Custom earplugs for sensory overload
On a crowded train, at a birthday party or in a busy supermarket, sound can sometimes hit you too hard. Custom earplugs with a light filter turn down the volume of your surroundings a little, while you can still follow conversations. In the table below you can see which filter and which material suit each situation.
Which earplugs help with sensory overload?
A light filter is usually enough. The DR 10 reduces sound by 9 dB and comes as standard in our Earplugs for sensory overload. For the train, the bus or a busy birthday party, choose a medium filter, the DR 15 with 16 dB. Choose the material by how it feels. Silicone is soft and flexible, and hard acrylic is firm and easy to clean.
| Situation | Filter | Material |
|---|---|---|
|
Supermarket, shopping centre or canteen Beeping tills, rattling trolleys and music from the speakers become less sharp. You can still hear the cashier as usual. View Earplugs for sensory overload |
LightDR 5 (7 dB) or DR 10 (9 dB) | Acrylic or siliconeChoose whatever feels most comfortable to you |
|
Train, bus or a busy birthday party Constant noise and voices talking over each other. A little more protection gives you calm, while you can still understand the person next to you. |
MediumDR 15 (16 dB) | SiliconeSoft and flexible, comfortable if you wear them for a long time |
|
Work or school in an open space You stay available to colleagues or the class, with fewer sharp sounds around you. More about focus and concentration |
LightDR 10 (9 dB) | Hard acrylicFirm, easy to put in, take out and clean |
|
Sleeping or resting while travelling Here it can be quieter. A stronger filter gives a lot of calm, for example on the train or in bed. Sleeping with custom earplugs |
StrongDR 20 (19 dB) | SiliconeMore comfortable to sleep in thanks to the soft material |
|
You quickly feel something in your ear You choose the material separately from the filter. Hard acrylic can feel harder in a sensitive ear canal. Hard acrylic or silicone, which should you choose? |
Light or mediumChoose the filter for each situation | SiliconeSoft, adapts a little when you talk or chew |
|
A concert or party you still want to go to Here it is about hearing protection as well as sensory input. A flat music filter reduces all tones by about the same amount. Earplugs for concerts |
Music filterDM | Acrylic or siliconeChoose whatever feels most comfortable to you |
Attenuation (SNR) according to the acoustic specifications of Dynamic Ear Company, as on our filter page. The properties of the materials come from our article on hard acrylic or silicone.
Starting light is often enough
With sensory overload you usually do not want maximum protection, just enough to take the sharp edges off sound. These are the four DR filters for general use, with their attenuation (SNR).
DR filters, from light to strong
Based on the acoustic specifications of Dynamic Ear Company, as on our filter page.
Acrylic or silicone?
Silicone feels softer and stays in place when you talk, chew or move. That makes it more comfortable if you wear them for a long time.
Acrylic keeps its shape and is not porous. The earplug is easy to hold and easy to clean. Acrylic often lasts a little longer too.
The filter is interchangeable in both materials. The material is fixed once the earplugs are made, so take your time over that choice.
Hard acrylic or silicone, which should you choose?How to use earplugs for sensory overload
What earplugs for sensory overload can and cannot do
Custom earplugs make sound quieter, they do not shut you off. With a filter you still hear your surroundings, just with fewer sharp edges. They are an aid, not a treatment for autism, high sensitivity, hyperacusis or tinnitus. If sound causes you pain, if you have ringing in your ears or if you have doubts about your hearing, see your GP (huisarts) or a hearing care professional first.
Hoormij, the Dutch association for people with hearing loss, advises not to wear hearing protection all the time with hyperacusis, but mainly with ongoing loud noise from about 75 to 80 dB. You can read more background on sensory processing in our article on earplugs for autism and HSP. If you have ADHD, our article on ADHD and earplugs explains which filter suits work, study and busy places.
When do you use them?
It helps to decide in advance where you will use them, instead of wearing them all day. A few examples.
- Saturday shopping. Put them in at the entrance and take them out once you are outside again.
- Public transport. Brakes, doors and announcements are loud and unpredictable. With a DR 15 you still hear the announcement, but it hits you less hard.
