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

Suicides are one of the leading causes of death around the world. While it is easy to say that the person who chose to take their lives did it of their own violation, Harvard psychologist Dr. Matthew Nock, explains the other side. “90% of people who try and kill themselves say, I didn't want to die per se. I wanted to escape from seemingly intolerable.” Speaking on the On Purpose podcast with Jay Shetty, Dr. Nock pointed out that the link between work pressure and suicidal thoughts varies by race and ethnicity.

The concerning rise in suicide cases tied to work pressure has fueled a social media conversation about toxic work culture. What was once considered a normal part of the professional grind is now being openly challenged, as people share personal stories of the anxiety, depression, and isolation caused by unhealthy work environments.

What Professions Are At High Risk Of Suicide?

According to Dr. Matthew Nock, certain careers are linked to a higher risk of suicide.

Police Officers

He noted that physicians and police officers are among those at high risk. He mentioned a spike in suicides among New York City police officers, who are predominantly white men, and shared that female police officers, in particular, face a higher risk, even when accounting for factors like age, race, and ethnicity.

According to a 2025 study published in the Police Practice and Research, on average, 21.4 out of every 100,000 officers died by suicide each year.

The study showed that the suicide rate was much higher for male officers (22.7 per 100,000) than for female officers (12.7 per 100,000).

Physicians

Dr. Nock explained that access to means is a significant factor in these high-risk professions, which helps explain why physicians, police officers, and military members have a much higher risk of suicide compared to others.

Another study published in 2024 The BMJ, showed that the number of suicides among doctors has been going down, female doctors are still at a much higher risk than other people.

When looking at all the data, male doctors were found to have a 5% higher risk of suicide compared to the general population.

In a more recent analysis of the last few years, the overall suicide rate for doctors has decreased, which is good news. But even with this improvement, female doctors still have a 24% higher risk than the general public.

Why We Need To Talk More About Suicide

Dr. Nock stresses the importance of openly discussing suicide, particularly in schools. He compared it to fire drills or earthquake preparedness, saying that since 15% of people will experience suicidal thoughts, it's crucial to equip everyone with a safety plan..Dr. Matthew Nock said, "We know that asking about suicide, talking about suicide, does not make people suicidal."

He noted that the people who act on suicidal thoughts often show different signs than those who just have the thoughts. While depression is a strong predictor of having suicidal thoughts, other factors like anxiety, aggressiveness, poor behavioral control, and drug or alcohol use are more closely linked to a person actually attempting suicide.

He believes that a small educational module on suicide in health class could help save lives by teaching people what to do if they or someone they know is struggling.

While we all know air pollution affects our health, did you know that it was actually driving cancer cases higher? This has led to a big rise in health problems worldwide. Past studies show that air pollution is linked to about seven million premature deaths each year and contributes to over 3% of all years of healthy life lost globally. This revelation was a big concern for public health, and to fix it, many measures were taken.

While some countries like the US showed promising results in bettering public health, a recent study in the International Journal of Public Health showed that this positive trend is not yet showed up in China.

How Is PM2 Pollution Affecting Our Health?

One of the most dangerous types of air pollution is called fine particulate matter, or PM2.5. These tiny particles come from car exhaust, factory smoke, and even from the smoke created by burning solid fuels inside homes. Because they are so incredibly small, they can stay suspended in the air for a long time and, when we breathe them in, they go deep into our lungs.

Once inside the body, PM2.5 can cause inflammation and even change our genes, which increases our risk for many illnesses, especially tracheal, bronchial, and lung (TBL) cancers. A new study looked at how much PM2.5 pollution has affected TBL cancer rates in China, Japan, South Korea, and the United States from 1990 to 2021.

Has Pollution-Related Health Risk Decreased Everywhere?

The study, which used data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) project, found some important trends:

Overall Cancer Rates Are Declining

The good news is that globally, the number of deaths and years of healthy life lost due to TBL cancer linked to PM2.5 pollution are going down. This positive trend was consistent in all the countries studied: China, Japan, South Korea, and the U.S.

China's Unique Challenge

Despite this global trend, China faced a much higher death rate from TBL cancer linked to PM2.5 compared to the other three countries. While their rates are decreasing, they still remain significantly higher than the worldwide average.

Household Pollution Hits Women Harder

The research also looked at pollution from burning solid fuels inside homes. The global death rate from TBL cancer linked to this type of pollution has remained stable, but it's actually increasing for women while it's decreasing for men. This highlights a specific danger for women in homes that rely on these fuels.

Will This Pollution Cancer Trend Keep Rising?

Looking ahead, researchers predict that the global death rate for TBL cancer caused by PM2.5 will actually increase over the next 29 years. However, the study notes that countries like China, South Korea, and the U.S. are expected to see a significant drop in their rates, while Japan's numbers are expected to stay about the same.

Overall, this study shows that while air pollution is a serious global health risk, the efforts to reduce PM2.5 exposure in many countries are making a real, positive difference.

Maintaining our gut health is not as easy as it seems. Even things like how you do your bowel movements could reveal how healthy your gut actually is. According to Dr. Saurabh Sethi, a board-certified gastroenterologist, many of us are making common mistakes on the toilet that can lead to real health problems. Here are three crucial habits to change to improve your gut health. Here are three mistakes' people make will they are in the washroom.

3 Bathroom Mistakes You Are Making

Stop Straining

Pushing or straining when you poop can cause serious issues like hemorrhoids, which are swollen veins in your rectum and anus, and anal fissures, which are small tears in the lining of your anus. In more severe cases, it can even lead to rectal prolapse, where part of the rectum slides out of the anus. Instead of forcing it, focus on taking deep breaths. This helps your abdominal muscles relax and allows your body to do its job naturally, reducing the risk of painful complications.

Put Down Your Phone

Scrolling on your phone while on the toilet can be a bad habit. Spending extra time on the toilet, even if you’re not straining, puts pressure on the delicate veins in your rectum. This can cause them to swell, significantly increasing your risk of hemorrhoids. To protect yourself, it’s best to keep your bathroom breaks short—ideally, under five minutes.

Don't Ignore the Urge

When you feel the need to poop, it's important not to hold it in, which makes it much more difficult to pass later, leading to and worsening constipation. When you feel the need to go, listen to your body. Holding it in causes your stool to get harder and drier, which makes constipation much worse and more painful later on. Train your gut to go when it says it's time.

Simple Ways To Improve Your Bowel Movements

Go at the Same Time Each Day

Try to create a routine. If you're often straining without success, try sitting on the toilet about 30-60 minutes after a meal, when your colon is naturally more active. A little stretching or a short walk beforehand can also help things get moving.

Use a Stool for Your Feet

The natural position for a bowel movement is squatting. You can mimic this position on a regular toilet by placing a small stool under your feet to raise your knees above your hips. This simple change helps your muscles relax and can make bowel movements easier and more complete.

Focus on Fiber and Fluids

Fiber is essential for creating soft stool that's easy to pass. Most adults should aim for 25 to 35 grams a day. Just remember to add it to your diet slowly. As you increase your fiber, be sure to drink more water and other non-caffeinated fluids, since caffeine can dehydrate you and make stool harder.

When to Seek Help

While these tips are a great starting point, sometimes you need more personalized help. You should talk to your doctor if you notice any of these signs:

• A recent, unexplained change in your bowel habits
• Blood in your stool
• Unexplained stomach pain
• A pelvic health physical therapist can also provide a full evaluation and create a personalized plan to improve your bowel health.