'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean?
ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.
When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.
ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form.
The top sleep headphones to give your mom this May
Possibly the best gift you can give your mom this Mother's Day is a good night's sleep. While you can't wrap up the peaceful recommended seven or more hours in a nice bow, a pair of sleep headphones or earbuds may help. Specifically designed for sleeping, these earbuds are subtle and comfortable -- some even work for side sleepers.
From both ZDNET testing and extensive research, we found sleep headphones equipped with flat speakers, active noise canceling (ANC) technology, and a long-lasting battery life that can be a game changer for a good night's rest, especially if noise is your number one nightmare.
More:
- The best headphones
- The best noise-canceling headphones
- The best headphones for working out
- The best sound machines: Fall asleep faster
- Long battery life
- Comfortable for side sleepers
- Cable slider and adjustable hooks ensure a secure fit all night
- Expensive
Bedphones Wireless tech specs: Form factor: Over-ear | Battery: 13 hours | Fit: Adjustable ear hooks
If you want headphones made for sleeping, look no further than the Bedphones. These headphones were designed with side sleepers in mind, as the speakers are thin and covered in soft foam padding. They lay flat against your ears while you listen to soothing sounds.
The adjustable memory wire ear hooks allow these sleeping headphones to fit all ears. While wireless, a cable connects the two drivers, and you can wear the cable in front of or behind your neck and tighten the cable slider to ensure the headphones stay secure even on restless nights.
The 13-hour battery life and inline microphone with a single-button remote are also impressive features.
- Affordable
- Comfortable to wear
- No auto-off feature
- Volume can be loud—even on the lowest setting
Perytong Sleep Headphones tech specs: Form factor: On-ear | Battery: 10 hours | Fit: Headband
This headband headphone design from Perytong is a more budget-friendly option for sleeping headphones. The headband is made of soft, breathable material that's also machine washable. It features detachable on-ear headphones that can comfortably fit back and side sleepers.
The headband holds a decent battery life that lasts 10 hours per full charge and comes in more than 15 color options. These sleeping headphones can also work well for listening to music while you run or for zoning out while you meditate.
- In-ear alarm feature
- Tracks your sleep when you wear them overnight
- Choose from pre-set sleep sounds
- Small size might get lost in bed when tossing and turning
- Not the most comfortable for side sleepers
Soundcore by Anker Sleep A10 Earbuds tech specs: Form factor: In-ear | Battery: Up to 10 hours | Fit: Earbuds
Not only are these earbuds from Anker small and comfortable enough to sleep in, but they also track your sleep while you wear them. These sleeping headphones track whether you were in deep or light sleep as well as the time you spent awake so you can better understand how you sleep at night.
Review: Do sleeping earbuds actually work? I tested the latest pair on the market
As far as sound goes, these headphones for sleeping use noise masking, broadcasting a low-volume layer of audio to cover up ambient sounds. You can choose from 31 different pre-set sounds in the Soundcore app's Sleep Music Library, including audio that mimics your brain wave frequencies during periods of rest.
- Best ANC technology on the market
- Comfortable and snug fit
- Easy-to-use touchpad with gesture controls
- Battery life isn't the best
- High price tag
Bose QuietComfort II Earbuds tech specs: Form factor: In-ear | Battery: Up to 6 hours | Fit: Earbuds
If you're looking to cancel noise around you while sleeping, these Bose QuietComfort noise-canceling earbuds have some of the best ANC technology on the market, and they also happen to be comfortable to sleep in.
These noise-canceling earbuds offer three modes: no noise-canceling, quiet mode, and aware mode. You can switch between different modes with the touch of a button on the earpiece.
Review: Step aside, AirPods. There's a new ANC champion in town
Since it's a part of their name, let's talk about comfort. According to ZDNET's Christina Darby, who contributed to this article and reviewed the buds back in October, the earbuds "felt less intrusive than other wearables" thanks to the lack of in-ear pressure build up.
While a tad bulky on the outside, the earbuds have a winged design that is super comfortable and snug in your ear no matter your ear size, thanks to the different size options. Note that the old-school Bluetooth design may take some adjusting to for side-sleepers. These earbuds are a natural choice for those who sleep on their stomach and back.
- 2-in-1 mask/headphone design
- Plenty of color options
- Loud voice narration for incoming calls
- Some sizing and comfort issues
Musicozy Wireless Sleep Mask Headphones tech specs: Form factor: Over-ear | Battery: 10+ hours | Fit: Eye mask
These sleeping headphones are part headphones and part sleep mask. By blocking out light in your room, the Musicozy wireless sleep mask headphones are a perfect option for light sleepers. The breathable fabric comes in 15 color options that contain over-ear headphones inside the mask.
