Sleeping with custom earplugs

Sleeping with custom earplugs can be comfortable, because they are made to the shape of your ear and so stay in place. Side sleepers often choose soft silicone. A DR filter makes sound quieter without shutting you off completely. But always test for yourself whether you can still hear your alarm clock and smoke alarm.

In this article you can read what to look out for regarding comfort, a snoring partner, safety and hygiene. Audibling does not have a separate sleep product. For sleeping, you use the earplugs for general use or you design your own set in the Designlab. Further down you can read how that works.

For your sleep earplugs, you have your ear impressions taken at a partner hearing centre. The ear impressions are included in the price and you pay at the hearing centre.

Why custom earplugs feel different in bed

A custom earplug is made from an impression of your ear. It follows the shape of your ear canal and outer ear. That is why it stays in place when you turn over, and you do not have to roll it up again every evening like a foam earplug. A good fit also means that little sound leaks past the earplug. That way you get the attenuation of the filter.

Lying comfortably as a side sleeper

If you lie on your side, your ear with the earplug in it presses against the pillow. The material then makes a difference.

When your ear impressions are taken, mention that you will mainly use the earplugs for sleeping, and which side you usually lie on. Then the hearing care professional can take that into account. Read more about the differences in acrylic or silicone, which should you choose? If a custom earplug still presses when you lie on your side, read what to do when custom earplugs press. Do ordinary earplugs keep falling out at night? Then read about earplugs for small ear canals.

Sleeping next to a snoring partner

Snoring is common. According to Thuisarts, the Dutch GPs' website for patients, about 2 in 10 men and 1 in 10 women snore every night. As a result, the partner sometimes sleeps badly or goes to sleep in another room. The Dutch Brain Foundation (Hersenstichting) mentions earplugs as a tip if there are sounds that disturb you, such as snoring.

Earplugs do not take away the snoring, but they make it quieter. The filter determines how much calm you get.

The values come from the Dynamic Ear Company specifications, as on our filter page and for the DR filter. Does your partner sometimes stop breathing while snoring, or are they very tired during the day? Thuisarts then advises the snorer to call their GP (huisarts). According to Thuisarts, 1 in 10 people who snore also has sleep apnoea.

Is it the neighbours keeping you awake rather than your partner? Then read what earplugs can and cannot do against noise from the neighbours, including bass and thumping.

Keep hearing your alarm clock and smoke alarm

This is the most important point. The Dutch fire service (brandweer) points out that you cannot smell anything when you are asleep, so you cannot smell smoke either. A smoke alarm has to wake you up. Since 1 July 2022, smoke alarms have been mandatory on every floor of your home in the Netherlands.

A filter reduces sound, but does not remove it completely. Still, whether you hear an alarm through your earplugs depends on your own situation. So take these steps.

1. Test your smoke alarm with your earplugs in. Ask someone to press the test button while you lie in bed with your earplugs in. The fire service recommends testing smoke alarms every month.
2. Link your smoke alarms. The fire service recommends wirelessly linked alarms. If one goes off, they all go off, including the one near your bedroom.
3. Test your alarm clock. If you do not hear it well, choose lighter attenuation or an alarm clock that also vibrates.
4. Is your hearing poor? There are smoke alarms with a flashing light and a vibrating pad under your pillow or mattress. The fire service mentions these specifically for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

If you are unsure whether you will hear an alarm, choose a lighter filter rather than the strongest one. Too much attenuation is called overprotection.

Hygiene if you wear them every night

Thuisarts explains that things in your ear, such as earplugs, can make the skin of your ear canal warm and moist. Bacteria can then grow more easily. That is why it is important to keep your ear canal clean and dry.

• Clean your earplugs every morning and let them dry properly.
• Keep them in the case during the day, not loose on the bedside table.
• Do not share your earplugs with anyone else.
• Do not poke around in your ear with cotton buds.
• If you get pain, itching or a burning feeling in your ear, stop for a while, and if the symptoms continue, contact your GP.

How exactly to clean them is explained in our article on cleaning custom earplugs. Have the fit checked now and then. Also read how long custom earplugs last.

How to get earplugs for sleeping

Audibling does not have a separate sleep product. You have two options.

• The earplugs for general use come with a DR filter of 16 dB SNR as standard and are also meant for sleeping.
• In the Designlab you put together your own set, with the material, filter and colour you want.

You choose from six colours, and a custom colour is possible by arrangement. A bright colour is easier to find among the bedclothes. Individual customers get a standard logo from our range. Your own logo is available from 10 pairs. You have your ear impressions taken at a partner hearing centre via Find a hearing centre. Your earplugs are ready about three weeks after the ear impressions are taken. You will find all variants in the custom earplugs collection. If you often sleep while travelling, also take a look at earplugs for travel.

Frequently asked questions

Will I still hear my alarm clock with custom earplugs?

A filter reduces sound, but does not remove it completely. Whether you hear your alarm clock depends on the filter, the alarm clock and you. So test it before you rely on it.

Is silicone or acrylic better for sleeping?

If you sleep on your side, silicone is often more comfortable, because it is softer and gives a little. Hard acrylic is sturdier and easy to clean.

Do you have special sleep earplugs?

No. For sleeping, you use the earplugs for general use with a DR filter, or you put together your own set in the Designlab.

Can I sleep with earplugs every night?

Many people do. Keep your earplugs and your ear canal clean and dry. If you have pain, itching or other problems with your ear, contact your GP.

Sources

• Brandweer, Rookmelders (smoke alarms, in Dutch) (accessed 4 October 2026)
• Brandweer, Speciale rookmelders voor doven en slechthorenden (special smoke alarms for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, 5 October 2022, in Dutch)
• Thuisarts.nl, Ik snurk erg (I snore a lot, in Dutch)
• Hersenstichting, Veelgestelde vragen over slaap (frequently asked questions about sleep, in Dutch)
• Thuisarts.nl, Mijn gehoorgang is ontstoken (my ear canal is inflamed, in Dutch)
• Dynamic Ear Company, acoustic filters for custom moulds

Last updated 4 October 2026.