Many of us use music, podcasts, or sound effects to relax and even fall asleep. White noise, ambient music, and a favorite podcast can often make us feel so tired that we would rather be asleep than listen to more. It's a really tempting option for those people who need a quiet sanctuary in a noisy world; however, is it healthy to sleep with headphones, or are we compromising health for the sake of healthy sleep?

While headphones and earbuds can create a more peaceful sleep environment, they also pose several potential risks if not used right. This feature will discuss the pros and cons of sleeping with headphones, guide you through safety considerations, practical tips, and how to ensure that you're making choices that support your ear health.

Why People Choose to Sleep with Earphones

For those who live in noisy environments or struggle to fall asleep, headphones can be a sanctuary of sound. There are a few compelling reasons why people opt to wear headphones to bed:

• Blocking Out Noise: One of the most common reasons people turn to headphones is to block out external noise, whether it's traffic, snoring partners, or household sounds that can disrupt sleep.
• Relaxation: Sounds such as rain, ocean waves, or soft instrumental music help to keep the mind calm and open with feelings of security.
• Stress Relief: Listening to music or guided meditations has been widely practiced to lower anxiety, slow heartbeat, and create a peaceful environment that facilitates falling asleep.
• Getting in the Right Headspace: Music or sounds tailored to promote sleep can help the brain transition from the stress of the day to a more restful state.

These factors can be particularly beneficial for people living in urban areas, frequent travelers, or those with sleeping partners who snore. However, while sleeping with headphones can have its advantages, it's important to weigh these benefits against the potential risks.

Can You Sleep with Earbuds In?

The short answer is yes, you can sleep with earbuds in, and for some people, it may even improve their sleep quality. Comfortable, sleep-specific earbuds are designed to create a cozy, personalized sleep environment by playing calming sounds or masking disruptive noises. They help engage the brain in soothing, rhythmic sounds that encourage restfulness, especially in noisy conditions.

Using earbuds or sleep headphones is known to have various benefits in improving sleep. They can block out any other noise that might wake you up, thus promoting longer periods of sleep as you are able to sleep and not wake up so quickly. They can help in a deeper sleep cycle due to the elimination of distraction and a constant sound around you.

But Is It Safe to Sleep with Earbuds?

While sleeping with earbuds in may seem convenient in the name of having improved sleep, it does present risks. Here are the key concerns:

Risk of Ear Infections

Wearing earbuds at nighttime is also a risky matter because of the higher danger of ear infections. A pair of earbuds sits right in the ear canal, and if moist conditions are not kept clean regularly, bacteria may be present for infection. Over long periods of use, such as through the night, this may be worsened by minimal airflow and the warmer, more moist conditions that tend to foster the growth of bacteria. Careful selection of earbuds composed of breathable antimicrobial materials and good maintenance practices should minimize infection.

Discomfort and Ear Pain

Another safety consideration is discomfort. Sleeping with earbuds in, especially those not specifically designed for sleep, can lead to pressure points in the ear canal, causing soreness or pain. This discomfort is usually worse when a person moves during sleep because the earbuds can shift. For this reason, earbuds that are specifically designed for sleep are recommended, as they are generally smaller, softer, and more flexible and provide a better fit without putting pressure on the ears.

Risk of Hearing Damage

Listening to music at high volumes, especially for extended periods, can cause long-term damage to your hearing. According to a study conducted by Swedish researchers, a subgroup of adolescents listened to music at volumes ranging from 90 to 100 dB, a level that could potentially lead to noise-induced hearing loss. In order to avoid damaging your hearing while using earbuds at night, it is essential to keep the volume at a safe level (below half the maximum volume) and limit the time spent listening.

Cord Safety

For those using wired earbuds, there also may be a strangulation danger from the cords in an untidy bedroom setup with restless sleepers. Use wireless earbuds or a pair of sleep headphones which have short or no cord to avoid this entirely.

Does Sleeping with Earbuds Damage Your Ears?

