Here Are 10 Reasons Why You Should Sleep With An Eye Mask
While there’s no simple solution to achieving a better night's sleep, donning an eye mask could be a game-changer. Believe it or not, wearing an eye mask offers numerous advantages, enhancing not just your sleep quality but even your skincare routine. If you're ready to elevate your nightly rest, we consulted top sleep and beauty experts to uncover the key benefits.
Below, explore the 10 major perks of sleeping with an eye mask.
Protects Skin While You Sleep
When we shift positions during the night, we often rub against our pillows, sheets, and blankets, which can lead to skin damage from friction. An eye mask acts as a protective barrier, preventing any skin irritation caused by movement. As we slumber, the friction from our bedding can disrupt our skin barrier and lead to inflammation. Given that the skin around our eyes is particularly delicate, it's essential to take care of it.
May Reduce Anxiety or Tension
If you find yourself tensing up in your face or are prone to headaches and migraines, certain eye masks can provide relief. A weighted eye mask often contains microbeads that offer gentle compression, helping to alleviate symptoms as you drift off to sleep. The light pressure applied to your face can ease tension around the eyes and help with nighttime headaches.
Improves Your Sleep on the Go
Traveling often makes it challenging to get a good night's sleep, no matter how much you plan. Eye masks can create a sense of normalcy, allowing you to enjoy a more restful sleep in unfamiliar surroundings. They’re portable and perfect for use on planes, enhancing your sleep quality while you’re on the move.
Helps Reduce Puffiness
Puffy faces and dark circles are classic signs of a sleepless night, but did you know there's an eye mask for that? Weighted masks apply gentle pressure to the skin beneath your eyes, helping to remove excess fluid that causes puffiness. Additionally, cooling eye masks can constrict blood vessels, offering further depuffing benefits.
May Increase Your REM Sleep
Eye masks have the potential to enhance REM sleep, the stage where most dreaming occurs, making up about 25% of our total sleep time. By providing complete darkness, eye masks reduce external light disturbances, leading to fewer interruptions and allowing you to enjoy more REM sleep.
Provides Complete Darkness Anywhere
If external factors hinder your ability to sleep, eye masks can offer much-needed relief. When shopping for an eye mask, look for one that creates blackout conditions to minimize distractions completely.
Allows the Skin Barrier to Heal
While we sleep, our skin takes the opportunity to recover from daily damage. A full night's rest contributes to your skin's aesthetics. Lack of sleep elevates cortisol levels, which can impede healing, lead to skin barrier disruptions, and even cause acne breakouts. Getting adequate sleep helps reduce inflammation and combat premature aging.
Helps Maintain Skin Hydration
Eye masks can also assist in keeping the skin hydrated. Depending on the materials used, eye masks can protect the products on your face, like eye creams, from external elements. Unlike cotton, silk does not absorb moisture from the skin, allowing it to retain its hydration throughout the night. Silk and satin masks are gentler on the skin, minimizing friction and ensuring better moisture retention.
Hypoallergenic and Antimicrobial
Silk eye masks offer more than just comfort; they’re also hydrophobic, hypoallergenic, and antimicrobial. Silk naturally resists dust mites and bacteria, making it a fantastic choice for sensitive skin and providing additional protection against irritation.
Resets Circadian Rhythm
Sometimes, fixing your sleep is as simple as wearing a silk mask, which can help reset your circadian rhythm (the body's internal clock). The gentle touch of silk may boost serotonin production, improving your mood, while its light-blocking abilities can enhance melatonin levels, effectively regulating your sleep cycles.