Ever felt so tired that you jumped on your bed to snooze… only to have the streetlights projecting an ominous hallow on your eyes?
You have to get up and drag yourself all the way to the window and draw the blinds… but you don’t have blackout curtains, sigh!
Moreover, if you want to get a power nap while traveling, you can’t possibly carry a mini blackout curtain… or maybe you can in the form of an eye mask!
NOTE
We have enlisted our recommended Eye Masks in this guide, here.
If your mind is full of questions like “How does an eye mask help you sleep?” let this guide help you out…
Benefits of sleeping with an eye mask
Whenever I hear the question “do sleeping eye masks work?” I answer with a “hell yeah!” And now’s the end of saying it… not because I don’t think the same anymore, but because I listed all the reasons down here…
1. It promoted quality sleep with earplugs
In 2010, a study published in Critical Care proved that the combination of eye masks and earplugs while sleeping can do wonders.
It balanced many subjects’ hormones and helped them enjoy deep sleep. The complete blockage of external stimuli helped the subjects feel comfortable, safe, and ready to fall asleep.
Moreover, your REM sleep is completed this way and you wake up feeling well-rested. Any disturbance to the REM sleep makes you feel exhausted the entire day.
2. It promotes healthy body function
Sleeping with sleep masks also improved people’s short-term memory, concentration, reaction time, self-control, situational awareness, mood swings, and sexual functions.
3. It boosts melatonin production
Due to the darkness created by the eye mask, the sleep chemical melatonin is produced. It controls your circadian rhythm and makes you feel drowsy and fall asleep easily.
Both daylight and blue light from devices lower melatonin production. So, with the eye mask, your brain feels it’s time to sleep and produces the chemical.
4. It alleviates headaches and sinuses
Some eye masks have added weight to them. If you sleep on your back with the eye mask on, it helps you relieve some amount of pain from headaches and sinus.
Moreover, if you’re sensitive to light, you might have a migraine. Only getting back to the dark can help you relieve your migraine, but it’s not easy to find a dark place in the middle of the day unless you have blackout curtains. An eye mask can save you from excruciating pain.
5. It’s a necessity for night-shifters
If your routine isn’t normal, i.e., you work night shifts and need to sleep during the day, eye masks are a great help. The bright daylight doesn’t help anyone to fall asleep peacefully.
The only solution is to soothe your eyes in the darkness of your eye mask. It slowly calms your system into believing that it’s nighttime and you’re ready to catch sleep.
6. You don’t get distracted
When you don’t instantly fall asleep after hitting the hay, the mind runs wild. Your first reaction is to reach out for your smartphone and explore social media. Or, your smartphone might go off from notifications and the blue light makes you forget that you need to sleep.
However, if you have a sleep mask on, any blue light won’t reach your eyes. Even if you want to grab your phone, you must take off your eye mask. This action instantly discourages you from reaching out to your phone because you’ll remember the instant you take off your mask, it’ll spoil your sleep.
7. It might help your insomnia
If you struggle to fall asleep once in a while or every day, you might have insomnia. Even when you close your eyes, your senses stay hyperactive which makes sleeping harder. Especially, if the surroundings have very little light, you can sense any movement in that light.
A sleeping eye mask can help you work through this situation as it deprives your sense of sight through the eyelids. Due to the lack of distraction from the excess light, you can sleep peacefully.
8. It prevents addiction to pills
Many people resort to melatonin-inducing sleeping pills when they can’t sleep. When they find that sleeping is much better with the medication, they crave it more because of the instant effect.
However, this makes a person addicted to the drug and deteriorates their natural melatonin-producing abilities. An eye mask will prevent you from reaching out to pills if you implement it into your lifetime before you ever touch sleeping pills.
9. It helps with issues of dry eyes
If you use a heater or air purifier in your bedroom, it easily dries out the air and irritates your eyes. You can use a humidifier to mitigate the issue, but humidifiers are expensive and need high maintenance for clean vapor.
But, a sleep mask can trap any moisture that leaves your eye skin and return it. They also protect your eyes from dust and allergens.
10. It might prevent wrinkles
So, does sleeping with an eye mask cause wrinkles? No… instead sleep deprivation can cause wrinkles faster. Moreover, involuntary facial expressions during sleep and side and stomach sleeping positions also cause wrinkles.
With an eye mask, you can protect your features from scrunching up and get enough sleep which can diminish your chances of getting wrinkles.
11. It can be your travel buddy
When you visit a new place, sleeping becomes hard due to familiarity issues. But you can induce sleep with a pair of eye masks whether you’re on the flight or in your hotel room.
12. It helps you treat your anxiety
If you suffer from sleep anxiety, a proper environment that promotes sleepiness is important. Even if the surroundings are too bright, a quality eye mask helps you block away any amount of light during sleep.
Moreover, weighted sleeping eye masks can help your anxiety even better as it gives you a sense of security like a weighted blanket.
