[kevlened]

This was my experience until I purchased custom molded earplugs a year ago. It's one of the best purchases I've made. They're superior to off-the-shelf plugs in many ways:

1. They don't fall out, because they "hook into" the shape of your ear.

2. They sit much closer to the inner ear, so they feel invisible when side-sleeping.

3. It's a perfect fit every time, so you don't have to worry about noise leakage or discomfort caused by pressure.

If you don't want to spend $200 on a pair of plugs from an audiologist (I'd strongly urge you to reconsider!), the best off-the-shelf alternative for me was silicone plugs. To solve the side-sleeping problem with silicone plugs, you can tear them in half or use children's versions depending on your ear canal size.

[MengerSponge]

+1 to "get custom molded earplugs"

If enjoy and pay to see live music, you should spring for a set of "musician's earplugs". They're molded just like safety/sleeping earplugs, but they use a flat 10-15dB attenuating filter. They make the music quieter without distorting it.

Symphony players wear them because brass/percussion is loud enough to cause hearing damage with hours of exposure. I've sung in mine for Easter morning services where I was wedged between a celebratory trumpet and an organ with all the stops out.

They're not cheap, but they're not very expensive in the world of Ticketmaster fees.