These are my favorite options to wear during the day when I need to focus but don’t want to listen to music, when I’m feeling stressed and want to dampen sensory overload and when I’m on a busy train or bus. I can hear speech, I can hear myself speak, but everything feels quieter. Whether you’re up all night listening to a partner who snores, a barking dog next door, or lots of loud city traffic, a noisy environment can prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep. Earplugs are a simple tool to improve sleep quality, which in turn lowers your risk of health issues like heart disease, obesity, and high blood pressure.

Between 20dB and 25dB will reduce the volume more, but you'll still hear loud sounds. These are popular for sleep and concerts. More than 25dB, and you'll experience a lot of noise reduction and even silence depending on your hearing. Some people need this level of quiet for sleep.

Calmer Kids

The next stop was eating in a busy restaurant. Eating sounds, heavy breathing and even the sounds of coughing and sniffing can significantly trigger my misophonia, especially when in close-quarter environments and combined with clanging cutlery.

The earplugs are made from a low-pressure, slow-release foam that is both soft and squishy. As an added bonus, their cushy feel doesn’t irritate the delicate skin of your ear canal. Plus, with 50 earplugs in one bottle, they last quite a long time. It’s worth considering that some experts believe earplugs are helpful, but others warn not to wear them all the time. Ask your doctor about the best options for you. How to choose the right earplugs for sound sensitivity The Loop Quiet earplugs provide a greater level of noise reduction and are perfect for sleeping – even for side sleepers. (Image credit: Becca Caddy) Flare or Loop earplugs are both great for reducing noise. But which one is right for you will depend on your level of sensitivity and what you want to use them for, as they work a little differently.Foam earplugs are the cheapest option and being soft, they’re reasonably comfortable for sleeping in. However, as a porous material they’re a fertile breeding grown for bacteria, so you have to replace them regularly. The first thing to consider is how much they reduce sound. If you're very sensitive to sound, you'll want to try more reduction. If you'd like to ease general stress each day, and still want to be able to hear the doorbell or even attend meetings, you won't need as much reduction. If you've never tried earplugs before, this can be difficult to work out. These are the only pair I can wear all day on calls while talking to people and around traffic without feeling cut off from the world. Many people find this to be true – these earplugs are incredibly popular. They say that wearing the earplugs makes them calmer and the day more manageable. However, some others don’t notice a great deal of difference. With the standard Flare Calmer in situ, I headed out. Since I was about twelve, I’ve always worn earbuds in my ears when I’m out and about walking, even if I'm alone. This has led to a few too many close calls with speeding drivers and even some unsavoury characters – so this was a big deal for me.

They aren't wireless headphones, so you can't stream your own music or podcasts, but that makes sense when you see just how tiny they are. Instead, you transfer your chosen audio effects to the Zenbuds through Amazfit's mobile app. There's a huge range of options, from rainfall through to snoring kittens, so you're bound to find something that helps you nod off. Does it help you sleep, though? I’m a side sleeper, and I’ve never found an earphone that I can lie on without it hurting my ear. QuietOn are three times smaller than Apple Airpods Pro, a remarkable feat. I couldn’t feel them at all for the first few hours of the night, which was enough for me to nod off in peace.I feel duty bound to mention these Swedish plugs since they are so highly rated by dedicated users, but I couldn’t get on with them. It’s an unusual design, with a small rigid stem attached to a soft oval tip which is supposed to form a seal at the base of your ear canal. The bright lights and high ceilings, the maze of aisles and the constant hum of ambient sound from freezers, fridges and cash registers really itch my brain, so I’ve barely been able to pop to my local store since the pandemic began. If you normally find earplugs cumbersome, irritating, and uncomfortable, then you may want to give the Hearprotek Sleeping Ear Plugs a try. We found these soft and flexible earplugs among the most comfortable on our list. Not only do they gently contour to your ear canals, but they also don’t cause irritation, even after hours of wear. The standard and mini sizes both fit my ear comfortably, but the standard worked slightly better for my personal ear size. These felt perfectly fine to wear for hours on end with minimal discomfort, although the first few days I wore them, my ears were quite itchy at times. Choosing the best noise-cancelling headphones if you have an auditory sensitivity is the same as finding the right earplugs – everyone is different.

The Flare Calmer earplugs don’t reduce sound. Instead, they reduce certain frequencies that the company says people find most irritating and distressing. They come in two sizes, both of which boast a tiered, nodule design, and are particularly well-suited for small ear canals. Plus, they’re made of silicone, which is a bonus for anyone with allergies or sensitivities. The earplugs have a stem on the end that makes insertion and removal a breeze. However, this stem can also make them somewhat uncomfortable for people who sleep on their sides.Someone with misophonia is typically disgusted or irritated by the sounds of people eating. Autistic people, or those with ADHD, sometimes find sounds extremely loud or have difficulty processing sounds in stressful or already noisy spaces.