Wondering “Is sleeping with an eye mask bad?” Let’s get your answers here…
Is it safe to sleep with an eye mask?
For adults, an eye mask of the correct size won’t hurt. However, if you use CPAP machines for Obstructive Sleep Apnea, pick masks with added cushion covers around the nose and have forehead support.
Children though can use sleeping eye masks, they must only use them for short naps. Choose ones with Velcro headbands so they can take them off easily if they feel uncomfortable.
However, it’s not suitable for infants due to suffocation risks.
Wondering what kind of eye mask to get? Let’s check all of them here…
Types of eye masks
Depending on your needs and preferences regarding comfort and functionality, different sleeping eye masks are available. Yes, the industry of eye masks isn’t just limited to eye-shaped blindfolds. So, let’s check the different types here…
1. Cloth Mask
These masks are a thin layer of cloth without any filling inside them. You usually find them with an elastic band for the perfect snug fit. Some are even available with adjustable headbands or a free size/ one-size-fits-all.
You might feel they’re too thin, but they’re equally effective as others. These are available in silk, satin, cotton, polyester, velvet, fleece, and others.
2. Contoured Mask
These eye masks are built of lightweight foam. The shape is perfect to fit your eyes and the bridge of your nose properly. These masks are much more effective than cloth masks as they provide better darkness.
The foam is dome-shaped over the eyes to allow you enough space to your eyes and blink. It won’t damage your eyelashes at all and won’t put pressure on your eyes.
3. Weighted Mask
A weighted mask is a great option for those who enjoy the comfort of weighted blankets. The added weight of the eye mask relieves any tension around the eyes as it puts gentle pressure on your face.
The overall weight of these eye masks is around 1lb and it’s evenly distributed throughout the mask. Weighted masks might help you fall asleep faster and for longer.
It’s usually made of warm fleece material and has a filling of 0.5lb beads.
4. Beaded Gel Mask
If you want to take the relaxation game one level higher, these masks filled with beaded gel are the best. As required, you can warm the beaded gel in the mask in the microwave or cool them in the freezer before use.
A warm eye mask can help you relieve tension and stress while a cold eye mask helps deal with a headache, sinus pain, migraine, any injury, or puffy issues.
Though these can work as sleeping eye masks, they’re generally popular for pain relief.
5. Silk Mask
The silk fibers of the mask protect the sensitive skin around your eyes from the abrasive friction of other fabrics. It lowers your chances of aging. Silk is also breathable and keeps hot sleepers cool.
6. Travel Mask
Most people grab their regular eye masks when they travel. But can you really snooze with just the mask? Travel masks are specifically paired with neck pillows. These are suitable for long journeys. The mask is available in a range of textures and fabrics.
7. Extra-large Mask
Unless you’re a back sleeper, any sleeping position pulls on the mask and lets light enter inside. So, larger masks prevent light from reaching your eyes. They don’t slide off from the friction of the pillow. Paired with adjustable straps and soft material make these masks feel heavenly.
8. Quilted Cotton Mask
Quilted cotton masks are extra soft and cushiony. Yet the bulkiness doesn’t reduce the breathability of the cotton. These are machine washable, easy to care for and feel like a soft pillow on your eyes.
But that was only about the type. When it comes to specifications, follow this trail…
Things to consider before buying your eye mask
Choosing an eye mask is much trickier than you think. It just doesn’t stop at the type. Its fabric, light blocking power, weight, shape, size, purpose, filling, style, and technology are also important. So, let’s choose the base details for you…
1. Blackout ability
If you want complete blackout, skip the light-colored masks as they have low light-blocking powers like the darker shades. Look for masks that contour your eyes and nose for a snug fitting.
Look for masks that are larger and cover more of your face or have added features to protect your eyes from even the slight light ray. This is especially important if you want to sleep during the daytime.
2. Fabric
The same material is not suitable for everyone because all of them have different perks. So, choose wisely based on the list:
a. White cotton
Pros
Breathable, wicks moisture, discourages bacterial growth on the skin, lightweight, soft, good light blocking power, most commonly used due to low expense, easy to clean, stays soft even after repeated wash.
Cons
Harsh on sensitive skin and your eyebrows, soak any cream, reduce cream efficiency, and dry your skin.
b. Silk
Pros
Most preferred, lightweight isn’t harsh on the skin, has good light-blocking power, and anti-wrinkle fabric, and feels soft and luxurious.
Cons
Difficult to care for, not sturdy, and expensive.
c. Satin
Pros
Gentle on the skin, lightweight, breathable, more durable than silk, easy to care for, and blocks light well.
Cons
It doesn’t release heat easily and gets heated up
d. Polyester
Pros
Durable, lightweight, inexpensive, no pressure on the face
Cons
Doesn’t wick moisture as well as cotton, and absorbs oil and cream making any topical cream ineffective
3. Purpose
To fight puffiness and headaches, gel eye masks help well as you can cool or heat them. If you prioritize comfort, go for regular eye masks
4. Size
A smaller size sleeping eye mask can put uncomfortable pressure on your eyes and head, blur your vision, give you headaches, and even let light reach your eyes.
