The idea of wearing headphones or earphones to fall asleep is not new, but new technologies should make it easier to sleep. It’s also a great combination of hardware and software that can make a big difference, which is why Bose Sleepbuds II stands out in particular. There are others, but this list is dedicated to what invites you to sleep.
As our review made very clear, Bose Sleepbuds II has one job. Don’t get hooked on your favorite songs wearing these earphones or catch up with podcasts in your spare time. Their sole purpose is to put you to sleep sooner or later. That’s ironic. In other words, the idea is to make nothing audible for a long period of time.
Due to their feathery weight and small stature, they are definitely comfortable. This increases the chances of a wide ear fit. You might think that the lack of active noise canceling (ANC) can confuse these buds, but passive isolation can be better than expected because it fits snugly.
Since there are no songs or podcasts, choose from the natural sounds and melodies provided by the Bose Sleep app. It’s a limited content library, but what’s unique is that the sound is “transferred” to the earphones. This means that you can prevent your phone’s battery life from being shortened because you’re not really streaming anything. That said, Bluetooth LE doesn’t transfer very fast, so it’s best to transfer when you’re awake.
The content is a decent mix and plays all night, which extends battery life. Don’t forget to put it back in the case and charge it after you wake up. After a few days, the case also needs to be charged.
You can rationalize high price tags this way: how much is a good night’s sleep worth to you? If Sleepbuds II works as designed, you can sleep comfortably every night. This can have a chain effect on other aspects of life. Unfortunately, these buds can’t get sleep tracking data, so you need to get it from your smartwatch or other device.
These are not true wireless earphones, as the modules that connect the ends are so prominent. The cable is deliberately wavy to accommodate different head sizes. As we found in our review, they felt weird the first few nights, but after that they were completely fine.
You can listen to music and other audio content through Nightbuds, but only sleepy content is provided through the MyKokoon app. There’s a lot to it, from meditation to storytelling, some purely melodic and some speaking in a calm voice. There are also cool integrations with apps like Calm, Headspace and Spotify.
Instead of playing all night, the bud’s own sleep sensor fades out the music and then fades back until the time you want to wake up. Don’t forget to set the phone to silent. Otherwise, the phone will be routed via Bluetooth and may wake up in the worst case.
Nightbuds keep track of your sleep, but with few statistics and poor context, you won’t learn much about how good your sleep was. The connectivity problem was a nuisance, but it could eventually be a thing of the past as the firmware update set it in the right direction.
Like Bose with a sleep bud, Amazfit built Zenbuds to serve its sole purpose of helping you fall asleep. Therefore, there is no music streaming or phone whenever you wear them. Instead, choose from a variety of content options within the Zepp app to find the best sound. They don’t have to play all night, but they don’t even have a built-in alarm that wakes you up at the right time like a smartwatch.
Sleepbuds II are generally comfortable, but Zenbuds goes one step further with a slim, feather-like construction that doesn’t bother you to wear every night. Snoring partners may still penetrate your ears and upset you, as they do not completely block external noise like Bose.
When you actually sleep, Zenbuds will automatically track your metrics and give you a deeper level of detail than any other app. This is primarily due to the integration with Zepp apps that already have these features. Tracking tells you how long you are sleeping on your back or sideways. This is rarely seen in other wearable sleep tracking.
Oddly enough, the earphones don’t get in place in the case with the magnet. You will need to manually align the connector so that it passes through the charge. Depending on your setup, you will need to learn this as they will charge frequently. If you want them to play all night, they may not be able to accomplish it all night. It’s okay if you set the time, but expect the couple to recharge after sleeping.
It’s no exaggeration to say that over-ear headphones and sleep are probably an acquired taste just because you have to feel comfortable enough to cover your ears and wear something that wraps your head. Headband headphones exist for sleep purposes, but Kokoon Relax takes the idea and adjusts it to provide both comfort and separation. You also get a sleep mask to go with your headphones.
The comfort part is subjective. Because it’s hard to tell if side sleepers like them as much as back sleepers and stomach sleepers. The earcups are long and fit well, and the soft fabric and breathability keep your ears from getting too hot after hours of wear. You can actually remove the fabric and wash it when needed.
Kokoon has found room for ANC, so if passive isolation isn’t enough, you can take it to another level. You can listen to your favorite audio with them, but all the sleep content is in the MyKokoon app. Despite the onboard microphone, you need to connect to the phone using the included 3.5mm cable to actually make and receive calls. That’s a problem because most phones no longer have a headphone jack.
Kokoon evaluates battery life up to 13 hours on a single charge, excluding relative numbers. If you leave them to play all night, they may last another night before you need to recharge them.
It’s no wonder 1More makes small earphones according to ComfoBuds Z’s design philosophy. Reducing the size means that it fits relatively easily into almost any pair of ears just because it feels more like earplugs than earphones. Unlike the others on this list, they don’t prevent you from listening to the audio content you want.
This fact becomes apparent both when using the 1More Music app to adjust the sound profile with the onboard equalizer and when choosing the pleasing sound you want to hear when you faint. These buds don’t turn off after nodding because they don’t have a sensor to indicate it. Therefore, if you play something in the app without setting a timer, the buds will continue until the battery runs out.
Note that to maintain this kind of size for the ComfoBuds Z, 1More removed the wear sensor, so there is no autoplay / pause on removal. Also, there is no touch control and, interestingly, no microphone of any kind. Not only does this deny the possibility of active noise canceling, but it also means that you don’t make calls using them.
The good news is that you get good sound quality no matter what you listen to. These are solid earphones for music that make you feel that your sleep function is almost a bonus. The internal battery is small, but playback is limited to less than 3 hours on a single charge.
If you don’t want to be wireless, you don’t have to. Also, you don’t have to spend a lot of time seizing the opportunity for earphones that help you fall asleep. Maxrock Sleep Earplugs are cheap to buy, but you’ll need to plug them in to get them working. So if you have a headphone jack or 3.5mm adapter, you can play your favorite audio. There are no real restrictions here other than the cable itself.
They are made of softer silicone and use double layer ear tips to sneak into your ears for tighter passive isolation. Of course, with the exception of the cable, none of these earphones actually stick out of your ears, so their design is ideal for side sleepers. The cable that connects to each earphone is a bit thin, so you need to be careful when pulling too hard. If you tend to turn over a lot while you sleep, they may not be successful at work.
That said, Maxrock Sleep Earplugs isn’t just for side sleepers, so if you’re on an airplane and want to connect to in-flight entertainment, tablets, or computers, that can help. You can also use it on the phone when you’re not traveling or sleeping.
Conclusion
It can be argued that this is an early category of headphones and earphones, but that is no longer true. There are all sorts of ideas and concepts about using audio through your ears to induce sleep. The best wireless earphones do not always have these considerations by design. As a result, there are more niche options like the one here, centered around the Bose Sleepbuds II.
You may not be able to play your favorite audio, but it’s worth a look because of the excellent combination of fit, comfort, content, and support. Given how good a cocoon night bud is when all the parts are in place, don’t exclude the cocoon night bud instead. Further updates should improve what is already there in the future.
Others on the list have their own strengths, and you may find one of them better suited to your sleep habits. No matter what you choose, it may take some time before you feel the positive effects, so you need to be patient.