Living in a noisy city can mean it’s often difficult getting an uninterrupted night’s sleep. There’s always something going on. People slamming doors, drunks stumbling down the street at 3am, noisy parties which never seem to start until 11pm at the earliest. So what can you do?

If you’ve got a busy day ahead, you have to sleep. Earplugs are one solution. The trouble is not many of them are up to much. Foam plugs are OK up to a point. But when you’re someone who wakes at the slightest noise, you need something with a bit more clout. Look no further than Muffles Wax Earplugs from Boots.

I’ve been using these for years and now can’t imagine sleeping without them. A friend told me about these one day when I was complaining yet again about another sleepless night, thanks to inconsiderate neighbours. This friend recommended using wax earplugs. She said her sister, an air stewardess, swore by them for catching the odd hours sleep on a long haul flight. So I tried them and have been using them ever since.

They’re not particularly comfortable when you first pop them in. You need to soften them up by rolling them between your fingers then squeeze them into your ears and sort of flatten them around the top to seal off the outside. The reduction in noise is quite remarkable.

Although they’re designed for one night’s use, I find they work well for three to four nights before it’s time to throw them out. The trouble is, they work so well there’s no way I can sleep without them. But they’re highly recommended for light sleepers.

The earplugs shown below are quite similar to those described here.Or you can buy from Boots.