Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Build Quality
Most headphones are used while awake; thus, they are not put under the strain or abuse you might see when sleeping on your headphones.
When you sleep, you will be making contact with the pillow and turning and rolling. It can cause significant wear and strain on ordinary headphones, so you need tough and durable models ready to take the abuse.
We are looking for headphones designed explicitly for sleeping or existing models so we can adapt them to suit this purpose, and the materials used and the type of construction can play a significant role in long-term durability.
What headphones are comfortable for side sleepers?
Comfort is a hugely critical factor in the buying process. After all, if you aren’t comfortable, you will have problems falling asleep quickly and even more trouble trying to stay asleep.
You want to choose headphones that you would be happy to wear when you try to get a full 8 hours of sleep without experiencing any pain or discomfort.
If you have any issues with particular styles of headphones during the day, then you can bet that this will be further amplified at night. The headphones we have chosen below are better for side sleepers, but they might not be perfect. In this category, some compromises may need to be made.
You may also find a period of adjustment where you need to get comfortable with how you wear your new headphones when sleeping. With time and the right pillow, discomfort can be managed but not tolerated.
Is sound Quality important when choosing headphones for sleeping?
The sound is hugely important when choosing a set of headphones, but your priorities should be somewhat different when choosing them to sleep in.
In this case, you shouldn’t worry about out-and-out fidelity; instead, you should be looking for something that doesn’t do anything jarring or annoying that might put you off your sleep. Examples of this could be a distracting background hiss or even a sharp treble spike. Both of these can be off-putting enough that you start thinking about the sound rather than getting to sleep.
When it comes to sound, you want your headphones or earphones to be smooth and inoffensive. Neutral and balanced headphones with low impedance do well here, but I also would look past a set of headphones with toned-down high notes and some warmth to the presentation.
Over-Ear Headphones vs. On-Ear Headphones vs. In-ear headphones
Not all headphone styles are best suited for sleeping, and you will probably have a good idea from the start of what you are looking for.
A bulky full-size set of headphones will have trouble staying on your head and thus give you very little room for movement. In-ear headphones (earphones) may push deep into the canal if you sleep on your side.
There are workarounds for existing designs and models that will work better than others, and we have included them below.
Additionally, several companies have designed earphones, especially for sleep. Some of these are unique and not what you would want to be seen on the street, but they are fantastic for use in bed.
How much should you spend?
I would say that you can get away with your sleeping headphones being pretty cheap. They are, after all, there to help you get to sleep, and you won’t be doing much critical listening when you are asleep. The good news is that most companies making sleep-specific headphones don’t charge an arm and a leg for it. The ones that do (the Sleepphones at the top of our list are well worth it)
Can Sleeping With Headphones Kill You?
The chances of your headphones killing you in your sleep are so low that it’s almost negligible, but there have been cases. This usually resolves to two areas, lack of awareness and the cord tangling around one’s airways.
Can sleep with headphones cause cancer?
This question surprisingly gets asked a lot, but there is no evidence linking an increased chance of cancer with the use of headphones.
Most of the concern seems to be around wireless or Bluetooth headphones and false claims that prolonged exposure over a night’s sleep would increase your chances of developing the disease.
This is not the case and has been debunked via studies over the past few years. If you want to read more about this subject, then read this informative article by the American Cancer Society, which break down in an easy-to-understand manner how the radio frequencies in Bluetooth headphones affect our cells.
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