What are earplugs and when are they needed
Earplugs or earmolds are special plugs that block the ear canal of your ears. They REMOVE EARS (hence the "earplugs") from interfering noise.
The question of the need for healthy restful sleep has been raised by doctors relatively recently. While solving it, there was a problem of eliminating annoying sounds. Initially, cotton balls were used for this purpose, but the low density of the material (even with strong twisting) did not allow for complete silence. Later, the industry began to produce paper earplugs, but they did not meet the necessary requirements. Today, anti-noise earbuds are made of high-tech artificial (silicone, polyurethane, foam rubber) or natural (wax) materials.
More details about what earplugs are for can be seen in the video:
Today earplugs are used not only for their intended purpose. The functionality of the earbuds is much wider.
- Noise protection is required for musicians at concerts, bikers for group rides, even for intelligence officers during operations using noise grenades.
- Swimmers and divers use them to prevent water from entering their ears. When diving, the equipment also protects against pressure drops.
- When flying on an airplane, you will be able to avoid the unpleasant effect of stuffing your ears.
What to look for when choosing
At the moment, there are a large number of different types of noise suppressing products on the market, differing in purpose, sound insulation, size and composition.
The following points should be given special attention when choosing earplugs: Appointment
Appointment.
- Dream. Suppress extraneous sounds and provide a comfortable sleep for a person.
- Diving. Protects against water penetration and reduces the negative effects of high pressure.
- Used during flights. Relieves ear congestion when changing height.
- Concert activities. Usually used by musicians. Absorb general noise.
- Universal devices. These models can be used in almost all of the above situations.
Composition. Earplugs can be made from polypropylene, silicone, rubber and wax. You should focus on your personal feelings when using products from certain materials.
However, if you are looking for a model to use while sleeping, opt for soft materials. A hard product will put unnecessary pressure on the ear canal and cause pain.
The size. It should not extend beyond the auricle. Products should be easy to put on and take off, not fall out of the ear.
Hypoallergenic and comfortable to use. We advise owners of sensitive skin to choose hypoallergenic wax products. Propylene models prevent damage to the ear canal due to their softness and comfortable shape. Silicone is suitable for any person, since the material is universal.
Noise reduction level. The indicator indicates how well the product will absorb external sounds. Polypropylene models have the highest noise reduction level (from 30 to 40 dB). Products with a high level of sound suppression (from 50 dB) are prepared exclusively to order.
Shape memory. Before immersing the earplugs in the ear, they must be squeezed so that the device turns into a thin tube
An important characteristic is the rapid recovery of the original shape. So, they will perfectly adapt to the curves of the ear canal.
If the shape recovers slowly and poorly, then such a device will not protect against noise.
Who should use earplugs
Some people do not spend money on special soundproofing headphones using earbuds. They often put on their favorite music and fall asleep to it. You can't do this: earbuds can cause discomfort in your ears, and music will not let you sleep. You can use them, but they must be full-sized and comfortable, air permeability is another mandatory criterion. Doctors advise against using music headphones, not because of harm to hearing (it will not be at low volume), but because of problems with the quality of sleep (the brain does not rest at night).
The purchase of special earplugs is the best solution, they do not create discomfort and protect a person from irritating sounds
It is recommended to use earplugs in the following cases:
- trips in noisy public transport, especially long-distance ones;
- long flight in an airplane;
- sleeping in the same room with snoring people;
- the need to sleep during daylight hours, for example, when neighbors are making repairs;
- living in a house located near a busy highway, airport, railway tracks, railway station or a factory operating around the clock and making loud noise.
Which company is better to buy earplugs for sleeping
American, Russian, Swiss brands are very popular among earplug manufacturers. In this rating, the products of such companies are mainly represented. There are trademarks here, both budget and with an average price, as well as premium companies.
The five leaders are as follows:
- Ohropax - the company's products have been produced since 1907, which makes this factory one of the oldest in the world among its kind. It is distinguished by a unique composition, which includes cotton wool, liquid paraffin and wax. In this combination, the company's products are safe for the skin, do not injure it and do not cause side effects. On average, with their help, it is possible to reduce the noise level by 27 dB.
- Calmor is a Swiss brand that produces anti-noise earplugs that well protect hearing organs from loud sounds. They are able to neutralize the flow of sound vibrations into the ear canal from snoring, talking, and music. All this is provided due to the tight fit of the product to the skin and due to the thick layer of wax from which they are made. These are the characteristics that make his earplugs the best.
- Arena is the world's leading swimwear company. It was created after the 1972 Olympic Games, under the leadership of Horst Dassler. First of all, its products are designed for swimmers, but the earplugs produced by the company can also be used for sound sleep. Basically, they are made of silicone or polypropylene, with high quality indicators. The brand devices are recognized as safe for people.
- Moldex - a company specializing in the creation of half masks and earplugs for home use. They are made from non-toxic materials that are safe for health. Basically, polyurethane and polypropylene are used for this. There are both disposable models and devices for long-term use. The products are manufactured in the USA, have a stylish design and are distinguished by a convenient shape that easily adapts to the individual anatomical features of customers.
