The basic function of a sleep mask is pretty simple: Sleep masks are designed to block out any light, allowing your circadian rhythm to function properly and ultimately to provide you with a good night’s sleep. But while they seem simple on the surface, sleep masks actually vary in a number of ways, including the pressure they place on your eyes, the level of light they block out, and the extra features they offer. As such, it's worth taking the time to research the best sleep mask, just as you would if you were browsing for a new mattress.
So which sleep eye mask is right for you? The ACTIVE Reviews Team has tested out countless options and arrived at a short list of recommendations. Here are the products we'd recommend as you seek to develop some healthy sleep habits.
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The Best Sleep Masks - Our Top Picks
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- Best Overall Sleep Mask: MZOO Sleep Eye Mask
- Best Budget Sleep Mask: Mavogel Cotton Sleep Eye Mask
- Best Sleep Mask for Side Sleepers: Alaska Bear Sleep Mask for Side Sleepers
- Best Bluetooth Sleep Mask: Topoint Bluetooth Sleep Eye Mask
- Best Weighted Sleep Mask: Sivio Weighted Eye Mask
- Best Sleep Mask With Headphones: Musicozy Sleep Headphones Bluetooth Headband
- Best Sleep Mask for Dry Eyes: Dr. Prepare Heated Eye Mask for Dry Eyes
- Best Sleep Mask for Travel: Kimkoo Sleep Mask w/ Travel Bag
- Best Blackout Sleep Mask: Manta Sleep Mask - 100% Light Blocking
- Best Cooling Sleep Mask: Newgo Cooling Eye Mask
Best Overall Sleep Mask - MZOO Sleep Eye Mask
SPECS
- Material: Memory foam
Our top recommendation for a solid sleep mask is the MZOO Sleep Eye Mask, chosen for its generous recessed eye cavity. The memory foam construction minimizes pressure over your eyes while heat-bonded technology ensures the mask's long-term durability. We love this mask because it offers the best of both worlds: a near-complete blackout combined with a luxurious level of comfort.
What We Like
- Comfortable, pressure-relieving memory foam
- Highly effective at blocking light
- Durable design
- Made to minimize irritation to the skin
What We Don't Like
- Hand-wash only
- Memory foam isn't quite as breathable as silk or cotton
Best Budget Sleep Mask - Mavogel Cotton Sleep Eye Mask
SPECS
- Material: Cotton
One of the great things about sleep masks is that most of them tend to be pretty inexpensive. Even so, the Mavogel Cotton Sleep Eye Mask earns special attention for its affordability without scrimping on comfort. Its cotton design is lightweight, comfortable, and highly portable. It’s designed to relieve pressure from your eyes, making it easy to wear even if you're not used to sleeping with a mask on.
What We Like
- Very soft, breathable, and comfortable
- Alleviates pressure on your eyes
- Modest price point
- Easy to travel with
What We Don't Like
- Hand-wash only
- Limited color options
BUY: Mavogel Cotton Sleep Eye Mask
Best Sleep Mask for Side Sleepers - Alaska Bear Sleep Mask for Side Sleepers
SPECS
- Material: Memory foam
For side sleepers, it's especially important to find a sleeping mask that doesn't include any metal clasps or uncomfortable plastic buckles. With the Alaska Bear Sleep Mask for Side Sleepers, you'll get a low-profile, memory foam option that's incredibly flat and comfortable. And that's just one reason why we love it. Also consider the low price point, range of colors, and stretchy design.
What We Like
- Very soft, breathable, and comfortable
- No uncomfortable clasps or buckles
- Modest price point
- Wide range of colors to choose from
What We Don't Like
- Memory foam isn't as cool as cotton or silk
- Not the best option for sensitive skin
BUY: Alaska Bear Sleep Mask for Side Sleepers
Best Bluetooth Sleep Mask - Topoint Bluetooth Sleep Mask
SPECS
- Material: Cotton
To fully block out the world around you, you'll need to do more than just minimize light; you'll also need to drown out ambient noise from your street, apartment building, or household. The Topoint Bluetooth Sleep Eye Mask provides an eye covering combined with wireless headphones, making it easy to pipe in white noise or soothing music. The mask itself is made of soft and breathable cotton. It's lightweight, machine washable, and easy to travel with.
