Have you ever wished that you could drift away while listening to your favorite night time mix? For people who live alone, turning on the stereo is perfectly acceptable, but what about folks with a light-sleeping partner or sensitive roommates living in a house with paper-thin walls? One solution comes in the form of headphone pillows.
The best headphone pillows should have an indentation or hole known as an ear-well, which provides the extra space that will cradle your headphones and will enable you to get the rest you deserve. Luckily, they are now available from a number of manufacturers.
If you have ever tossed and turned, unable to sleep without music for fear of waking a loved one or disturbing the neighbors, read on. In this article, we will take a look at a wide range of headphone pillows; from medical grade orthopedic pillows to more affordable options, as well as some interesting innovations that provide music while you sleep. The answer to your sleepless nights is here, so read on.
SleepEasy CNH Pillows
CNH, or Chondrodermatitis Nodularis Chronica, is a skin condition caused by repeated irritation to the ear, most commonly as the result of sleeping on your side. These pressure sores usually affect older people and can end up requiring surgery and potentially the removal of part of the ear.
The SleepEasy CNH Pillow was developed by Dr. Joe Ronnald Cannon in the 1980s as a response to his patients suffering from CNH and the pain and trauma this affliction caused them. While these pillows were created with this medical intention, the design is also perfect for sleeping with headphones.
The company has several different models available, and we will take a look at some of the most popular SleepEasy Pillows.
SleepEasy CNH Pillow 4” Soft
Features
- Filling: Memory foam provides a cushion that evenly distributes weight while sleeping. This hypoallergenic material also allows for the airflow that helps to keep you cool while still providing neck support.
- Firmness: Memory foam can come in a variety of different densities, and this model has a softer firmness while still providing the support this material is known for.
Dimensions
- Weight: N/A
- Pillow Size: 19 x 14 x 4 inches
- Ear-well Size: 6x 4 inches
- Ear-well Distance From Edge: 7.5 inches
Pros
- High-quality memory foam provides full support when sleeping.
- The large ear-well is suitable for several headphone sizes.
- Machine washable pillow case included.
- Hypoallergenic.
- Designed by a doctor with patient comfort in mind.
- 4” thickness so it can be used as a standalone pillow.
Cons
- Expensive. Not everyone is willing to spend $80 on a pillow.
- Some people prefer other materials than memory foam for their pillows and mattresses.
- Hand-wash only.
SleepEasy CNH Pillow Cotton Comfort
Features
- Filling: Revoloft is a premium, hypoallergenic hollow conjugate fiber filling. It is a breathable, synthetic down alternative, making it super soft as well as durable.
- Firmness: The Revoloft stuffing is quite soft; however, this pillow is generously packed, giving it a surprising firmness. The manufacturer also added a zipper that allows you to remove some of the stuffing if you find the pillow a bit too firm.
Dimensions
- Weight: N/A
- Pillow Size: 19 x 14 x 4 inches
- Ear-well Size: 4 x 4 inches
- Ear-well Distance From Edge: 7.5 inches
Pros
- Adjustable firmness allows you to fine-tune your sleep experience.
- High-quality, 205 thread-count cotton cover.
- Hypoallergenic.
- Machine-washable.
Cons
- The smaller ear-well may not accommodate some varieties of larger headphones.
- Not as firm or supportive as memory foam pillows.
The pillows produced by SleepEasy CNH provide several choices that allow potential customers to find the firmness and material best suited to their sleeping preferences. Along with the Original Sleepeasy CNH 4” Soft, they offer a model with firmer memory foam.
Designed for the highest level of comfort, these pillows are not cheap, but for someone looking for the ultimate nocturnal headphone experience, these are the best in the business.
The Original P.W.A.H.
This is a headphone pillow that has gained global popularity. Based out of England, the Original P.W.A.H., or Pillow With A Hole, came about as the result of the creator’s trip to the Sahara.
While there, she found creating a pocket for her ear in a rudimentary sandbag pillow reduced the pain she experienced when using flat pillows. She returned home, began working on prototypes, and the Original P.W.A.H. was born.
While she originally designed the P.W.A.H. as a way to deal with the ear pain caused by sleeping on your side, her pillow found a new audience in people looking for a solution to sleeping with headphones.
Features
- Filling: Ball-fiber is a popular stuffing for pillows and mattress toppers thanks to its hypoallergenic properties as well as its soft feel. Many people liken this stuffing made from recycled material to natural feathers thanks to similar densities and softness.
