We’ve all been there – those sleepless nights where, despite your best efforts, something is keeping you awake. Whether it’s a snoring partner, a busy road, or the sound of the wind whistling through the trees, everything seems so much louder at night!
But fear not, we have a secret weapon that could help you sleep soundly again – custom ear plugs!
Not getting enough sleep can significantly affect our physical and mental well-being. When we don’t get a proper night’s rest, we are often left feeling groggy, lethargic and low on energy.
So, what’s sound got to do with it?
Noise can disrupt our quality of sleep, not only waking us up in the middle of the night, but even when we remain asleep. This is because our bodies subconsciously react to noises at night and stay in a more alert state, preventing us from entering our full sleep cycle, including the important REM stage that helps our bodies to recover.
Ear plugs really do help to improve our quality of sleep by significantly reducing the level of disruptive noises from the surrounding environment.
Ear plugs sit snugly within the ear canal and act as a barrier to sound, absorbing and reducing the sound that reaches our ears. In fact, depending on the type of ear plug (more on that later), they can reduce up to 25-27dB of ambient noise. That’s enough to make even the loudest of snorers more bearable at night!*
And because ear plugs minimise nighttime noises, it means our bodies can reach the necessary sleep stages which are essential for physical and mental rejuvenation.
* Please note: No ear plugs or hearing protection can remove all sounds. This is due to the fact that we also hear through our mastoid bone and when sound is loud enough it bypasses the ear canal and is audible through our skull.
There are different types of ear plugs which can be used for sleeping, all of which have varying levels of effectiveness.
Disposable foam ear plugs are one of the most readily available types of ear plus and can be purchased at a majority of pharmacies and online retailers. While these do offer some noise reduction, there are much better alternatives on the market that can be worn multiple times and provide a much more comfortable fit – these are called custom-moulded ear plugs.
Custom moulded ear plugs, as their name suggests, are made specifically for you and can provide around 25-27dB of sound reduction. Made from soft medical-grade silicone, custom-moulded ear plugs are much more comfortable than other ear plug alternatives because they are created for you from an impression taken of your ear. They are so comfy, in fact, that many people even forget they are wearing them!
Sounds good?
Here at The Hearing Care Partnership, our friendly audiologists are here to help you with whatever your hearing needs are, including getting custom ear plugs for sleeping. During a hearing protection appointment, our audiologists will get to know you and your individual hearing needs before suggesting the right product for you. They will then take an impression of your ears if required.
To book your hearing protection appointment, you can call us on 0800 52 00 546 or book an appointment online.