- Birthdays and dinners. Lots of voices at once are tiring. A light filter makes the background chatter less sharp, while you follow the conversation at the table.
- Work or school. In an open-plan office or a full classroom, a DR 10 keeps you available. In earplugs for concentration you can read more about working and studying with earplugs.
- At home. Preferably leave them out, so your ears stay used to ordinary sounds.
Why light protection is often enough
The light DR filters mainly reduce high tones and let most of the mid frequencies, where speech sits, through. With the DR 10 that is 11 dB in the high tones, 5 dB in the mid frequencies and 3 dB in the low tones. Voices therefore still sound natural, while beeps, clatter and shrill sounds hit you less hard. That is why the DR 10 comes as standard in our Earplugs for sensory overload.
If you want more calm, choose a DR 15 or DR 20 when you design your earplugs. The filter is interchangeable, so you can adjust it if you notice it is too much or too little. What these values mean is explained in the SNR value explained.
Comfort and your own voice
If you are sensitive to what you feel in or on your body, the material makes a big difference. Silicone is soft and flexible. Hard acrylic is firm and easy to clean. Because the earplug is made from an impression of your ear, it feels the same every time. Nothing needs to be rolled up or squeezed, as with foam earplugs.
With something in your ear, your own voice can sound louder or hollow. This is called the occlusion effect. The DR filter is made of a venting material that reduces that closed-off feeling. If you still notice it, discuss it with the hearing care professional.
You can read more about that hollow feeling and how a filter reduces it in the occlusion effect.
Children and young people
Children can also struggle with busy classrooms, the gym or parties. For them there are custom earplugs for children. Let them choose the colour themselves, or pick a jewel together. Children are more likely to wear something they like. Ears are still growing, so have the fit checked regularly. If in doubt, also talk to the school or your child's care provider.
Discreet or deliberately visible
A clear custom earplug is hardly noticeable. Some people deliberately choose a colour, so others can see that they want less input for a while. Both are fine. You can see all the colours on personalise.
Sources
- Hoormij on aids for hyperacusis (in Dutch)
- Dutch Association for Autism (NVA), what is autism? (in Dutch)
- Acoustic specifications of the filters (H, M, L and SNR) from Dynamic Ear Company, as on our filter page.
Written by Thijs Worm. Last updated 5 October 2026.
How to get earplugs for sensory overload
At your appointment you can discuss with the hearing care professional in which situations you want to use them. That helps when choosing the filter.
Design
Choose the material, colour, filter and, if you like, a jewel or logo online. You see the price straight away and get a design code.
OnlineImpressions at the hearing centre
Take your design code to a partner hearing centre. The hearing care professional takes impressions of your ears. The ear impressions are included in the price and you pay at the hearing centre. The impression material feels a little cool and sets in about five minutes. That way you know in advance what to expect.
Ear impressions includedMade in our lab
Audiform in Kilder makes your earplugs from the impressions. They are ready about three weeks after your ear impressions are taken. You agree with your hearing care professional whether you collect them or have them sent to you.
About 3 weeksQuestions about earplugs for sensory overload
Do earplugs help with sensory overload?
They can make sound in busy situations quieter and less sharp, so busy places hit you less hard. They remain an aid, and what works differs from person to person.
How much protection do I need?
Light is usually enough, such as a DR 5 (7 dB) or DR 10 (9 dB). The Earplugs for sensory overload come with 9 dB as standard. For train journeys or busy parties you can choose a DR 15.
Can I still follow conversations?
Yes. The light DR filters mainly reduce high tones and let most of the speech frequencies through.
Can I wear them all day?
Preferably not. Hoormij advises not to wear hearing protection all the time, but mainly with ongoing loud noise. If in doubt, ask a hearing care professional or an ENT doctor (ear, nose and throat specialist) for advice.
How are they different from noise-cancelling headphones?
Noise-cancelling headphones work electronically, need a battery and are larger. A custom earplug reduces sound without electronics, is small and fits under a hat or hood. Which is more comfortable differs per person and situation. Whether noise-cancelling earbuds also count as hearing protection is explained in our article on AirPods Pro as hearing protection.