Can Earplugs Help You Study and Focus in a Noisy Place?

Yes, earplugs can help you study in a noisy place, mostly by turning down the background chatter that pulls your attention away. Research on learning suggests that meaningful speech nearby is one of the most distracting sounds for reading and memory, so softening it can make a coffee shop, dorm or open office easier to work in. A soft, solid custom earplug is a comfortable way to do that for hours at a time.

Quick answer

• What distracts most: nearby talking you can understand, more than steady hum like a fan or traffic.
• What helps: reducing how much of that chatter reaches your ears, with earplugs or a quieter spot.
• For long study sessions: a soft solid earplug, like our Full Stop Super-Soft (NRR 32 dB).
• If you still want to hear people: a filtered earplug with a light 9–20 dB filter.
• Keep a plan for alarms: set your phone to vibrate so you don’t miss what matters.

Does background noise make studying harder?

For many people, yes, and the type of noise matters a lot. A review in Frontiers in Psychology by Klatte, Bergström and Lachmann looked at how noise affects learning. One of the steadiest findings was that meaningful speech made it harder for teenagers to remember text they had read, while speech they couldn’t understand didn’t have the same effect (Klatte et al., 2013).

The same review describes what researchers call the irrelevant sound effect. Sounds that keep changing, like speech or shifting tones, interfere with short-term memory, and steady noise has much less effect. Adults show it too, though the authors found children are more affected.

The authors also note that these effects are usually small. So earplugs won’t do your studying for you. They can take away one common source of friction, and on a long night before an exam that can be welcome.

What kinds of noise are the most distracting?

Here’s the short version from the research above, in plain terms:

• Talking you can follow. A conversation at the next table tugs at your attention because your brain wants to understand it.
• Sudden or unexpected sounds. A dropped tray or a phone ringing grabs attention, especially for younger students.
• Steady sound. A fan, an air conditioner or distant traffic tends to bother memory far less.

A bigger picture review for the World Health Organization looked at environmental noise and children’s learning. It rated the evidence that aircraft noise affects children’s reading comprehension as moderate quality, while the evidence for road traffic noise was very low quality (Clark and Paunovic, 2018). The authors were careful to say that weak evidence doesn’t prove there’s no effect, only that more research is needed.

Is library or cafe noise loud enough to hurt your hearing?

Usually not, and that’s good news. According to the NIDCD, sounds at or below 70 dBA are unlikely to cause hearing loss, even after long exposure, and normal conversation averages 60–70 dBA. Long or repeated exposure at or above 85 dBA is where hearing damage becomes a risk.

So earplugs for studying are mainly about comfort and focus, not protection from harm. That changes what you want from them. You’re looking for something you can wear for hours without noticing, rather than the highest number on the package. If you’re curious how loud your favorite study spot really is, our guide How Loud Is Too Loud? explains decibels in friendly terms.

Which earplugs work best for studying?

It depends on how quiet you want it and whether you need to hear the people around you. Here’s how the common options compare.

NIOSH puts it simply: “Comfort is the key to consistent use of hearing protection” (NIOSH, Provide Hearing Protection). That advice is written for workers, and it fits students just as well. The pair you forget you’re wearing is the pair that helps you get through chapter twelve.

How does Big Ear help you find quiet for studying?

For most students and remote workers, we’d point you to the Full Stop Super-Soft. It’s a solid custom earplug made from impressions of your own ears, in platinum-cure silicone at Shore A 25, the softness that gives Super-Soft its name. It’s hypoallergenic and antibacterial, has an NRR of 32 dB, and costs $168.95. It suits adults and children, and you can pick any color or swirl, so your pair is easy to spot on a crowded desk.

A nice bonus: the same pair works for sleep. If your roommate keeps different hours from you, our post on earplugs for daytime sleep covers that side of things.

If you’d rather keep conversation within reach, look at The One. It’s our filtered earplug with a two-part, analog, non-electronic filter system: a non-linear canal filter in every pair, plus interchangeable flat filters of 9, 15, 20, 25 or 30 dB. For quieter places like a library or a busy office, the 9, 15 or 20 dB filters are the usual picks. It carries an NRR of 25 dB with one filter installed, and you can swap filters in seconds.

• Standard: $224.95 with one filter set
• Select: $299.95 with two filter sets, so one pair covers two noise levels
• Premium: $574.95 with all five filters, plus the hole plug, solid plugs, tactical piece and a case

Every order includes our free Home Impression Kit. It ships in 2–3 business days, takes about 10–15 minutes with a helper and a guided video, and the return postage is paid. We build your earplugs by hand in the USA within 40 business days of your impressions reaching our lab. Order shipping is $10, and you’re covered by our 30-Day Fit Warranty plus a 12-month warranty against manufacturing defects (loss isn’t covered). Because every pair is custom, they can’t be returned.

Are there downsides to studying with earplugs?

A couple of small ones, and they’re easy to plan around.

First, you’ll hear less of what’s going on around you. NIOSH notes that too much sound reduction can make people less aware of their surroundings. At home or in a dorm, set your phone to vibrate and keep it on the desk, and take the plugs out when you head somewhere you need to hear traffic or announcements.

Second, your ears deserve a break. Take your earplugs out between sessions, keep them clean and dry, and store them in their case. If you ever notice ear pain, an ear infection, or ringing that is new or getting worse, stop wearing earplugs and see a doctor or audiologist. The same goes if you have ear tubes or have had recent ear surgery: check with your doctor before using any earplug.

What else helps you concentrate in a noisy space?

Earplugs work best alongside a few simple habits:

1. Sit away from the chatter. Distance and a wall between you and the coffee counter both help.
2. Pick the steady spot. A table near a humming fan is often easier than one near the line.
3. Save group study for group tasks, and do heavy reading somewhere quieter.
4. Silence notifications along with the room.

Frequently asked questions

Are custom earplugs comfortable enough to wear for hours?

That’s what they’re made for. Because they’re shaped from impressions of your ears, there’s nothing to roll or squeeze, and the Super-Soft material is a soft Shore A 25 silicone. The NIDCD reminds us that wearing earplugs should never hurt. Comfort is personal, so if anything feels off, our 30-Day Fit Warranty is there to make it right.

Can I listen to music while wearing earplugs?

Not with solid earplugs. If you like music while you work, a sealed custom headphone or adapter may suit you better. Keep the volume modest; the NIDCD notes that headphones at maximum volume can reach 94–110 dBA.

Which filter of The One should I use in a library?

Start with a lighter filter, from 9 to 20 dB, since our guidance for quieter settings sits in that range. If you want it quieter, swap to the next level. Our filter guide goes through each one.

Are earplugs safe for kids doing homework?

The Super-Soft is made for adults and children. For young kids, an adult should help with putting them in and taking them out, and check with your doctor first if your child has ear tubes or frequent ear infections.

Ready for some peace and quiet?

If you’d like help choosing, try Find my pair and answer a few quick questions. When you’re ready, start with the free Home Impression Kit, or give us a call at (719) 271-4528 and we’ll talk it through with you. Happy studying.

Sources

• Klatte M, Bergström K, Lachmann T. Does noise affect learning? A short review on noise effects on cognitive performance in children. Frontiers in Psychology, 2013;4:578.
• Clark C, Paunovic K. WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region: A Systematic Review on Environmental Noise and Cognition. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2018;15(2):285.
• National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). Noise-Induced Hearing Loss.
• NIDCD. Hearing Protectors.
• NIOSH, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Provide Hearing Protection.