- Zeldis Pharma LLC is a relatively young company, it was founded only in 2005. One of its trademarks is the "Traveldrim" brand, under which polypropylene earplugs for sleep are produced. These products can also be used in home renovations, as they protect the ears well even from high noise levels. Doctors recognized them as safe and effective, and buyers in reviews note the convenience of using the devices.
When choosing the best earplugs for sleeping, do not forget about the reputation of their manufacturing companies, since American products usually cost more than European ones, and Russian and Chinese products are inferior in price to the latter.
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Modern assortment of earplugs
If you do not know which earplugs are the best and how to choose them, it is important to familiarize yourself with the manufacture of this unit, as well as the material from which the product is made. The production of such a product is based on modern and unique technologies and materials that are endowed with a common purpose - to help people suffering from snoring of a loved one
To choose the right product, you need to familiarize yourself in detail with the types of devices, as well as understand all their features:
Thermoplastic earplugs
This material is considered flexible and soft, especially when heated. Therefore, it will easily take the shape of the ear canal and will not press on it during sleep. A special filter by the frequency of sounds acts as a noise protection for this model - this means that a person will only hear the sound of a certain frequency, to which the alarm clock belongs, and so on. And vibration from snoring and other sounds will be muffled. Often, such products are equipped with a filter, thanks to which air will be circulated in the middle ear during sleep.
Silicone earplugs
This device is made of natural material that is capable of:
- Regulate atmospheric pressure.
- Reduce dizziness.
- Muffle tinnitus.
- Suppress high frequency sounds.
Such a product, as it is manufactured, immediately has the shape of an ear canal, so it is easily inserted into the ear. Special holes in the earplugs adjust the air pressure and air circulation. The structure of this product consists of a small head and whitish petals, thanks to which it can be easily pulled out of the ear.
Combo earplugs
This species is able not only to muffle sound, but also to filter it, namely, to give the sleeping person only what he really needs. So this device allows you to hear the alarm clock, the phone ringing, the voice of a loved one in a dream. The structure of this type of earplugs is practically no different from the previous ones, except for the duration of operation, unlike other products.
Antibacterial earplugs
This device contains nanosilver, which is a powerful antibacterial agent. Such a product will destroy more than 650 types of bacteria during sleep, which can cause serious harm to health.
Earplugs made of plastic silicone
Unlike silicone, from which medical prostheses are made, plastic silicone is slightly sticky to the touch and easily takes a given shape. It is enough to put such an earplug into the ear and press on it with your fingers - the material will adjust to the curves of the auricle and "seal" the ear canal.
The noise reduction level of silicone earplugs is average (28-33 dB), so they are not very effective at protecting against annoying sounds. But on the other hand, they protect well from water, dust and wind.
Suitable for: swimming, riding a motorcycle, skiing, sleeping, loud music in the club, air travel.
Pros: No need to fit as the silicone adapts to the shape of the ear (if the earplug seems too big, you can simply cut a piece from it). Can be washed with soap. With daily use, one pair is enough for several weeks.
Cons: They do not have a holder and are completely immersed in the ear, so it is important to insert with clean hands. Lint and dust easily adhere to the sticky surface, which is difficult to clean
With active movement, they often jump out of the ears and get lost.
Which ones to choose?
It may seem that choosing earplugs for personal use is easy.
In fact, you need to pay attention to several important criteria.
The amount of noise reduction.The main purpose of creating earplugs is convenience, safety and blocking of extraneous noise. Of course, you can choose a very dense sound-blocking model, which allows you to limit the negative influence of external sounds as much as possible. However, resting or swimming with sealed earbuds will be uncomfortable. Materials with a high level of noise isolation are not so elastic and put strong pressure on the walls of the ear canal. In fact, not a single model can get rid of extraneous sounds by 100%. As an example, it is proposed to consider interesting statistics. The loudness of strong snoring fluctuates around 110 dB. The volume of a quiet conversation ranges from 30 to 35 dB. The maximum noise reduction of the earbuds is 30-40 dB. Accordingly, no expensive high-quality model can save a person from snoring of a spouse during sleep.
Comfort of use. Sleep earplugs should be highly comfortable. It is very convenient to use models that you don't feel. There is nothing surprising in this, a person has to spend more than 1 hour with earplugs in his ears, while keeping his head in different positions. Therefore, the main criterion for earplugs for sleeping is elasticity and softness. Swimming and diving liners must be of high density. However, the reinforced performance material puts pressure on the sound passage.
Elasticity of the product. In this case, it all depends on the anatomical features of the ear canal. Unfortunately, universal models cannot be found. However, wax and silicone liners are considered to be the most elastic.
Softness. For sleeping, it is preferable to use ultra-soft polyurethane earplugs. However, they do not have a high degree of sound insulation. Moreover, for people with sensitive ears, they may seem somewhat harsh. The most suitable soft option is wax products.
Hygiene
Whichever earplugs the user chooses, it is very important not to forget about the cleanliness of the ears themselves and the earbuds. Wax models are more flexible in terms of care
But polyurethane, polypropylene and latex products need to be changed in a timely manner.
Dimension. It is very important to choose earplugs that are comfortable in size. Otherwise, the product may fall out of the ear during use.