- Firmness: One feature that the P.W.A.H. has is a zipper, allowing you to remove or add stuffing material at your discretion (they sell additional/replacement stuffing). This means you can achieve a firmness specific to your comfort and preference.
Dimensions
- Weight: 1.1 lbs
- Pillow Size: 20 x 14 x 2 inches
- Ear-well Size: 3 x 4 inches
- Ear-well Distance From Edge: 5 inches
Pros
- Adjustable firmness lets you find the perfect fit for your comfort preference.
- Well placed ear-well is suitable for several headphone styles.
- Machine washable pillow case included.
- Hypoallergenic.
Cons
- The thin size means you will most likely need to use the P.W.A.H. with another pillow.
- Some reviewers felt the ear-well was too large and did not comfortably fit their faces.
- Only one model to choose from.
The P.W.A.H. is a pillow that has gained fans around the world, as evidenced by its high rating and positive reviews on Amazon. The $60 price tag is not cheap, but this is fairly standard for specialized orthopedic pillows. For people looking for a way to comfortably sleep with headphones, the P.W.A.H. provides a solution.
PureComfort Pillows
A family-run business started by an engineer looking to design pillows for several different medical situations, Pure Comfort Pillows continues to gain popularity. Besides the pillows designed to reduce the effects of CNH, they also have orthopedic back pillows as well as products designed for people recovering for surgery.
These pillows were not created to provide people with a comfortable solution to sleeping with headphones, although many people have found they are perfect for these nighttime listening sessions.
Pure Comfort Side Sleeping Pillow
Features
- Filling: Gel-infused memory foam provides a high level of support and evenly distributes weight when sleeping. Pure Comfort uses Certi-PUR memory foam, guaranteeing all pillows are hypoallergenic and produced without harmful chemicals like formaldehyde or O-zone depleting chlorofluorocarbons.
- Firmness: The Side Sleeper Pillow’s memory foam is a bit firmer than other options, making this choice best suited for those that prefer a stronger pillow.
- Adjustable Height: This pillow has a clever feature that allows for fully adjustable height by using memory foam inserts that can be added or removed to fine-tune the sleeping experience.
- Dual Ear-wells: This feature sets the Side sleeper apart from other designs and allows you to turn from one side to the other with less need to readjust your entire body.
Dimensions
- Weight: 3.5 lbs
- Pillow size: 15.5 x 12 x 4 inches
- Ear-well size: N/A
- Ear-well Distance From Edge: approximately 4 inches
Pros
- The dual ear-well design makes changing sides while sleeping as easy as rolling over.
- The adjustable insert feature allows you to find the perfect height without sacrificing the level of support provided by memory foam.
- Hypoallergenic.
- The Side Sleeper is thick enough that you can use it as a standalone pillow.
- This product comes with a 10-year and 100-night sleep trial.
Cons
- The ear-wells have a good deal of material in them and seem a bit narrow, which may be troublesome for larger headphones.
- While the cover is machine washable, the pillow itself is memory foam and must be hand washed.
Pure Comfort Pillow With an Earhole
Features
- Filling: A proprietary blend of visco-elastic memory foam. The company claims that this filling provides the support of traditional memory foam, with the softer characteristics of synthetic down fillers.
- Firmness: This pillow is not as firm as those using solid memory foam; however, it is a good compromise between the support of memory foam and the softness of traditional and synthetic down pillows. It also features a zipper that allows you to remove some of the stuffing to get an even softer sleeping experience.
Dimensions
- Weight: 3.5 lbs
- Pillow Size: 15.5 x 12 x 4 inches
- Ear-well Size: N/A
- Ear-well Distance From Edge: approximately 7.5 inches
Pros
- Adjustable firmness lets you control your comfort level.
- Certi-PUR non-toxic materials.
- Hypoallergenic.
- Large ear-well that can accommodate larger headphones.
- 10-year warranty and 100-night sleep trial.
Cons
- The cover is machine washable, but the pillow is hand wash only.
- The adjustable firmness does not use the higher quality foam inserts of the Side Sleeper Pillow.
- Not as firm as solid memory foam and best suited for people that prefer a softer pillow.
Pure Comfort offers a variety of specialty pillows for a number of specific situations. While the Pillow With an Earhole has an ear-well that is much more suitable for sleeping with headphones, it is not of the same quality craftsmanship and materials as the Side Sleeper model.
Unfortunately, the Side Sleeper’s shallow ear-wells are filled with a layer of material, making it a good option for those with ear pain, but not specifically for headphone sleepers in mind.
