illustration by liz riccardi

this might solve your sleep problems, for good

introducing smart earplugs

by Sanah Faroke

If you're a light sleeper, having a roommate (or two or five) can be the worst. Even if the people you live with are great, there's still the chance that they'll snore, study with a loud soundtrack, wake up at 5am…the list goes on. Luckily, though, three engineering students at the University of California, San Diego came up with earplugs that might change your life. 

We know, we know. The problem with earplugs is that they block out everything, including the things you need to hear—like, um, your alarm. Well, get ready to feel really excited: Hush is a new earpiece that cancels out all outside sounds while connecting to your iPhone. That means you won't miss your alarm—and you get to block out your roommate when she watches Vampire Diaries on blast without headphones. If that's not a win-win situation, we don't know what is.

So, how does it work? Hush uses an app that is associated with iOS and Android, so you can get every notification you normally would, but the smart earplugs have sound-eliminating foam and plays noise-masking sounds, like beach waves, so it drifts you to sleep. Basically, you’ll be getting the best night of rest you’ve had in approximately forever. Sweet dreams...