The other major risk that may be attributed to sleeping with earbuds on is ear damage. Though safe in many cases, long exposure to high volumes of loud music and sounds may cause damage. To prevent hearing loss, the volume should be set low, and earbuds should not be left on for a long period of time. The delicate hairs in your inner ear will be damaged, thus endangering your ability to hear if the volume is too high or you use it too frequently.

Do Headphones Cancel Out Snoring?

Yes, sleep headphones with noise cancel will give some form of shielding against snoring. That is, they'll mask some of the unwanted external sounds, like snoring, by white noises and smooth music, creating a silent environment and making one feel comfortable sleep.

How to Use Earphones Safely

If you want to use earbuds or headphones to help you sleep, here are some safety tips to follow:

• Use External Speakers: In case you can, use an external speaker instead of headphones or earbuds. This will minimize the risk to your ears and allow you to enjoy soothing sounds without having to touch your ears directly.
• Avoid Noise-Canceling Headphones: Noise-canceling headphones may be helpful to block noise, but they are not the best option for sleeping. In an emergency situation, you may need to hear things such as fire alarms, a ringing phone, or someone calling your name.
• Don't Use Cords: Wired headphones may be hazardous as they could get tangled around your neck or elsewhere in your body. Opt for wireless or cord-free headphones made for sleep.
• Keep the Volume Low: Whether you use a speaker or headphones, always maintain the volume at a medium level. The volume must be kept under 50% of the maximum level.

Is It Bad to Sleep with Earphones?

The final verdict is that it's not that bad to sleep with headphones or earbuds. It is an effective way to enhance sleep quality if you enjoy listening to calming sounds at night and choose the right type of headphones or earbuds. However, you need to take precautions for your ears. Choose sleep-specific headphones or earbuds that are designed for comfort and safety, keep the volume low, and avoid using them for long periods.

Headphone listening habits and hearing thresholds in swedish adolescents. Noise Health. 2017

It is a common theme for people to feel down and sad in winter. However, why do shorter, colder days often bring on feelings of loneliness and gloom? There is a biological reason behind it. As the days get shorter, many people feel a dip in energy or mood, but for millions, this signals Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which is a serious form of depression that shouldn't be ignored. Experts from West Virginia University (WVU) caution that SAD symptoms are very similar to major depressive disorder and must be taken seriously.

What Causes SAD?

SAD is much more than just feeling down when it gets dark. It's a genuine type of depression most often seen during the winter months, especially in places far north where daylight is scarce. The basic problem is simple: less natural light hits your eyes. This drop in sunlight confuses your brain's chemistry.

It messes with two vital brain chemicals: serotonin, which helps stabilize your mood, and melatonin, which controls when you sleep and wake up. This lack of light also throws off your body's internal clock, called the circadian rhythm. When all these elements get disrupted, it triggers feelings of low energy and depression.

What Are The Symptoms Of SAD?

SAD involves a cluster of symptoms that persist and significantly interfere with your daily life. The pattern is usually predictable: symptoms begin in the fall, peak in the winter, and disappear by spring. Symptoms often include:

• Feelings of hopelessness.
• Loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed.
• Significant changes in sleep (often sleeping more, or having disrupted sleep).
• Changes in appetite or increased food cravings.
• Difficulty concentrating and persistent fatigue.

The risk of SAD is higher among younger people, women, and those with a family history of mood disorders.

Can You Treat/Prevent Seasonal Affective Disorder?

Because Seasonal Affective Disorder is highly predictable, experts advise starting preventative treatments early in the fall. Seeing a healthcare provider is essential to determine the best plan and timing for treatment, rather than waiting for severe symptoms to appear later in winter.

Light Therapy

This involves sitting daily before a special light box emitting 10,000 lux of bright white light. Doing this for 30 to 60 minutes each morning is the most common and effective treatment for SAD, as it helps correct the imbalance caused by reduced sunlight exposure.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

This form of talk therapy teaches you practical skills to manage negative thinking patterns and behaviors linked to depression. CBT helps individuals reframe their outlook on winter and build effective coping mechanisms to reduce the impact of SAD symptoms.

