I start work around 5am so I am in bed by 9pm the trouble is I live in a ground floor flat and have noisy neighbours above. I cannot complain as its my choice to have such a job that starts so early. Wrapping a pillow around my head never works for me and regular bullet shaped earplugs are uncomfortable to sleep with and usually drop out. So I had no choice but to get custom fit earplugs. Online they vary in price so shop around. ITS dot com and screwfix dot com sell the cheapest I could find at £12.99. In the kit you get safety instructions, which I strongly advice you read. I small bag and two little tubs of silicon compounds. At the time of writing this review there is enough compound to make 4 earplugs. I made 2 regular plugs and 2 for headphones. It is really simple to make the earplugs,just follow the instructions. Don't press the compound in too far as it might damage the eardrum. If you feel pain ...STOP and just mould the silicon around your outer ear until smooth. If you can leave a little raised lip at the back so you can easily remove the plug. There is a crackling sound you will hear but nothing to worry about. 10 minutes in the ear is enough curing time but I left them there for 14 just in case. WARNING....do not remove quickly. The silicon you inserted into your ear may create a vacuum within. Pulling it out too fast may damage your eardrum forever. Slowly remove the plug turning it a little as it curls out of the ear. The silicon does not expand in the ear. If you have a long ear canal you can trim the mould back a little for the sake of comfort but make sure you remove any loose debris from the plug to prevent any getting inside the ear. Make sure though you do not trim back too much as it is the canal part that keeps the plug in. As I will use this product to help me sleep I do not need the cord that comes in the pack. The reduction is sound while using these plugs is quite marked. I guess around 75-85% sound loss. My main concern was not being able to hear my alarm clock in the morning but I am sure I do not have to worry. So you are not deaf. If you have ever had ear wax blocking your ears then you will know what it is like to wear these plugs. I recommend this product even for just being able to make custom fit earphones !! I gave 4 stars as the earplugs only come in tan colour, wish there was a 4.5 :)