The brain is wired to respond to music in different ways positively. For this reason, you may opt to get headphones that you can sleep with throughout the night and get a good night’s sleep. Additionally, headphones will help you block the surrounding noises.
This article explores how to sleep with headphones, other items required, the type of headphones, and how to position your headphones to enjoy your music while sleeping. Continue reading to know how you can sleep with your headphones comfortably.
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Benefits of Sleeping With Headphones On
Sleeping with headphones can be safe and more beneficial when done correctly. You reap many benefits by sleeping with headphones on. Some of these benefits include the following.
You Have White Noise That Helps You Relax
You sleep more comfortably when listening to white noise since it helps you get to a state of sleep. It lowers your heart and breathing rate, thus making you fall asleep. Therefore, headphones will be a great solution to insomnia since you will listen to the white noise and make sleeping more comfortable.
In this state, your body relaxes and focuses on sleeping instead of other thoughts that make it hard to fall asleep.
You Listen to Music That Stimulates Serotonin
Your brain produces serotonin hormone to make you feel good and relaxed, making it easy for you to sleep. Listening to music helps stimulate the serotonin hormone. Therefore, having headphones on and listening to cool music means that your serotonin hormone levels are high, and falling asleep becomes easier.
You are also more likely to remain asleep without disruptions for the rest of the night when your serotonin levels are high.
It Shuts Out Noise
The noise in your surroundings can make it hard for you to sleep even when you are exhausted. So if you have headphones, it will be easier to block the outside noises and enable you to sleep. When you learn how to sleep with the headphones on, this will no longer be a problem.
There are specialized types of headphones, also known as noise-canceling headphones, manufactured specifically to cancel noise. They use electronic mechanisms to process and analyze sound and generate the opposite sound. The overall result is less noise.
Beneficial for PTSD and Insomnia
According to research, listening to music is one recommendation that your doctor will advise you to go for if you are dealing with insomnia and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Therefore, even before you seek medical advice, you can buy headphones and have them on while you sleep. In case the problem persists, you have to seek professional help.

6 Useful Tips for Sleeping With Headphones
To sleep with headphones, you need to get the right pillow, such as a travel pillow or one with a hole. Finally, you need headphones designed specifically for sleep. These headphones have unique earbuds fitting flat into the ears.
1. Use Travel Pillows
As their name suggests, travel pillows are designed for use when traveling. They are also called neck pillows, and they are U-shaped. If you want to spend the night with the headphones on, investing in the travel pillows will be a good idea. Because of the U-shape, it has a hole that can hold the wires and keep your ears off the bed.
On the other hand, the U-shape of the pillow will fit the headband. This will help prevent the headband from pressing against your head. When buying the travel pillow, ensure there is a strap or a tie at the U’s tip to help keep the tips together. If these are missing, it will be tricky to keep the pillow’s shape throughout the night.
With the variety of travel pillows in the market today, finding the best one that is worth your investment is easy. Some of the best travel pillows you should consider are:
Travelmate Memory Foam Neck Pillow
Travelmate Pillow is a kind of pillow that is easy and comfortable and will give you the experience you are looking for when sleeping with headphones. The traveling pillow has a high-tech memory foam that helps boost its comfort. It is also possible to adjust the thickness of the pillow to fit your comfort needs.
Twist Memory Foam Travel Pillow
This pillow is also good to use with your headphones. It is a versatile pillow, and it’s possible to roll and twist it in any direction that you are comfortable with. Additionally, it has a snap closure, making it comfortable. You can use it to support your neck, head, or shoulder.
You might also want to read: How to Soften a Memory Foam Pillow
2. Use Pillows With a Hole
Pillows with a hole are designed for people who have had ear surgery, sensitive ears, and other ear problems. The hole on them allows you to locate the ear, thus allowing you to sleep comfortably. Therefore, they are ideal choices if you want to use your headphones.
These pillows eliminate the stress that comes with a regular one when you want to sleep while using your headphones.
The hole on the pillow can also give you space where you can pass through your headphones’ cable. The cord can run under it, therefore, preventing chances of having the tangles around your neck.
There are many pillows like this in the market today. You can also look for ear surgery pillows to get better results. Some of the popular pillows with holes that you can find in the market today include the following:
PureComfort Pillow With an Earhole
This is a comfortable pillow that you can use, even surgery. It is ideal for sleeping with headphones, even if the headphones are wired. They have a hole where the wires can go underneath and reduce the risk of entanglement.
Roscoe Medical Cervical Pillow
Roscoe Medical Pillow is another quality product you can use when you have headphones. It is contoured in the middle to provide a soft place for the ears and now the headphones. However, it is best when used with wireless headphones since the wired can be risky.
