Wearing Earphones In Bed Is A BAD Idea, Here's 7 Unexpected Reasons Why.

Written by Dr.Marcus - Published on Feb 28, 2023

For a long time, I thought my sleep issues were just part of life.

Maybe it was stress.

Maybe hormones. Maybe just getting older. I tried all the usual things — herbal teas, fancy pillows, melatonin, even sleep podcasts. Nothing really worked.

What I didn’t realise was that my bedtime habit of using earphones every night might have been doing more harm than good.

They helped me fall asleep, sure. But I still woke up feeling foggy, sore, and exhausted.

I stumbled across something called the Sleepbar one evening — a small under-pillow speaker.

I didn’t expect much, but within a few nights, I was sleeping deeper, waking up clearer, and feeling better throughout the day.

Here are the 7 biggest reasons I made the switch — and why I won’t go back.

I never thought much about it, but every morning I’d wake up with a dull ache in my ears.

Some nights I’d find my earbuds had fallen out.

Other times, I’d wake up with one still jammed in — sore and tangled in the sheets.

I just assumed that was normal.

It wasn’t until I realised how much tension I was holding in my neck and jaw that I started to wonder if my bedtime routine was working against me.

The Sleepbar changed that overnight.

There’s nothing in or on my ears — just gentle sound through my pillow.

Now I sleep comfortably on my side, and I haven’t woken up sore since.

I used to lie in bed thinking about everything. 

The to-do list. That awkward conversation I’d had. Whether the front door was locked. 

It would take me forever to switch off.

Listening to calming sounds helped — but with earbuds in, I always felt aware. 

Like my brain was still working, even if my eyes were closed. It never felt truly restful.

With the Sleepbar, I just put it under my pillow, press play, and that’s it. 

The sound surrounds me gently, without invading my ears. 

It’s the first time I’ve felt like I could actually let go at night.

I kept thinking I just needed more sleep.

So I started going to bed earlier, hoping it would help.

But no matter what I did, I still woke up feeling groggy — like my body had rested, but my brain hadn't.

It wasn’t until I spoke to someone about it that I learned: earphones can actually stop your brain from reaching deep, restful sleep.

Even if you don’t fully wake up, your brain stays slightly alert — because it’s still listening.

With the Sleepbar, the sound comes gently through my pillow.

Nothing in my ears. No wires. No pressure. No surprises.

And for the first time in a long time… I actually woke up feeling clear and rested.

He never said it outright, but I could tell the sound from my earbuds was bothering him. 

When I’d fall asleep with a podcast on, he’d toss and turn. 

If the wire came loose or a track changed suddenly, he’d wake up annoyed. So would I.

Now, I use the Sleepbar. He can’t hear a thing. 

It goes under my pillow and plays only upwards — I hear it, but he doesn’t.

We both sleep better. And let’s be honest, that’s been good for more than just our sleep.

Some gadgets take over your routine.

They need charging, syncing, updating. The Sleepbar doesn’t.

It’s small, quiet, and simple. I turn it on, put it under my pillow, and I’m done.

It works with the sounds I already like — music, white noise, meditation tracks.

I can even use their app if I want to, but I don’t have to.

It’s just easy. And these days, I value simple things more than ever.

Earbuds always seemed to disappear.

I’d wake up in the morning and spend five minutes digging through the blankets, trying to find the right one.

Sometimes I’d roll over and hear a crack and wonder if I’d broken them.

The Sleepbar is different. It stays in place under my pillow, doesn’t move, and I always know where it is.

One less thing to worry about.

At first, I wasn’t sure I needed it.

But now, using the Sleepbar has become a little ritual.

Like brushing my teeth or putting on hand cream. It’s the signal to my brain that it’s time to stop scrolling, stop thinking, and just rest.

It helps me separate the day from the night — and feel like I’m looking after myself.

And that feeling? That’s worth holding onto.