Medication

In certain situations, a healthcare provider may prescribe antidepressant medication to help regulate mood-affecting brain chemicals like serotonin. This is often considered alongside light therapy or counseling, especially if symptoms of depression are severe or persistent.

Lifestyle Changes

Simple daily habits are powerful tools. Regular exercise boosts mood and energy, while maintaining a consistent sleep schedule keeps your body's internal clock stable. These practical steps offer significant support alongside clinical treatments.

Delhi’s air quality has taken a severe turn for the worse. As of Monday morning, November 3, 2025, the air across the capital officially slipped into the "Very Poor" category. Government data shows that the Air Quality Index (AQI) hit 316 by 9 am, meaning the air is now considered a significant health risk. In fact, one private monitor estimates that breathing the air in Delhi is currently as harmful as smoking 7.8 cigarettes a day.

Researchers and healthcare professionals have explained how pollution not only affects our breathing and lung function, but it affects multiple organs. A 2024 study published in the Scientific Reports journal showed that PM2.5 pollution particles are linked with reduction in life expectancy by 3.7 years.

However, when it comes to organ functions, pollution affects different organs differently. Here’s how.

Why Does Pollution Affect Our Organ Health?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution is when the air contains one or more harmful substances like dust, smoke, fumes, or gas for a long time as they hurt our health.

The main way these pollutants affect us is by being breathed in. When you inhale them, they cause damage throughout your body, leading to:

• Inflammation (swelling)
• Stress on your cells
• A weaker immune system
• Changes to your cells that can cause disease (mutagenicity)

What Organs Are Affected By Pollution?

Here is a list of organs that you may not know were affected by pollution.

Brain and Mind

According to UC Davis Environmental Health Sciences Center, these pollutants are small they can travel from your lungs directly into your brain. This toxic exposure is concerning for long-term brain health. It's been linked to a higher risk of developing severe conditions like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. It may also impact children, potentially affecting intelligence, and increasing the risk of disorders like autism. Research also shows a higher risk of stroke, depression, and anxiety disorders.

Air pollution doesn't just cause disease; it can also cause more immediate, subtle effects on healthy people, which is often called "brain fog" decreased productivity or trouble thinking clearly. Studies across various jobs, from farm workers to office workers—show that short bursts of high outdoor pollution lead to decreased work output.

Heart and Lungs

According to the WHO, the lungs are hit first, leading to immediate problems like asthma and long-term illnesses like lung cancer or emphysema. Once in the bloodstream, the particles tighten your blood vessels (arteries), which forces the heart to work much harder. This sharply increases your risk for life-threatening events like strokes and heart disease.

Skin

The Airly organization explains that your skin is naturally covered in a layer of helpful bacteria, fungi, and viruses—called the microbiome. Air pollutants (like smog) disrupt the size and variety of this helpful microbiome. When this balance is broken, harmful bacteria can grow out of control.

Being the body’s largest organ and completely exposed, shows damage from air pollution through signs like faster aging, more wrinkles, and rashes. Surprisingly, the internal effects go deeper: prolonged exposure to harmful chemicals found in pollution, such as PAHs and ozone, you face an increased risk of developing skin cancer.

Bone

According to a 2024 study published in the Current Osteoporosis Reports, growing evidence shows a link between air pollution and a higher risk of osteoporosis, a disease that makes bones weak. This is a major concern for our aging population, as severe bone fractures greatly increase death risk. While we don't know the exact pollutants or how they cause this, initial research suggests inflammation from dirty air may damage the bones. Identifying this pathway could lead to new treatments.

Kidney

According to the National Kidney Foundation, pollution adds a major toxic burden to your body's internal cleaning crew. A study of 2.5 million U.S. veterans found that breathing polluted air significantly increases the risk of developing kidney disease. The scientists estimated that over the course of the study, air pollution may have caused roughly 45,000 new cases of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and forced over 2,400 patients to start dialysis.

