time, it said the review was based on the expansion of a business, which it said constituted the establishment of a new Canadian entity. It declined to provide any further details about what expansion it was reviewing.
A government database showed a notification of new business from TikTok in June 2023. It said Network Sense Ventures Ltd. in Toronto and Vancouver would engage in “marketing, advertising, and content/creator development activities in relation to the use of the TikTok app in Canada.”
Even before the review, ByteDance and TikTok were lightning rod for privacy and safety concerns because Chinese national security laws compel organizations in the country to assist with intelligence gathering.
Such concerns led the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a bill in March designed to ban TikTok unless its China-based owner sells its stake in the business.
Champagne’s office has maintained Canada’s review was not related to the U.S. bill, which has yet to pass.
Canada’s review was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to might harm national security.
While cabinet can make investors sell parts of the business or shares, Champagne has said the act doesn’t allow him to disclose details of the review.
Wednesday’s dissolution order was made in accordance with the act.
The federal government banned TikTok from its mobile devices in February 2023 following the launch of an investigation into the company by federal and provincial privacy commissioners.
— With files from Anja Karadeglija in Ottawa
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
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Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog said Thursday it’s opening a formal investigation into Google’s partnership with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic.
The Competition and Markets Authority said it has “sufficient information” to launch an initial probe after it sought input earlier this year on whether the deal would stifle competition.
The CMA has until Dec. 19 to decide whether to approve the deal or escalate its investigation.
“Google is committed to building the most open and innovative AI ecosystem in the world,” the company said. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don’t demand exclusive tech rights.”
San Francisco-based Anthropic was founded in 2021 by siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, who previously worked at ChatGPT maker OpenAI. The company has focused on increasing the safety and reliability of AI models. Google reportedly agreed last year to make a multibillion-dollar investment in Anthropic, which has a popular chatbot named Claude.
Anthropic said it’s cooperating with the regulator and will provide “the complete picture about Google’s investment and our commercial collaboration.”
“We are an independent company and none of our strategic partnerships or investor relationships diminish the independence of our corporate governance or our freedom to partner with others,” it said in a statement.
The U.K. regulator has been scrutinizing a raft of AI deals as investment money floods into the industry to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. Last month it cleared Anthropic’s $4 billion deal with Amazon and it has also signed off on Microsoft’s deals with two other AI startups, Inflection and Mistral.
