They allowed me to sleep despite crying babies or noisy seatmates.
By Miller Kern on March 14, 2026
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Sleep earbuds have become a permanent addition to my packing checklist.
Credit: Ian Moore/Mashable/Adobe Stock
In the past six months, I’ve traveled to Argentina for a wedding, Miami for another wedding, South Carolina for the holidays, and Costa Rica for a friend’s birthday. Each time, my Soundcore Sleep A20 earbuds were the first thing I packed.
These earbuds have quickly become my top travel essential.
Why sleep earbuds?
Most travelers likely pack their AirPods or quality noise-cancelling headphones for flights — I do too. So why bring such a specialized audio device with limited space? Soundcore’s Sleep A20s are our favorite budget sleep earbuds, with a 14-hour battery life that lasts through a night or long flight, and an app with soundscapes and white noise options. Their comfort is a major selling point for me.
My AirPods 4 are great for walks, calls, and brief music sessions. However, they cause ear fatigue. The Sleep A20s aren’t completely unnoticeable, but they exert less pressure on my ears, allowing for longer use. They also offer superior passive noise cancellation with a snugger seal.
Additionally, having a dedicated app for sleep sounds means my Spotify Wrapped isn’t flooded with “Deep Sleep Brown Noise.”
I slept an entire long-haul flight
On my overnight flight from New York to Buenos Aires, I slept for eight or nine hours of the ten-hour journey. I began watching The Bob’s Burgers Movie until I dozed off, put on my eye mask, and slept soundly.
The advantage of Soundcore’s sleep buds is their dual function as regular Bluetooth earbuds. I connected them to my iPad for the movie audio, then switched to sleep sounds as I got sleepy.
I have a few custom soundscapes in the app, so the sounds of a crackling fire, rain on a tent, and cicadas helped me sleep. Once the earbuds detected that I was asleep, they switched to white noise.
It was the same on the return flight. It was another overnight journey, and I queued up an episode of Bob’s Burgers before dozing off. I woke up with about an hour and a half left, just in time for breakfast. My partner told me he was woken up multiple times during the flight, but I felt rested.
A lifesaver for noisy Airbnbs
In Miami, our Airbnb was across from a nightclub. The music played late, making sleep difficult. Thankfully, I had my sleep buds.
I used them to listen to a sleep sound mix of meditation music, a dryer, and rain, and slept soundly. My partner, on the other hand, said he slept poorly due to the club music. I had no issues.
The Soundcore app has preloaded soundscapes.
Credit: Screenshot: Soundcore
Or you can create your own soundscape with up to three white noise sounds.
Credit: Screenshot: Soundcore
If you share space with a snorer, sleep earbuds might mean the difference between a sleepless night and restful sleep. During a Christmas visit to my mom, I used the Sleep A20s to block out their impressive snoring from the guest room.
A permanent spot in my travel bag
I’ve taken the Soundcore Sleep A20 earbuds on every trip since I bought them. They’re compact so they don’t take up valuable carry-on space, and they double as regular Bluetooth earbuds, replacing my AirPods with added comfort.
Whether I’m on a noisy plane or sharing a room with a snorer, the Sleep A20s are my reliable option.
This model doesn’t feature noise cancellation, but that doesn’t bother me. The soundscapes mask enough noise for comfortable sleep. If you prefer noise-cancelling sleep earbuds, my colleague, Bethany Allard, recommends the Soundcore Sleep A30 Specials.
Topics: Earbuds