Best sleep headphones and earbuds that will help you drift off

We were definitely a little confused when we first opened this box. These headphones don’t look like traditional earbuds and are even wired to a control unit designed to be positioned at the nape of the neck. Wearing them was a revelation, though. The headphones themselves are very light and thin and once we found the right size ear-tip for us (which took a little experimenting), we didn’t find them a problem, even when sleeping on our side.

As these work with passive noise cancellation – literally blocking out noise with a physical seal – it is very important to take the time to find the perfect fit. These were also the only headphones we tested with a loop over our ears, which made them much more secure than others, and they didn’t fall out during the night – or when we used them when we were out running.

The real bonus is you can choose how you use them. Unlike much cheaper versions, they can stream any playlist you choose, but they also have an excellent, comprehensive app that provides useful guided meditation sessions, storyscapes and soothing noises, which we found surprisingly effective.

We also loved the fact sensors monitor when you drop off and fade any audio once you’re asleep. Smart noise masking then kicks in to stop further disturbances – such as snoring or dogs barking – from waking you. The app also provides nightly sleep tracking, which will help reassure you that, with these headphones in, you’re sleeping better than ever before.

Don’t splash too much cash if you just want to listen to an occasional guided meditation as you drop off. These budget headphones are far less pricey than any of the other headphones we tested, and are ideal for using once in a while.

The speakers are inside a soft blue sports headband, which is surprisingly comfortable to wear. We thought we might feel the speakers when we slept on our side but they didn’t bother us at all. Be aware that, despite appearances, the headband can’t be worn as a sleep mask at the same time, as the speakers are then too low for your ears.

There’s no library of content, so the headband is best suited for anyone who wants to play their own music or podcasts. It connects quickly over Bluetooth and has a small panel at the front for controlling the music or answering phone calls with the built-in microphone.

Just make sure you leave more time to get ready the next morning, as we woke with flat-as-a-pancake hair after wearing these overnight.

Masking noises with other noise – even if it is your favourite music – isn’t the answer for everyone. We prefer to sleep in silence and don’t usually need to listen to white noise or meditations to drop off, but we’re very easily woken by external noise. If you crave quiet and find traditional earplugs just aren’t good enough, these earbuds will wow you.

They look just like smaller in-ear headphones and use premium ANC technology but won’t actually play any sound at all. They don’t have Bluetooth capabilities, feature any transmitters or emit any electromagnetic field radiation, so, you won’t need to pair them with an app or keep your phone by the bed, yet they really do stop noise. Just find the included foam ear-tip that fits the best and settle down for the night.

We loved the no-fuss approach, found them soft and comfortable to wear and have never slept better since we started using them. If you want to listen to music as you drop off, they’re not for you, but if you’re a light sleeper stuck with a snorer, they’re a game-changing – albeit pricey – bedroom essential.

If you’re looking for a pair of headphones that does everything, these Sony earbuds are great. Though they’re not designed specifically for sleeping, they are some of the most lightweight and comfortable in-ear headphones we’ve ever tried.

The earbud’s flat exterior meant they didn’t even bother us while we were lying on our side. In fact, the first time we used them to listen to music before sleeping, we dropped off while wearing them – although, it would really be best to remove them before you drift off.

There are cheaper earbuds available but the fit and noise-cancelling capabilities of these really make them worth the extra cash. Even when we weren’t playing music through them, they stopped us hearing our partner’s snores, so they’d be perfect on a noisy flight or in an office, if you need a bit of peace. Noise cancelling can be adjusted even further through the Sony app, too.

Sound quality is excellent, and the impressive 20-hour battery life means they won’t need a daily charge. We liked the fact the controls were on the headphones themselves, too, so we didn’t need to scramble about to find our phone when we were trying to wind down. They even work with Amazon Alexa, if you really don’t want to lift a finger.

These great value headphones can also be worn as an eye mask, so they’re a good choice if you need to block out light as well as noise. The band is extremely comfortable to wear and we couldn’t feel the soft, thin speakers at all when we slept on our side. The headband could also be worn while running, if you don’t like using buds while you exercise.

Extremely easy to use – there’s no app or paired content – you simply link the headband to your phone via Bluetooth and play whatever you want.

Once charged with the included USB cable – this takes about an hour – you’ll have enough juice for around 10 hours of listening. While the this headband design won’t completely block out deafening snorers, it will make sure you can snooze in comfort to the sound of your choice.

If you’re keen on an in-ear style but don’t want them attached to a control unit like the Kokoon earphones (£249, Kokoon.io), the A10 earbuds are the ones to go for. They look exactly like ordinary earbuds, with a charging case and four sizes of ear-tips to ensure they’re snug. However, they’re a little bigger than some other sleep headphones, so are better suited to back sleepers.

They don’t have ANC but use noise masking to cover up external sounds with other noise. A smart volume control can automatically adjust to minimise sleep disruption, and it’s possible to choose from any audio you prefer or the range of noises and tracks available on the accompanying Soundcore app.

With the app, you can also monitor your sleep, to track the quality of your shut-eye; pause audio when you fall asleep, and play a personal alarm – helpful if you don’t want to wake your partner. A good buy all round for a great night’s sleep, if you’d rather avoid active noise cancellation.

Though you can’t actually wear these while sleeping, these Bose headphones are by far the most comfortable model we tested for winding down with music in bed before drifting off. The synthetic leather cups are astonishingly soft and feather-light, which really helped us switch off and relax.

They were easy to set up and pair via Bluetooth, while the sound quality is impeccable, so you can really focus on a playlist or meditation and zone out of external noise, ready for sleep. Noise cancellation is astonishing, too – we wore these on a long plane journey and couldn’t hear the sound of the engines at all.

If you’re wearing them out and about during the day, though, it’s easy to switch to “aware mode” to hear external noises when you need to be, well, aware of your surroundings.

These are ideal if you want blissfully comfortable, wear-all-day headphones that you’re happy to slip off just before you drop off.