Does sleeping with AirPods damage your ears?
William Rodriguez
Published Jan 10, 2026
In-ear headphones could cause discomfort and bacterial infections. Plugging hard plastic earbuds, like AirPods®, in your ear may not be terrible in the short-term, but falling asleep with them could add discomfort.
Is it OK to sleep with AirPods on?
Sleeping with AirPods could cause hearing loss
Falling asleep with levels above that isn't recommended at all. If you want to listen at a safe volume level, set it around 50% or less. You won't be having noise issues at night, so that the lower volume will be fine for your ears.
Can sleeping with AirPods hurt your ears?
AirPods, when used correctly, aren't supposed to hurt your ears. If you get frequent headaches or earaches from using AirPods, you should switch to another alternative, even if it pains you to leave your expensive wireless earbuds at home. Your hearing is precious, and lost hearing can't be restored.
Does AirPods damage your ears?
Whether Beats, AirPods or Bose, the answer is simple—Yes. Using headphones and earbuds can absolutely cause damage to your hearing—the same goes for exposure to any loud noise.
Is it OK to sleep with AirPods pro in?
You can wear Airpods Pro before falling asleep without much risk involved. If the volume is low enough and you’re not putting pressure on your ears, they may be safe. However, due to potential long-term risks, prolonged use is not advisable. It can also negatively affect the quality of your sleep.
36 related questions foundHow can I sleep without losing my AirPods?
Many people probably just hook the AirPods in their ears with the stem pointing down. But that keeps them loose, virtually guaranteeing that they'll slip out. After placing the AirPods in your ears, twist them up around 30 degrees so the stem is more horizontal and is sticking out away from your ears.
How can I sleep with AirPods without falling out?
5 Tips on How to Keep Your AirPods from Falling Out
- Make sure you're wearing them right.
- Try swapping the AirPods and wearing them upside down.
- Switch to memory foam tips (for Airpods pro)
- Apply a waterproof tape.
- Use third-party accessories.
How loud is too loud for AirPods?
Both can cause people to exceed the acceptable volume level of 85dB. As per World Health Organization recommendations by Apple, here's the safest sound level to listen to with headphones: No more than 5 hours each day at 80 dB. No more than 2 hours per day at 85 dB.
Does tinnitus go away?
Tinnitus can't be cured. But tinnitus usually doesn't continue forever. There will be a large number of factors that will establish how long your tinnitus will stick around, including the primary cause of your tinnitus and your general hearing health.
How long should you wear headphones a day?
“As a rule of thumb, you should only use MP3 devices at levels up to 60% of maximum volume for a total of 60 minutes a day,” says Dr. Foy. “The louder the volume, the shorter your duration should be. At maximum volume, you should listen for only about five minutes a day.”
How do you sleep with tinnitus?
Tinnitus sleep strategies:
- Use a better sound masking strategy. ...
- Write down all of your thoughts. ...
- Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. ...
- Structure a relaxing evening routine. ...
- Be smarter with your screens. ...
- Make your bedroom pitch black. ...
- Replace night lights. ...
- Turn down the thermostat.
Can you ignore tinnitus?
You can absolutely train your brain to ignore it or rather just feel better about it being there. Yes, there may be no cure for tinnitus (yet) but don't let anyone tell you that there is nothing that can be done to improve your life when you live with tinnitus.
Does tinnitus make you deaf?
Although severe tinnitus can interfere with your hearing, the condition does not cause hearing loss. Tinnitus is a symptom associated with many ear disorders. A common cause of tinnitus is inner ear damage.
Do AirPods cause ear infections?
Earbuds essentially block the ear canal, which can cause moisture to build inside, Brown said. “This increase is a fertile breeding ground for bacteria, and if circumstances are right, an external infection can occur.”
Are headphones safer than earbuds?
There's nothing between your ears and the sound to protect you. Earbuds can also push earwax deeper into the ears, causing blockages that affect your hearing, making you raise the volume even more. Over-the-ear headphones are a much better choice.
Is tinnitus serious?
Most of the time, tinnitus isn't a sign of a serious health problem, although if it's loud or doesn't go away, it can cause fatigue, depression, anxiety, and problems with memory and concentration. For some, tinnitus can be a source of real mental and emotional anguish.
Why does tinnitus get worse at night?
Why does tinnitus seem worse at night? During the evening or night hours, ambient sounds and noises are less or are considerably reduced, making the tinnitus seem more intense than during the day.
Does Covid tinnitus go away?
Does it go away on its own? The brain prefers to listen to external noise, so use this to your advantage. Having some baseline noise level, even low enough to be subconscious can be helpful to mask tinnitus. Over time, most will see improvement.
Does tinnitus damage the brain?
Though it sounds positive, in the long term, it can negatively impact the brain. In a study by researchers at the University of Illinois, they found that chronic tinnitus has been linked to changes in certain networks in the brain. These changes make the brain more attentive and less relaxed.
Is tinnitus all in your head?
Tinnitus (pronounced tih-NITE-us or TIN-ih-tus) is sound in the head with no external source. For many, it's a ringing sound, while for others, it's whistling, buzzing, chirping, hissing, humming, roaring, or even shrieking. The sound may seem to come from one ear or both, from inside the head, or from a distance.
How do I stop tinnitus?
Ways to manage tinnitus
- Learn to relax. Sometimes worrying about tinnitus can make it more noticeable, so learning to relax can help provide relief. ...
- Avoid silence. Increasing the ambient noise can help you stop focusing on your tinnitus. ...
- Protect your hearing but avoid overuse of earplugs. ...
- Keep active. ...
- Keep healthy.
What makes my tinnitus worse?
These include: Health conditions you may have, such as diabetes, ear infections that come back, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Medications you've taken, including aspirin, chemotherapy, and some antibiotics. Your exposure to loud sounds like music, lawn mowers, fireworks, gunfire, loud engines, and planes.
Do earbuds damage hearing?
Earbuds are basically a pair of tiny speakers that you wear inside your ears. At low volumes, they're useful little devices. But playing loud music so close to your eardrums can cause permanent hearing loss.
Is it OK to wear headphones while sleeping?
Yes, it's totally possible to enjoy a good night's sleep while wearing headphones. In fact, going to sleep while listening to music you like offers a lot of benefits for your well-being, such as: Relaxation – Numerous studies show that listening to the right kind of music induces the relaxation response in your body.
How loud is too loud for music?
Sounds at or below 70 A-weighted decibels (dBA) are generally safe. Long or repeated exposure to sounds at or above 85 dBA can cause hearing loss. Here are some decibel ratings for common sounds: Normal conversation: 60-70 dBA.