Sleep with headphones or earplugs in — comfortably
A headphone, earbud or earplug pressed into a flat pillow digs into your ear all night. The hole gives it room to sit — so you can block out noise, or fall asleep to a podcast, and still sleep on your side.
- Made in England
- 12+ years
- Try risk-free
The pillow we’d point you to
- Everyday
The Original P.W.A.H® (V1)
Our best-selling ear pillow, a dependable everyday all-rounder.
Price range: £35.00 through £80.00Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Trusted by thousands of people over 12+ years
“My hubby snores and I wear ear plugs. I tried it out with them in and no pain. I think you saved our marriage.” — Amber E.
Why does sleeping in headphones or earphones hurt?
On an ordinary pillow, anything in or over your ear — a headphone, an earbud, a foam earplug — gets pressed between your head and the mattress when you lie on your side. A few minutes is fine; a whole night is sore, and it’s why so many people give up on sleeping with headphones or earplugs in.
What makes a good headphone pillow?
The Original Pillow with a Hole has an open centre, so your ear — and whatever’s in or on it — rests in the hole instead of being crushed into the pillow. You can keep your headphones, earbuds or earplugs in all night and still sleep comfortably on your side. It’s a pillow built for exactly this — the original headphone pillow with a hole.
Who sleeps better with the hole?
Light sleepers and shift workers blocking street noise or a snoring partner; anyone who falls asleep to podcasts, audiobooks, white noise or music; travellers who wear earplugs or earbuds on long flights; and the partner of a snorer who sleeps in earplugs every night.
pressure on the headphone or earbud in your ear, all night.
Three steps to a comfortable night’s sleep
- 1
Your ear sits in the hole
Lie down and your ear, along with anything worn on or in it, drops into the central opening, touching nothing.
- 2
Adjust the filling
Open the YKK® zip and add or remove filling until the height & firmness suit your shoulder.
- 3
Sleep on your side or back
Settle in. The pillow supports your head while everything in the hole stays clear and free from pressure.
Which pillow for headphones and earplugs?
Three for sleeping with something in your ears.
The Original V1 sits on top of the pillow you already use — the simplest way to add the hole. The P.W.A.H V2 is our flagship standalone pillow, the plushest in the range. The Travel P.W.A.H packs down for carry-on — ideal if you wear earplugs or earbuds on long flights.
- Everyday
The Original P.W.A.H® (V1)
Our best-selling ear pillow, a dependable everyday all-rounder.
Price range: £35.00 through £80.00Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page - Nightly use
The Original P.W.A.H® V2
A refined, quilted PWAH for comfortable nightly use.
Price range: £65.00 through £115.00Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page - Travel
The Original Travel P.W.A.H®
A compact, travel-ready PWAH for comfort anywhere.
Price range: £60.00 through £70.00Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Not sure which pillow is right for you?
Find Your Pillow →These are not cheap textiles, and you wouldn’t want them to be.
It’s expensive to make things this well. Well sourced materials with nothing hidden in them, made by people paid a proper wage, sewn from scratch here in Liverpool. Look at what else is out there: the rest of the market is made overseas, down to a price. We went the other way and chose quality over price. That’s why nobody else makes them like this.
- Made in Liverpool, England
- Premium YKK® zips
- OEKO-TEX® organic cotton
- Yorkshire coil fibre, spun since the 1950s
- Fairly paid team
See the range in action
Headphone & earplug pillow questions, answered
Machine washable and tumble-dryable — wash at 30°C and tumble dry. Pop a tennis ball in the dryer with it to redistribute the filling and keep it plump. Full guidance is on our Care Instructions page.
Yes — that’s one of the main advantages of the pillow. Open the YKK® zip and add or remove filling until the height and firmness suit you: take some out for a lower, softer feel, or add more for firmer support. It’s worth experimenting over a few nights to find what works for your shoulder and sleeping position. There’s a short video showing how on our Care Instructions page.
The Original V1 works best placed on top of your usual pillow, so you keep the height and neck support you’re used to while gaining the ear relief. The V2 is designed as a standalone pillow, though it can also sit on top of a regular one if you prefer more loft.
That’s exactly what it’s for. Your ear and whatever’s in or on it — headphones, earbuds, earplugs or earphones — sits in the hole instead of being pressed into the pillow, so you can keep them in all night and still sleep on your side.
The opening is about 10cm × 9cm — plenty of room for your ear plus an earbud, AirPod or earplug to sit without contact. Over-ear headphones are bulkier, but the hole still takes the pressure off the ear cup; very large cans may be a snug fit.
Yes. Anyone who sleeps in earplugs or earbuds to block noise — light sleepers, shift workers napping in the day, travellers on long flights, or the partner of a snorer — can keep them in comfortably on their side. It’s also great if you like falling asleep to a podcast or audiobook.
Try it for yourself
The Original Pillow with a Hole comes with a refund guarantee. If you are not satisfied, return it to us within 14 days of receipt, in any condition, and we will refund you. (But we’re sure you’ll love it.)
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