I am now on my 2nd box of these earplugs. They are the only ones for me after trying many, many types and models of earplugs. I live in an apartment with less than adequate soundproofing on a busy main street, a block away from a train line with LOUD whistles day and night. I am also near 2 major hospitals. Compounding all of this I have medical disorders which make pain and insomnia a regular nightly issue. Ear Plugs are a MUST. If you sleep on your back I suppose you have more options. As a preferred side-sleeper, most of the models I tried were painful over any length of time or simply couldn't cut out the noise level. I've been using this brand now for 5 years and they are a Godsend. They don't work as well as the Bose noise-canceling earphones, but I'm also not wired to my laptop getting strangled. They are very comfortable though for nightly wear, easy to put in, and considerably mute the worst of the trains and sirens. I find that I can stream movies on my laptop, and if the volume is full-on I can still quietly hear the movie (but will need CC to understand. They definitely will block out neighbors, most children outside, muffle fireworks, and motorcycles. On occasion, due to dry ears, I have to put a drop or two of olive/ coconut oil in the ear canal to prevent itching. I don't imagine this will be necessary for all users. Overall, these have kept me sane in a noisy world. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!