Many people love to listen to music to help them fall asleep. Others just want to listen to white noise in order to help drown out background noise that may be preventing them from gettting a good night’s rest.
Whatever the reason you want to sleep with airpods (or other earbuds) in, you should know that it really isn’t adviseable to do so.
Read also: What to listen to while sleeping.
Is it safe to sleep with airpods in?
The short answer is that it is not recommended to sleep with airpods in.
Why shouldn’t I sleep with airpods in?
There are a few reasons why you shouldn’t sleep with airpods in.
Never sleep with corded earbuds or headphones
First and foremost, it can be very dangerous to do so. If you fall asleep with corded earbuds in, you run the risk of suffocating if the cord gets wrapped around your neck.
Even bluetooth airpods and headphones can cause damage
Wearing airpods for long peiords of time, whether listening to loud music or just white noise, can lead to long term hearing loss.
Sleep disruption
Listening to music or white noise through earbuds can also cause sleep disruption. This is because it can be very difficult to fall asleep with any kind of noise going on in your ears.
It’s better to just listen to music or white noise on speakers if you really have to, but it’s better still to sleep in a quiet room.
Read also: is it bad to have a TV in my bedroom?
Ear pain
Some people experience ear pain when they sleep with earbuds in. This is because the pressure from the earbuds can cause discomfort in your ears.
Ear infection
Sleeping with earbuds in can cause you to develop an ear infection. This is because putting dirty earbuds near your ear canal can lead to bacteria entering your ears which you could get an infection from.
Discomfort
Some people may also experience discomfort when sleeping with earbuds in. This is because inserting objects into your ears can also cause ear pain.
If you are a side sleeper, you can even end up pushing the airpod too deap in your ear, causing pain and potentially damaging your ears if the loud music is too close to your ear drum.
Earbuds can block the ears’ natural cleaning
Normally sweat and dirt in our ears is released through wax build up which then falls out of our ears (often at night). If you wear your airpods or other earbuds for long periods, eg overnight, then this process can be disrupted.
You can read more in our guide on why your ears block when you sleep.
Missing important sounds
If you keep your airpods in while you sleep you may find that you miss other important sounds, like your wake-up alarm, people calling out to you to wake you up, or even crucial noises like a fire alarm.
Damage to your airpods
Regularly using your airpods over night can reduce the battery life of your airpods, as you are running them down too often.
Also, sleeping with airpods runs the risk that they will fall out at night and get lost or damaged.
What if I fall asleep with my airpods in? Will I be OK?
Yes, if you accidentally fall asleep with your airpods every now and again in you are unlikely to yourself any harm.
Can I wear airpods pro while sleeping?
Airpods pro offer some advantages over standard airpods for sleeping in, as they are more comfortable than normal airpods. They still shold not be used for long periods and the airpods should never make direct contact with your eardrums. It is still better not to wear airpods pro while sleeping, even though they are less uncomfortable than regular airpods.
Can sleeping with airpods cause ear infection?
Sleeping with your airpods in can cause ear infections because they may get dirty from prolongued use, and then this dirt sits in your ears. Also, excess wax buildup has nowhere to go if you are wearing your airpods overnight. Make sure to clean your airpods regularly and also ensure to gently clean out your ears with a cotton swab to avoid ear infections.
Can I wear over ear headphones to sleep?
Over ear headphones are slightly more suitable for sleeping than earbuds, but they still come with the risks of disturbed sleep, discomfort, damaging your hearing if you listen to loud music for extended periods, and blocking out external noise which may be important.
Read also: Can I keep my phone under my pillow?
Conclusion: Is it safe to sleep with airpods in?
You should not sleep with your apple airpods in on a regular basis. Using external speakers to play low volume soothing music or white noise is much better for you.
If you do find yourself sleeping with your airpods in occasionally, you are unlikely to cause any long-term damage. Airpods pro may be more comfortable for sleeping in than regular airpods, but they should still not be used for extended periods. Over ear headphones are not as bad as earbuds for sleeping in, but they still come with some risks.