A loose-fit eye mask will move around and shift away from your eyes and expose you to light.
To avoid such issues, stick to adjustable straps with sewn flaps for extra room for your nose.
5. Shape
Make sure the eye mask doesn’t sit flat on your face. You need enough space around your eyes to blink and for the bridge of your nose. Check the customer reviews to make sure about the sturdiness of the shape.
6. Weight
Sleeping eye masks are usually lightweight. But if you’re a fan of weighted blankets, weighted eye masks might work better.
7. Fill material
If you want to use the eye mask on airplanes, you can’t take one with sand fillings. Choose rice or seed filling instead.
8. Style
If you want to use your eye mask outside, i.e., while traveling, you can focus on the style. Coordinate it with your outfit or go for something fun if you’re on a vacation. Monochromatic tones are your best bet to avoid clashing with your outfit.
9. Technology
Some eye masks come with added technology like sensors, light therapy, gyrometer, and theme sounds. These attached features can be paired with an app. They take data about your sleep and suggest ways to improve your sleep. However, this will increase the price of the product.
Worried about the expenses? Let’s melt away your worries here…
What is the average cost of a sleeping eye mask?
Generally, regular eye masks without special added features are available for less than $20. But as you add luxury items and weights, the price will keep increasing.
For instance, silk and satin are more expensive than cotton. Added weights, frills, patterns, gel beads, extra room for your eyes and nose, and the addition of other small details can increase the price of your eye mask.
Wondering what’s the best place to buy sleeping eye masks? The recommendations are right here…
Where to buy a sleeping mask?
Eye masks are available in both online stores and brick-and-mortar stores.
For in-store shopping, stick to Target, Walmart, and Bed Bath & Beyond to get a wide range of products. Explain your needs to your shopping executive to reach your desired product faster.
For online shopping, go for retailers like Amazon, Blissey, and Manta Sleep. Take your time comparing product specifications and customer reviews.
Wondering what is the best eye mask for sleeping? Let’s introduce you to some here…
What eye mask should you buy? – Our Top Recommendations
Eye mask isn’t a new gadget, it’s been around for decades. So, in your quest to find the perfect eye mask, you might get confused with the wide variety. But don’t worry anymore, because we’ve handpicked some of the best eye masks for you…
1. Drowsysleepyco The Drowsy Silk Sleep Mask
The non-slip, double padded, light-blocking sleeping eye masks with adjustable straps are available in 8 colors. It is an award-winning eye mask for Health & Wellbeing AWARDS 2021 and beauty shortlist WELLBEING AWARDS 2021.
Why it is on our list?
- Squishy and cloud-like padding
- Pure mulberry silk
- Hypoallergenic
- Breathable
- Moisturizing
- Greater face coverage
- No-questions-asked refunds
- Protects from hair damage
- 60-day risk-free trial
2. MOONBOW The Total Dark Sleep Mask
This adjustable eye mask comes with 360° light-blocking coverage is adjustable to all sizes of head
Why it is on our list?
- Soft and satin finish
- Wide eye pads
- Cotton filling
- Lightweight, breathable
- Nifty Velcro design for the band
- 30-day return policy
- 1-year warranty
3. MZOO Sleep Eye Mask for Men Women, 3D Contoured Cup Sleeping Mask & Blindfold
The one-size-fits-all concave molded sleep mask is available in 5 different colors with an adjustable buckle closure that doesn’t catch hair.
Why it is on our list?
- Blackout properties
- Soft and comfortable due to low rebound memory foam
- Wider eye space
- Heat bonded technology used to prevent any parts fallout
- Non-staining colors
- Make-up friendly
- Washable
4. Mavogel Cotton Sleep Eye Mask – Updated Design Light Blocking Sleep Mask
This complete blackout eye mask with pull-on closure is a one-size-fits-all mask, available in 2 colors.
Why it is on our list?
- Band stretchable 19”-29”
- Patented bending cartilage technology with durable and flexible carbon steel
- The soft and breathable material of 5 layers – cotton, elastic sponge, and modaier, suitable for sensitive skin
- Least pressure on the face
- Covers a large area of your face
- Wider and thicker strap
- 100% handmade with clean seams
Final Statement
Despite how breathable your eye mask is or how clean it looks, remember that bacteria build-up from your skin sebum, facial creams and oils, and sweat are always a possibility.
To get the best of your sleeping eye mask, wash them daily or every other day with hypoallergenic and skin-friendly detergents.
Otherwise, your skin might get irritated… and forget about blocking lights, you’ll be stuck healing the sensitive skin for a long time.
So, take your time to choose the perfect sleeping eye mask along with a compatible detergent and begin your nights of blissful sleeping.
