Sleep headphones are a popular way to unwind and sleep better at the end of a busy day. 

Whether you're looking to cover up the noises of life in a city or a snoring partner or you prefer to fall asleep with ambient noises, gentle music, or a favorite audiobook, sleep headphones can help you drift off a little easier.

Sure, you could just put on your favorite headphones and try to nod off, but the headphones in this collection are designed specifically for sleeping. That means you'll enjoy increased comfort and better durability against any tossing and turning during the night.

Our picks cover a range of prices and earpiece styles to help you find an option that perfect for your preferences or budget. Better still, they all receive stellar reviews on major electronics sites, online forums, social media, and from our own Informr community.

We've compared all the critical considerations you should keep in mind when picking out sleeping headphones to make these picks.

In short, we've done the research so you don't have to. 

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AcousticSheep SleepPhones Effortless

Best Wireless Sleep Headphones for Most Users

With their soft headband, Bluetooth support, and wireless charging, the Acousticsheep Sleepphones Effortless is a solid option for anyone looking for easy-to-use, comfortable sleeping headphones. Reviews indicate that the sound quality is good, the band nice and snug, and the earpieces flat enough to not cause too much discomfort for side sleepers.

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What's good  

  • Wireless charging
  • Will pair with most Bluetooth devices
  • One year warranty
  • 30-day return policy
  • 10-hour battery life
  • Two fabric options in a range of colors
  • Built-in playback controls

What's bad  

  • Bluetooth module can feel bulky
  • Fleece headband could cause sweating
  • Speakers sometimes roam inside the band

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AcousticSheep SleepPhones Classic

Best Wired Sleep Headphones

If you don't want to deal with the hassles of pairing your sleeping headphones, don't want to worry about battery life, or want to use them with a device that doesn't support Bluetooth, these are an excellent pick. Reviewers note the cord is long enough for comfortable sleep but no so long you wake up tangled in your own cords. As a headband model, they won't be the coolest option on this list. So warm sleepers might look elsewhere, but for most anyone else, they're a solid wired choice.

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What's good  

  • Comfort
  • Good Wireless Response
  • Easy clean
  • AcousticSheep offers replacements for each part of Sleepphones

What's bad  

  • Possible sweating and discomfort with Cloud Fleece
  • Tangled cords

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Hanpure Bluetooth Sleeping Headband

Best Budget Sleeping Headphones, Best Cheap Wireless Sleeping Headphones, Best Sleeping Headphones for Teens

These headphones check off most the boxes you need to get a good night's sleep. They stay in place, the earpieces are clear, and they offer enough battery to make it through the night with no problem. Better still, they do it at a price that makes them nearly disposable. They're also made from a lighter material than the other headband style picks in this collection. The exact model is available from a few different manufacturers, so if you can't find the Hanpure's be sure to check out similar products!

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HoomBand Wireless

Best Sleep Headphones with Added Services

Headband headphones aren't anything too uncommon. We feature a number of them in this collection. However, the Hoomband takes this concept one step further with a thicker headband for better light blocking and a full library of media available just for Hoomband owners. There are up to 20 hours of guided meditations and stories available to help lull you to sleep. This is also one of the only options in this collection with multiple sizes. So if you have a particularly small or large head, it might be worth extra consideration.

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What's good  

  • Comfortable
  • Good sound quality
  • Bluetooth 5.0

What's bad  

  • Price

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Bedphones by DubsLabs

Best Standard Sleep Headphones, Best Sleep Headphones for Warm Sleepers

If you don't want a headband design, options dwindle pretty quickly. However, the Bedphones by Dubslabs aren't just a standard pair of on-ear headphones. Their shape and size allow them to sit against the opening of your ear and lay flat so that even side sleepers should barely notice they're there. Reviewers found sound quality excellent and the small wire connecting the two headphones didn't get tangled or caught during sleep. There are even in-line media controls if you're listening to podcasts, audiobooks, or music before sleeping.

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What's good  

  • Good battery life
  • Comfortable
  • Adjustable cord

What's bad  

  • No noise cancellation
  • Might not be a good fit for some

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Bose Sleepbuds II

Best Premium Sleep Headphone, Best In-Ear Sleep Headphones, Best Earbuds for Sleep

While they feature the typical Bose price tag, the Bose Sleepbuds II offer more features than just about any other sleep headphone on the market. Their earbud design uses small wings to hold them in place without needing to be inserted deep into your ear for greater comfort during a long rest. Paired with the Bose Sleep app, the earbuds help block outside noise and create a calm environment for sleep. There's even a built in alarm feature to help you wake gently each morning at your preferred time. Unlike other picks on this list, these are not standard headphones. You can't use them to play music or podcasts. But for dedicated sleep headphones, they check most boxes.

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What's good  

  • Great new soft texture
  • Comes with a range of sized tips
  • Simple to understand app
  • Sizeable library of sounds and music

What's bad  

  • Expensive for being a niche product
  • Some of the sound libraries are more disruptive than helpful
  • Cannot be used as regular headphones

These picks should give you plenty of options for upgrading your sleep experience. We hope you find restful nights ahead!

We tried to include a range of formats and price points because comfort during sleep is key. To further complicate matters, we don't all sleep in the same position. But whether you're a side sleeper, a back sleeper, or prefer some weird contorted belly position (guilty!) there should be an option here that will stay in place and not leave your head or ears sore in the morning.

If you don't see the perfect choice for you in the picks above, be sure to check out our headphone comparison tool. It makes it simple to compare important considerations about up to 5 headphone models at a time without the need to jump between tabs or deal with endless sales hype.

How We Picked

The picks in this buyer's guide are what we think are the best sleep headphones for most people.

We selected these models based on analysis of expert reviews from around the web, user feedback on sites like Amazon, forum comments on our site, social media discussions, and more.

We compared the things most people consider when purchasing sleep headphones.

In short,  we did the research — so you don’t have to.

When answering the question, “What’s the best sleep headphones for the average user?”, we considered the following primary criteria:

 

A Strong Battery
If your headphones cut out while you're falling asleep or constantly need to be recharged, you're less likely the use them. All of the picks in this collection should offer plenty of standby battery life and get you through a night of sleep with no issues!

 

Comfort
How you prefer to sleep is likely very personal. This means it can be hard to pick a specific set of headphones that's perfect for everyone.

However, our picks all receive high marks for their low-profile designs, padded components, and pain-free sleeping in a variety of positions.

 

Easy to Find
While you can find headphones at just about any store -- they even sell cheap earbuds in most convenience stores these days -- finding sleep headphones can be tricker. To make things easier, we chose picks for this collection that you can easily pick up online from reputable retailers.

 

Solid Reviews
We scoured online reviews for each of our picks to be sure that you won’t find flimsy cables, weak batteries, spotty connections, or other surprises.