The best earplugs for sleeping and how to safely use them

UC expert provides commentary to Prevention

Sleep is an important factor of your health, and wearing earplugs while sleeping can help eliminate background noise so you get more quality rest.

Ann Romaker, MD, professor of Internal Medicine in the University of Cincinnati's College of Medicine and medical director of medical director of the University of Cincinnati’s Sleep Centers, spoke with Prevention on tips to select the right earplugs for each individual.

The best earplugs are the ones that are most comfortable and improve sleep for each person. Romaker said overall she'd recommend silicone putty earplugs that “conform to each user’s individual ear canal” because “they significantly decrease the noise level and are well tolerated.”

Read the Prevention article.

Featured photo at top of a person holding an earplug. Photo/nito100/iStock.

Related Stories

1

Sugar overload killing hearts

November 10, 2025

Two in five people will be told they have diabetes during their lifetime. And people who have diabetes are twice as likely to develop heart disease. One of the deadliest dangers? Diabetic cardiomyopathy. But groundbreaking University of Cincinnati research hopes to stop and even reverse the damage before it’s too late.

2

Is going nuclear the solution to Ohio’s energy costs?

November 10, 2025

The Ohio Capital Journal recently reported that as energy prices continue to climb, economists are weighing the benefits of going nuclear to curb costs. The publication dove into a Scioto Analysis survey of 18 economists to weigh the pros and cons of nuclear energy. One economist featured was Iryna Topolyan, PhD, professor of economics at the Carl H. Lindner College of Business.

3

App turns smartwatch into detector of structural heart disease

November 10, 2025

An app that uses an AI model to read a single-lead ECG from a smartwatch can detect structural heart disease, researchers reported at the 2025 Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association. Although the technology requires further validation, researchers said it could help improve the identification of patients with heart failure, valvular conditions and left ventricular hypertrophy before they become symptomatic, which could improve the prognosis for people with these conditions.