While the exact way air pollution damages the kidneys is still unknown, one main idea is that the tiny pollution particles you inhale travel from your lungs into your bloodstream. The kidneys then try to filter this contaminated blood, and in the process, the tiny particles directly damage the kidney cells.

Reproductive System

According to the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology of India pregnant people, pollution exposure increases the likelihood of miscarriages and can harm the developing baby, leading to health issues in unborn and newborn children. It threatens the future health of the population.

When a pregnant woman is exposed to pollutants, it causes an inflammatory reaction that can harm the pregnancy. This toxic exposure is linked to serious problems, including preterm labor, fetal growth restriction, death of the baby before or during birth.

Studies confirm that inhaling tiny pollution particles (PM) and nanoparticles (NP) causes excessive cell damage, leading to mutations in DNA and damage to fats and proteins in the body.

Digestive Health

According to the Northwell Health Organization, new research suggests that the tiny particles found in it contribute to digestive illnesses.

Exposure to pollution also stresses your body. This chronic, pollution-induced stress leads to an overload of inflammation and cell damage (oxidative stress) in the digestive system. This can contribute to common conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD).

Breathing in things like fine particles, fumes, and gases can cause inflammation in the digestive tract. Long-term exposure to dirty air is linked to higher risks of GERD and IBD.

Experts and social media users are warning people about the herbal drink ‘Feel Free’ and other products containing kratom, a compound that acts in ways similar to opioids, according to NBC News. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also raised concerns, noting that kratom-based items—derived from a plant native to Southeast Asia—are being sold in gas stations, convenience stores, and vape shops across the United States. This growing availability has sparked questions: What exactly is kratom, and why has it been banned in several U.S. states?

What Is Feel Free?

‘Feel Free’ is a small blue-bottled herbal tonic made by a company called Botanic Tonics. Its key ingredients are Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) and Kava (Piper methysticum), plants with long histories of traditional use, kratom in Southeast Asia and kava in the South Pacific.

Though often marketed as natural mood boosters, experts caution that their effects on the brain and body are complex and potentially risky. When taken together, kratom and kava can produce sensations of calm euphoria or mental clarity, but they may also trigger side effects and dependency over time.

What Is Kava or Kratom Found in Feel Free Drinks?

Kava- and kratom-based drinks are often promoted as energy or mood-enhancing beverages, yet some users say they can be habit-forming. Kratom works as a stimulant in smaller amounts and acts like an opioid at higher doses, while Kava produces calming, sedative effects, making it popular for easing anxiety or stress.

Although kava is not known to be physically addictive, using it frequently or combining it with alcohol has been associated with liver damage. Many regular consumers of ‘Feel Free’ report needing multiple bottles daily to function normally or to prevent fatigue and irritability. This growing tolerance and dependence echo patterns seen in other substance use problems.

FDA Does Not Approve Kava or Kratom

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the FDA has not approved kava for treating any medical condition. It is available only as a dietary supplement, and in 2002 the agency issued a warning linking kava-containing products to serious liver injury, including liver failure. The FDA recommends speaking with a healthcare provider before using any kava-based supplement.

So, Is 'Feel Free' Safe to Consume?

Botanic Tonics, the company behind Feel Free, told The Independent that the NBC News story contained “false and misleading statements” and that it had received no reports of severe addiction from customers. In 2023, however, the company agreed to pay $8.75 million to settle a class-action lawsuit accusing it of not disclosing kratom-related riskswithout admitting any wrongdoing.

While the product is sold legally in many health food shops and gas stations, that does not mean it’s risk-free. Because neither kratom nor kava are regulated or approved by the FDA, there is little oversight on their safety or how they interact when combined in drinks like Feel Free. Some countries have completely banned kratom, and several U.S. states and cities have restricted its sale. Still, public awareness remains limited, and many consumers—particularly younger people, may not realize they’re consuming ingredients that could lead to dependence.

‘Feel Free’ might look like a typical energy drink, but the blend of kratom and kava carries genuine health risks, especially for people who rely on such products to cope with stress or boost focus. That short burst of energy or calm may come at a far greater cost in the long run.