These Headphones Will Give You The Best Uninterrupted Sleep

Isaac Taylor

The Bose Sleepbuds 2 are one of the more fascinating pieces of tech I’ve had the opportunity of trying out recently. They’re a pair of earphones with exactly one mission statement, and that is to give you a great sleep. You can see it in every part of its design. Zero hard edges, a low form factor that makes it practically disappear inside your ear (just a quarter inch deep!), and a beautifully snug fit.

Paired with the Bose Sleep app, the earphones pipe relaxing white noise of your choice. The app allows you to choose from three categories of sound: tranquil sounds for lowering stress, noise-masking, and naturescapes for calming and relaxing. They can also be programmed to set an alarm for you, so when you absolutely have to wake up, they can help you with that as well. Personally, I just became a dad and I just got off paternity leave. Waking up to an alarm felt like an absolute crime.

Bose knows how to make a sexy premium feeling product. Its anodized aluminium case slips open to display the earbuds laid out ready for use. Charging the case is done via USB-C and can provide up to 30 hours of additional battery life. The buds themselves last about 10 hours. If you sleep for more than 10 hours at a time, I’m pretty sure that’s considered a light coma. The buds themselves are coated in an anti-friction coating which prevents rubbing or squeaking sounds that would normally occur with regular earphones sliding against pillows. I’m honestly impressed with how elegantly designed they are.

A small study of 55 people using the earphones found that 86% self reported that falling asleep occurred more easily, 76% felt it was easier to stay asleep, and 82% reported experiencing an overall improvement in sleep quality.

“Bose Sleepbuds II use advancements in our proprietary noise masking technology because covering sound — not cancelling it — is a better solution for sleeping,” said Steve Romine, head of the Bose Health Division. “You can’t duplicate the experience combining earbuds with apps, playing your music louder, or using earplugs and bedside machines — so millions of people are still suffering. We never gave up on helping them, and that’s why we’re so excited about Sleepbuds II. They ‘quiet’ more of the low frequencies found in the biggest threats to a peaceful bedroom — like snoring partners, idling engines, and nearby footsteps. And with new relaxation tracks, they help quiet your mind, too.”

It should be noted that these earphones can’t be used for anything outside of what they’re designed for. That means you won’t be able to blast Spotify or Soundcloud through them. That’s maybe for the best, as everything about the audio quality and streaming has been designed with sleep and battery longevity in mind, rather than crystal clear thumping bass, etc.

If you’re someone who needs sleeping aids, or have rowdy neighbours and snoring partners, this could be just the device to save your relationship.

Prices start from $419.95 and are available here.