Using any of the pillows mentioned, you may feel that they are flatter than you would want them to be. Therefore, you could use your usual pillow and headphones on top of your neck pillow.
3. Get Wireless Headphones
If you are not already using wireless headphones, then it is time that you invest in some, especially if you expect to sleep with these headphones. With the wireless headphones, you reduce the risk of running the cable around your neck while asleep.
Additionally, wireless headphones remain charged longer than wired headphones by approximately five hours. Therefore, these will serve you for the whole time that you are asleep. Here are some of the best wireless headphones in the market today that you can consider.
Bose 700
The Bose 700 are well known for their ability to cancel all surrounding noises. Additionally, they offer a clean, balanced, and impressive sound that you can enjoy listening to. Therefore, if this is the sound that you are looking for, then Bose 700 is an ideal option for you. Besides, It has a reliable battery life of about 20 hours when used continuously.
Jabra Elite Active 75t
The Jabra Elite Active 75t is the right way to go. These headphones provide reliable comfort and provide a well-balanced sound. They are also sleek and sturdy, meaning that they last long.
4. Get Sleep Headphones
As technology continues to grow, you will find headphones specifically designed for sleeping. These are the kind that has unique earbuds to fit flat on your ear as you sleep. However, these headphones may be a bit high compared to ordinary headphones.
Nevertheless, the price you pay for the headphones explicitly designed for sleeping is worth it since they are more comfortable and safer than the other traditional headphones.
Sleep Headphones Bluetooth Eye Mask
These headphones can pair a tablet or smartphone over Bluetooth and don’t come with annoying cords. They use velcro strap, ensuring a tight fit, and it comes with a battery that lasts up to nine hours. Besides, these headphones come with a built-in microphone that you can use to receive phone calls. It is made from washable fabric and breathable, meaning it wouldn’t get hot when you sleep.
WATOTGAFER Sleeping Headphones
This one is also a sleeping mask that you can use to block the light and connects wirelessly to your MP3 player, tablet, or phone. The buttons on its front are used to adjust volume without removing the mask and allow you to enjoy your music while sleeping away.
The mask is adjustable, comfortable, and lightweight, made of breathable fabric, and has a battery that can last up to eight hours.
5. Ensure the Headphones Are Correctly Fitted
Regardless of the headphones that you are using, you need to ensure they are fitted correctly before getting to bed. The same case applies if you are using earbuds in place of headphones.
Ensure that each of them fits perfectly in the ears to avoid causing damage to them or your ears. On the other hand, when the headphones or earbuds fit well in the ears before sleeping, you sleep comfortably without having to wake up in the middle of the night to put them back.
Be careful and think about the position of the headphone wires before sleeping. In this case, ensure that the cables are well-positioned under the pillow and in a way that they cannot entangle you even if you are in a deep sleep.
6. Sleep on Your Back
One of the surest ways to ensure your headphones remain in place is to get the right size of headphones and sleep on your back. When sleeping on your back, the headphones stay on your ears, reducing the chances of any damage. Therefore, learn how to sleep on your back to enjoy sleeping with your headphones on.
You may also like: How to Sleep While Sitting Up in Bed
Precautions to Follow When Sleeping With Headphones
- Avoid blasting music in your ears. Loud volume is not only harmful to your ears but also stimulates the brain leading to wakefulness. It is also tricky to sleep when the headphone is at such a blasting volume. Therefore, ensure that the sound in your ears will not cause other problems later on.
- Avoid sleeping with the headphones connected to the charger. In case the headphones are not charged, let it charge for a bit before you go to bed to avoid the risk of electrocution.
- Ensure that the headphones fit well in the ears before sleeping. If the pair you are using makes it hard for you to wear them in the ears, you can consider looking for those you are comfortable with.
- You should look for songs whose beats are close to your heart rate, between 60 and 80 beats per minute. These will help you calm down and fall asleep faster.
- Using headphones can cause damage to your ears. Therefore, ensure that you use high-quality headphones that will not be destructive to your ears.
- There is always a risk of ear injuries from wearing headphones or earbuds. There is the risk of developing a buildup of earwax along the ear canal. Technically, headphones or earbuds could impede air circulation in the ear canal and around the eardrum. As earwax builds up, they can quickly harden and become difficult to remove.
Conclusion
There are many reasons you may need to sleep with headphones. For instance, blocking out the noise in the environment or needing music to soothe you. So, if you are longing for headphones while sleeping, you have many options to choose from.
You need to have the right headphones and pillow to ensure comfort. Use the information and tips mentioned to ensure that you have the right kind of headphones for your sleep.