The world in 2019 is extremely noisy in almost every aspect of our daily lives. Research conducted implies that we shouldn’t be exposed to any decibels higher than 85dB. However, most of us expose ourselves to noise that may cause hearing loss. The advances in technology entice us to buy the latest high-powered headphones, home entertainment systems, and car stereos — all designed to be played loudly.

Thankfully, there is an alternative — earplugs. The U.S. government stipulates that every product geared toward noise reduction discloses their Noise Reduction Rating or NRR. There is an international rating, and there are standards and regulations to adhere to.

Undeterred by these laws earplug manufacturing is a big business and highly competitive. Each company tries to beat its competitors by creating new innovative features. As the market becomes swamped with earplug choices, it’s hard to know which product is the best. The consumer’s personal needs and style preferences are always paramount — the problem is that there are just as many noise creating situations as there are hearing protection solutions. Workplaces are governed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which makes it mandatory for each employee exposed to loud machinery to wear ear protection. That being said earplugs need to be worn by anybody who engages in deafening recreational activities.

Choosing the Right Type of Earplugs

There are different situations that require noise to be reduced, so it’s hard to know which are the best earplugs to solve your specific problem. Before choosing earplugs make sure they fit your ears correctly. Although there are many situations where earplugs are necessary, we will address the earplugs and noise-masking technology for sleep and noise reduction used against disturbances caused by firing guns, flying vehicles, and music.

Earplugs for Sleeping

The human body relies on a good night’s sleep to be able to maintain overall healthy wellbeing. Despite this, there is a percentage of the global community who regularly experience restless nights. As such, there are multiple reasons for lost sleep, including snoring, ambient noise, student living, boisterous neighbors, and close proximity to highways.

Sleep earplugs, across the board, are made for comfort, with a softer and more flexible textile so they can be worn all night long without irritation. Furthermore, there are a variety of sleep earplugs, including:

• Custom sleep earplugs — custom made earplugs can be purchased from your local audiologist
• Disposable sleep earplugs — made from memory foam, and are meant to be used only once
• Moldable earplugs — are composed of a wax or silicone substance which molds to your ear
• Reusable sleep earplugs — are more durable and can be reused several times

Recommended earplugs for sleeping

• Alpine Sleepsoft Earplugs — Reusable — 20dB — silicon
• Mack’s Ultra Soft Foam Earplug — Disposable — 32dB — foam
• Hearos Ultimate Softness Series Ear Plugs — Disposable — 32dB — foam
• Ohropax Reusable Wax Ear Plugs — Reusable — 23dB — wax
• Hearprotek Ear Plugs Noise Reduction and Hearing Protection earplugs – Side Sleepers — 32dB & 30dB — 2019 New Design Sleeping Earplugs

New Technology

2019 Breakthrough technology lets you control your own level of noise cancelation throughout your day through earbuds using Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

• Bose QuietControl 30 — Above-average noise isolation — Earbuds
• Bose QuietComfort 35 II — Good noise isolation — Comfortable — Over-ear
• SONY WH-1000XM3 Wireless Noise canceling Stereo Headset — Industry-leading noise canceling — Over-ear
• Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 — Versatile noise canceling — Sturdy — Over-ear headphone
• Mow H17 Noise Canceling Bluetooth headphones — Comfortable fit — Over-ear

Earplugs When Firing a Weapon

It’s imperative that you wear good quality earplugs or earmuffs when you are dealing with firearms. Gunfire shots often exceed 140dB — a very dangerous level that can affect your hearing.

• Custom shooter earplugs — Ideal for the professional shooter or hunter who needs high-quality and comfortable plugs every day
• Electronic shooter earplugs — microprocessors compress dangerously loud gun blasts — excellent for repeated use
• Reusable shooter earplugs — corded model accessible for the shooter who wants easy access between shooting sessions — uncorded option available
• Disposable shooter earplugs — Basic general noise protection — foam
• Earmuffs — shooting ranges have high impact noise — AutoBlocker compression protects you from incoming noise above 90dB

Recommended Ear Plugs for Hunting

• SportEar Select-A-Fit 412 Pair — Electronic — 22dB
• Mack’s Shooters Ear Seals Ear Plugs — Reusable — 27 dB — Foam
• Etymotic GunsportPRO Earplugs — Electronic Hearing Protection — 25dB
• No noise Shoot – New Generation Ear Plugs – Ceramic Filter — Reusable — 25dB
• Peltor Sport President Hearing Protector — Earmuffs — 26dB

Earplugs for Music

Musicians spend a lot of their time around damaging noise levels. Whether they play an instrument or sing in a band, musicians are at risk for developing music-induced hearing loss.

• Professional or amateur musicians of any kind
• Students in band or orchestra class and marching band
• Music instructors and conductors
• Concert and music festival attendees
• Nightclub or loud bar attendees
• Entertainment industry staff and concert crews

Recommended Earplugs for Musicians

• Etymotic Research ER20 Ear Plugs — Electronic — Reusable —12dB
• Etymotic Research MP9-15 MusicPRO — High-Fidelity Electronic Earplugs — Electronic — 9-15dB
• DUBS Noise Acoustic Filters — Electronic —12-24dB
• Loop Ear Plugs – High Fidelity Hearing Protection — Loop technology mimics the ear
• Mack’s Acoustic Foam Earplugs — Single-use foam — 20dB
• Eargasm High Fidelity Earplugs — Hypoallergenic plush silicone — 21dB
• Earasers Musicians Earplugs — Reusable —19dB
• DownBeats Reusable High Fidelity Hearing Protection — Reusable — 18dB

Earplugs for Flying

Earplugs for flying, also known as EarPlanes, are not used for suppressing airplane noise.
Instead, they are used for helping to equalize the air pressure in a person’s ear canal when the cabin pressure rapidly changes. They help to prevent passengers’ ears from popping and feeling the pain caused by the instantaneous change in air pressure when the plane takes off and lands.

• EarPlanes Ear Plugs — Disposable — soft hypoallergenic silicone material
• EarPlanes Children — Disposable