Loop Dream earplugs review | Pop Sugar Health

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I live in a first-floor street-facing apartment next to a hospital in a popular Brooklyn neighborhood, and I know a thing or two about insomnia. On top of living in a very noisy place, I always have trouble falling asleep – both falling asleep and staying asleep. I’ve also done everything I can to resolve this issue. I’ve tried all kinds of sleep tips: sleeping masks, mattresses, cooler temperatures in the bedroom. Nothing works. Turns out what I was missing was something to filter out the ambient noise. That’s where the Loop Dream earbuds ($50) come in.

As an avid concert-goer, I’ve used earplugs for years to protect my hearing. Over the past year and a half, I’ve attended over 20 concerts and I’ve been using Loop’s Experience earbuds. These plugs have greatly improved my concert experience, allowing me to continue enjoying live music while also protecting my delicate ear canals. So when I found out that Loop was about to launch the Loop Dream, its first earbuds designed specifically for sleep, I knew I had to give them a try.

Next, we’ll cover how the Loop Dream earbuds made my sleep experience better, and why I recommend them to anyone with sleep issues.

Why I like Loop Dream earplugs

Loop Dream earbuds feature Loop’s signature closed-loop shape, but unlike other models, they’re made from soft silicone to reduce pressure on your ears. The Loop Dream promises 27 decibels of noise reduction, the highest noise reduction of any of its products, and will keep you in your ears all night long. I can confidently say that Loop Dream delivers on that promise.

First of all, these earbuds are very comfortable and I have small ears. For context, I used the smallest tips on my Airpod Pro and they still fell out sometimes, and at one point I was told by a piercer that I probably wouldn’t be able to get an industrial piercing because my ears were too small. In other words, my ears small Small. Therefore, finding comfortable earplugs can be difficult, especially while sleeping. But since the Loop Dream offers four different tip size options, I was able to customize them to ensure a good fit. The Loop Dream earbuds have small tips that fit perfectly in my ears and have not fallen out once. I also have a Dice piercing in one ear and a tragus piercing in the other ear, so my little ears are already crowded and the loop goes around them without any problem. The foam tip molded perfectly around my piercing, and the soft silicone body folded into the ear canal – so once it was in place, I couldn’t feel anything.

Perhaps the least important thing about these earbuds, but still a plus for me, is that they are aesthetically pleasing. My color is Peach, a light pink, orange, slash, coral color. They also come with a small non-slip carrying case, perfect for keeping on your bedside table.

Things to note about Loop Dream earplugs

The Loop Dream earbuds don’t drown out every sound – but I think that’s a good thing. The Loop Dream earplugs greatly reduced the sound of construction outside my apartment and my friend’s snoring recently when we shared a hotel bed. However, I can still hear the alarm going off in the morning and a cat I’ve been caring for meowing for breakfast. Essentially, the Dream plug filters out unwanted background noise but still ensures important, higher-decibel sounds pass through.

One real downside to these earbuds is the carrying case. While the case helps keep the two plugs together, it’s easy to misplace since the case is so small and doesn’t have any straps. If you’re traveling with them, it can be especially difficult to track or find the box in a full bag.

Are Loop Dream earplugs worth buying?

I would say this. Based on my experience, I would recommend these plugs to anyone who needs near-total silence while sleeping. If you’re like me and have roommates who wake up earlier than you do, these are perfect for drowning out any noise they make in the shared space. These are also great for those with snoring partners (or pets), or those who live in busy areas where the outside world brings a lot of noise into the bedroom.

Additional details about the Loop Dream earbuds

Annie Harrigan is the editorial coordinator for Vox Media’s lifestyle podcasts, including Eater, Punch, POPSUGAR, and Thrillist. Prior to working at Vox Media, Annie was an undergraduate at Harvard University, where she studied the many intersections between pop culture, social influence, race, gender, and sexuality. In addition to PS, you can find her work in Eater, Harvard Crimson, and Thrillist.