With these sleeping headphones, you'll get about 10 or more hours of playtime. The built-in adjustable speakers also have a microphone if you need to take an early-morning call without ever opening your eyes.
- Lightweight
- Great for side sleepers
- ANC is fantastic
- No music playback, just white noise
- Pricey
QuietOn 3.1 sleep earbuds tech specs: Form factor: Earbuds | Battery: 28 hours | Fit: In-ear
Want to invest in a white noise machine but don't have room for it? Or know it would drive your partner nuts? The QuietOn 3.1 sleep earbuds are basically a sound machine in your ears. Weighing just 1.8 grams, the lightweight feel is especially noticeable against a pillow -- especially if you're a side sleeper.
These earbuds are interesting because they actually don't play music, making them more like a smart earplug. That said, QuietOn uses advanced ANC technology that makes it easy to block out usual sleep distractions.
With no app, music, or Bluetooth connection, these are great if you simply want a silent night's sleep. Which, according to her product spotlight, Darby did comfortably.
"As a noise-sensitive sleeper myself, I've tried sleeping with my 2nd-gen AirPods Pros before but found them too bulky. Therefore, I was impressed to find QuietOn's ANC comparable to Apple's, while feeling less irritating to wear during sleep."
The earbuds tote a 28-hour battery life and a frictionless fit with foam eartips, which is ideal if all you want is silence and are willing to justify the hefty $289 price.
What are the best headphones for sleeping?
The best sleeping headphones are the Bedphones Wireless headphones since they are specifically designed for sleep and are comfortable to wear in bed, even for side sleepers.
Sleeping headphones | Price | Battery | Form factor |
Bedphones wireless | $149 | 13 hours | Over-ear |
Perytong Sleep Headphones | $20 | 10 hours | Over-ear |
Soundcore by Anker Sleep A10 | $130 | 10 hours | In-ear |
Bose QuietComfort II | $249 | 6 hours | In-ear |
Musicozy Wireless Sleep Mask Headphones | $17 | 10+ hours | Over-ear |
QuietOn 3.1 earbuds | $289 | 28 hours | In-ear |
Which sleeping headphones are right for you?
It depends on what you're looking for relative to the position(s) you sleep in, whether you want ANC, and what price point you're willing to spend.
Choose these headphones for sleeping… | If you want… |
Bedphones wireless | The best sleep headphones. If you're a side sleeper, the flat and foam padded design was made with you in mind. You'll also get 13 hours of battery life. |
Perytong Sleep Headphones | The best budget friendly sleep headphones. Only $20 on Amazon, this over-ear headband is price and comfort conscious. |
Soundcore by Anker Sleep A10 | The best sleep earbuds. Unobtrusive, these earbuds are no bigger than a nickel, have a 10-hour playback battery life, and track your sleep. |
Bose QuietComfort II | The best sleeping headphones for ANC. Bose's QuietComfort II buds have unmatched ANC, and as the name suggests… comfort. |
Musicozy Wireless Sleep Mask headphones | The best sleep mask headphones. You heard that right, this sleep mask reaches your ears, blocking both sunlight and sound. |
QuietOn 3.1 earbuds | The best sleep headphones for white noise. QuietOn 3.1's earbuds are compact, comfortable, and cancel every sound without making any. They're basically an in-ear white noise machine. |
How did we choose these headphones for sleeping?
We selected these top sleeping headphones by doing extensive research into the product category. We looked at top-rated products across sites, noting customer reviews (both the good and the bad) and comparing features like price and form factor.
Is it OK to sleep with headphones on?
Yes, it is medically safe to fall asleep while wearing headphones. It is recommended to keep the volume below 85 dB. Also, over-ear or on-ear headphones are preferred over earbuds when considering long-term use since wax buildup and ear canal damage can potentially happen over time with earbud use.
Are noise-canceling headphones good for sleeping?
Noise-canceling headphones like the Bose QuietComfort II earbuds are great for sleeping since they have built-in technology that virtually blocks out any noise in your bedroom, making it easier to fall asleep to silence.
However, noise-canceling headphones for sleeping are not the best option in the case of an emergency since you're essentially tuned out to the world -- especially if you already consider yourself a heavy sleeper.
Are there alternative headphones for sleeping worth considering?
Of course, you could always fall asleep using the headphones you already have -- they just might not be as comfortable or made for sleep as much as our top picks. So here are some other options we recommend.
You can't go wrong with AirPods, especially if you're an Apple user and need ANC to fall (or even stay) asleep. The longer stem design isn't the most ideal for side sleepers, but the earbuds aren't too intrusive.
These are great if you want to block out sound and sleep comfortably without any friction from earbuds against the pillow.