Budget Option: Eagle Creek Headphone Pillow
Eagle Creek is an outdoor and adventure brand that specializes in bags, clothing, and any other accessories you might need on an exciting trip around the world. Designed for upright sleeping on a plane, train, or in a bus, the Eagle Creek Headphone pillow is an affordable alternative to the more expensive orthopedic pillows we have examined.
Features
- Filling: Microbead filling is used to provide firm support that can be easily manipulated to make for a comfortable sleep in any condition.
- Firmness: The microbead stuffing can be manipulated and fluffed, although it does tend to pack down and become more firm the longer you sleep on it.
- Price: $12.57 plus shipping
Dimensions
- Weight: 5.8 ounces
- Pillow Size: 11 x 12.25 x 3.5 inches
- Ear-well Size: ~ 4 inches
- Ear-well Distance From Edge: ~ 4 inches
Pros
- The Eagle Creek Pillow is by far the most affordable option we have looked at.
- One side of the pillow is soft Poly-Micro fleece, and the other is cooling Comfort Stretch fabric, giving you a texture option for hot or cold weather.
- A snap that makes attaching it to a bag or a backpack a breeze.
- The ergonomic shape is designed to provide comfort in any situation.
- Large ear-well designed specifically for headphones.
- Lifetime warranty for repairs or replacement.
Cons
- Its small size makes it less suitable for continual use at home.
- Hand-wash only.
The Eagle Creek headphone pillow is a great option for travelers that find themselves on long trips as well as for anyone looking for a solution to their nightly listening needs. While it is not as large as the other pillows we have examined, it is designed specifically for sleeping with headphones on.
It is also worth noting, that just because it is not as large or made of high-quality memory foam, does not mean that this pillow cannot provide comfort at home: by using this small pillow with a traditional bed pillow, you can fall asleep listening to your favorite mix every night without spending $60.
With a price tag under $15 even if you do only use it on plane trips, this is a great addition to any household.
Budget Option: C.Crane Soft Speaker 3
Another option that has recently emerged places small speakers inside miniature pillows that allow you to plug in and listen to your music by placing them between your ear and your regular pillow. While these do not let you listen with your favorite headphones, this is another affordable solution to the problem of falling asleep without music.
Features
- Cover: A soft, super plush covering provides a comfortable surface that will not irritate your skin when placed between your ear and the pillow as you sleep. It is also removable, making washing a breeze.
- Speakers: Utilizing the strongest commercially available permanent magnets (Neodymium-Ferrous-Boron) these high-quality speakers will deliver clear sound for years.
- Control Unit: this speaker has a line-in amplifier providing power, and a built-in control unit has a volume dial as well as a 1, 4, or 8-hour variable timer.
- Price: $29.99 plus shipping
Dimensions
- Pillow Size: Approximately 4 x 3 inches
- Amplifier/Control Size: Approximately 3 x 1 inches
- Cord Length: 78 inches with control at 24 inches
Pros
- Portable. Unlike other options, we have looked at, this unit can go anywhere with you, so you can sleep with music on holiday or at home.
- Inexpensive.
- The built-in timer automatically turns the device off after 1, 4, or 8 hours, making sure once you are asleep, you stay asleep. This handy feature also saves battery power.
- Battery life is rated at ~80 hours in voice mode and ~40 hours in music mode.
Cons
- This unit must be used with your existing pillow.
- Several reviews state that the cord is not high-quality and has a tendency to break after extended use.
The C.Crane Soft Speaker 3 is an interesting way to fall asleep while listening to music without worrying about damaging your ears or your prized headphones. They are a great option that provides the sleeping privacy of headphones without the need to spend $60 on an orthopedic pillow, although they do not produce the same high-quality sound generated by headphones.
Final Thoughts and Recommendations
The products that we have examined here provide options for every budget and personal comfort level. For anyone looking to spend a bit of money, the SleepEasy CNH pillows are by far the best option. They use medical-grade materials and quality craftsmanship to provide the ultimate in comfort when sleeping with your headphones.
The Eagle Creek pillow is a great budget option, and there are many other travel pillows of similar design that can provide comfort without breaking the bank. Pillow speakers are another budget-friendly option that allows you to drift to sleep to the music of your choice without disturbing your partner or neighbors.
At the end of the day, a good night’s sleep is essential to your health and happiness, and for anyone that needs soothing sounds to put them to sleep, the solution is finally here.
