We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-23 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want maximum noise reduction in the smallest possible package, choose Exopine 55dB; if you need a lightweight plush headband you can wear over your ears all night, choose LIOOBO Sleeping Ear Muffs. These are two very different answers to the same problem, and the right pick depends entirely on how you sleep and how much bulk you can tolerate on your head.
• Exopine 55dB — biggest strength: A stated 55dB noise reduction rating in a reusable silicone earplug, with frequency filtering that preserves alarms and voices.
• Exopine 55dB — biggest trade-off: In-ear plugs sit inside the ear canal, so they demand a correct fit and some people simply never get comfortable with that feeling.
• LIOOBO Sleeping Ear Muffs — biggest strength: A soft plush headband design with sealing ear cups, adjustable fit, and no insertion into the ear canal at all.
• LIOOBO Sleeping Ear Muffs — biggest trade-off: It's a wrap-style headband rather than a precision plug, so the blocking relies on sealing and coverage rather than a published decibel figure.
• Choose Exopine 55dB if you're a side sleeper, a light sleeper next to a snorer, or you want compact protection you can pocket.
• Choose LIOOBO Sleeping Ear Muffs if you dislike things inside your ears, want warmth and coverage, or want a band you can also wear while studying or traveling.
The Exopine 55dB is built around one headline idea: a 55dB noise reduction figure that the brand says blocks out about 90% of noise. In practice, that claim is doing the heavy lifting in this comparison, and it's the main reason someone picks plugs over a headband. The design pairs ultra-soft silicone with an ergonomic shape, and it's explicitly pitched at side sleepers and all-night wear. It also uses frequency filtering rather than flat blocking, so disruptive noise gets pushed down while alarms, baby cries, music and conversation stay audible. That's a meaningful distinction if you're a parent, a light sleeper who still needs to hear a morning alarm, or a musician who wants to protect hearing without going deaf to the room.
Who should skip it? Anyone who genuinely can't tolerate an object in the ear canal. No amount of soft silicone fixes that for some people, and if that's you, plugs will end up in a drawer. If you also want warmth, coverage over the ears, or something you can wear as a headband around the house, this isn't that product. And if you need your noise protection to double as a winter headband, look elsewhere.
LIOOBO Sleeping Ear Muffs: Who It's For
The LIOOBO Sleeping Ear Muffs take the opposite approach. This is a plush, black, headband-style earmuff — roughly 57 x 12 x 1 cm as listed — with ear cups built to seal around the ear rather than plug it. The brand leans on sealing technology to minimize audio leaks, which is the correct engineering instinct for this format: with a band-style muff, blocking quality lives or dies on how well the cup seals against the head and how little sound escapes around the edges.
The material story matters here. Plush construction makes it soft and lightweight (6.56 ounces), and the adjustable fit is meant to work across head sizes, which is the difference between a muff you can wear for eight hours and one you tear off after twenty minutes. There's no insertion, no silicone, no learning curve — you put it on like a headband.
It's also the more versatile of the two in terms of where it lives. The listing frames it for sleeping, studying, working, travel, and even snowboarding or outdoor use as a thermal headband. That last part is worth flagging honestly: the same product page describes it as a winter headband and a cold-protection item, so this is a muff that does double duty as warmth. That's a plus in a cold bedroom and a downside in a hot one.
Who should skip it? Anyone who needs a hard number. There's no published decibel rating here, so if you're comparing on spec sheets alone, you're comparing a stated 55dB against an unquantified "powerful noise reduction." It's also a bulkier thing to sleep in than a plug, and side sleepers may feel the band pressing against a pillow. If you roll onto your side constantly, a headband can shift.
• Best for published noise-reduction spec → Exopine 55dB. It's the only one of the two with a stated 55dB figure.
• Best for side sleepers → Exopine 55dB. It's explicitly designed for side sleeping and all-night in-ear wear.
• Best for people who hate things in their ears → LIOOBO Sleeping Ear Muffs. No insertion, no silicone in the canal.
• Best for hearing alarms and voices while blocking noise → Exopine 55dB. Its frequency filtering is designed to preserve important sounds.
• Best for warmth and cold-weather use → LIOOBO Sleeping Ear Muffs. Plush material with thermal headband framing.
• Best for travel and packing light → Exopine 55dB. A case small enough to pocket beats a 57 cm headband.
• Best for long-term cost and waste → Exopine 55dB. Washable and reusable for hundreds of uses.
• Best for fuss-free wear with zero fit technique → LIOOBO Sleeping Ear Muffs. You just put it on.
In my opinion, the Exopine 55dB is the stronger pick for most people shopping for noise blocking at night. It's the only one of the two that commits to a number — 55dB — and it's purpose-built for the exact scenario most buyers are in: side sleeping next to traffic, neighbors or a snoring partner, while still hearing an alarm. The LIOOBO Sleeping Ear Muffs are a legitimate alternative if you can't stand earplugs, or if you want a plush headband that doubles as warmth. But if you're choosing blind between these two, I'd buy the Exopine 55dB and check the current price on Amazon before committing.
how to block out noise with headphones
The honest answer is that blocking works best when the device seals against or inside the ear. The Exopine 55dB does this by inserting into the canal with a stated 55dB reduction; the LIOOBO Sleeping Ear Muffs does it with sealed plush ear cups around the ear. Both reduce what reaches your eardrum, but only the Exopine publishes a figure.
are there noise cancelling headphones for sleeping
Yes, and these two represent the two main formats. The Exopine 55dB is a reusable silicone earplug built for side sleepers and all-night wear. The LIOOBO Sleeping Ear Muffs is a plush adjustable headband with sealing ear cups, designed for night rest without anything inside your ear. Neither is a battery-powered active headphone.
is it safe to wear noise cancelling headphones while sleeping
Both products here are passive sound blockers, not electronic headphones, and both are described by their brands as designed for nightly sleep use. The main practical concerns are fit and comfort: the Exopine 55dB is silicone and washable for repeated use, while the LIOOBO Sleeping Ear Muffs is plush and adjustable. Follow each brand's own guidance and pick the format you can wear comfortably for a full night.
what are the best noise cancelling sleep headphones
In my opinion, "best" splits by format rather than by one winner. If you want the strongest published blocking and the smallest footprint, the Exopine 55dB is the one I'd choose. If you want to avoid ear canal insertion entirely and get a soft adjustable headband that also adds warmth, the LIOOBO Sleeping Ear Muffs is the better fit.
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