What We Like
- Wireless headphones built-in
- Machine washable
- Size-adjustable
- Play time of over 9 hours
What We Don't Like
- No automatic turn-off
- Eye mask isn't as flat as we'd like
BUY: Topoint Bluetooth Sleep Mask
Best Weighted Sleep Mask - Sivio Weighted Eye Mask
SPECS
- Material: Cotton, bamboo fiber
Some sleepers find it comforting to have a little extra weight. If that's you, the Sivio Weighted Eye Mask is your best bet. This weighted eye mask comes with cooling beads to mitigate body heat, a supple cotton design, and flexible velcro straps. Freeze or heat your mask for a customized, full spa experience!
What We Like
- Heat or freeze for customized relief
- Machine washable
- Soft, plush fabric
- Durable design
- Modest price point
What We Don't Like
- Not everyone will like the added weight
- The straps can be cumbersome, especially if you sleep on your back
Best Sleep Mask with Headphones - Musicozy Sleep Headphones Headband
SPECS
- Material: Spandex, nylon
Looking for a sleep mask with built-in, on-ear headphones? The Musicozy Sleep Headphones Headband is our top option—an affordable product that offers light-blocking eye coverings along with decent audio quality. The battery life extends up to 10 hours, and a 2-hour charging time ensures your sleep gear is ready for each night's rest.
What We Like
- Headphones with a long-lasting battery
- Modest price point
- Waterproof
- Lots of colors to choose from
- Multi-purpose as a headband—great for runs, yoga, commuting, etc
What We Don't Like
- Not as breathable as other eye masks
- May be better-suited for cold-weather workouts than for sleep
BUY: Musicozy Sleep Headphones Headband
Best Sleep Mask for Dry Eyes - Dr. Prepare Heated Eye Mask for Dry Eyes
SPECS
- Material: Cotton
Do you struggle with dry eyes? Heat therapy can provide enormous relief. This eye mask delivers, with optimized heating zones to help soothe tension, tiredness, and irritation. The remote control is easy and intuitive to use and the cotton material is lightweight and soft to the touch.
What We Like
- Provides heat therapy for tired or strained eyes
- Soft cotton materials
- Very easy to adjust
What We Don't Like
- Hand-wash only
- Slightly higher price point
BUY: Dr. Prepare Heated Eye Mask for Dry Eyes
Best Sleep Mask for Travel - Kimkoo Sleep Mask w/ Travel Bag
SPECS
- Material: Cotton
Looking for a sleep mask that's easy to bring with you on a plane or to an Airbnb? The Kimkoo Sleep Mask w/ Travel Bag is lightweight, portable, and comes with its own protective carrying case. It also happens to be budget-priced, soft, pressure-free, and incredibly effective at blocking out the light.
What We Like
- Lightweight and portable
- Effective at blocking light
- Modestly priced
What We Don't Like
- Not as easily adjustable as other masks
- Not the best option for sensitive skin
BUY: Kimkoo Sleep Mask w/ Travel Bag
Best Blackout Sleep Mask - Manta Sleep Mask - 100% Light Blocking
SPECS
- Material: Cotton, fleece
Most eye masks will block out somewhere between 90% and 98% of all light in the room. If you really want true darkness, though, consider the Manta Sleep Mask - 100% Light Blocking. This totally effective mask will give you the pitch blackness you crave, along with a pressure-free design, extreme adjustability, and a soft cotton-and-fleece feel.
What We Like
- Totally effective at blocking light
- No pressure on the eyes
- Adjustable eye cups to fit your eye spacing
- Machine washable
What We Don't Like
- Higher price point
- Not the best option for sensitive skin
BUY: Manta Sleep Mask - 100% Light Blocking
Best Cooling Sleep Mask - Newgo Cooling Eye Mask
SPECS
- Material: Gel
While the Newgo Cooling Eye Mask isn't your best bet for blocking the light, its freezable gel design is an outstanding way to cool down or to alleviate puffy, tired, irritated eyes. At an incredibly low price point, this is a therapeutic product that's well worth keeping in your medicine cabinet.
What We Like
- Great for cooling down
- Relieves dark circles and puffiness
- Can provide therapeutic relief for migraine sufferers
- Very low price point
What We Don't Like
- Not the best option for blocking out light
- Not made for long-term wear
How Do Sleep Masks Work?
The term sleep mask refers to any barrier that's placed over your eyes, blocking light from disrupting you while you slumber. Most sleep masks are made of lightweight and breathable materials and they wrap very simply around the head.
Sleep masks are popular because human sleep cycles are acutely impacted by the absence or presence of light; the presence of light tends to make your brain think it's time to be awake and alert, while a sleep mask creates a sense of artificial darkness, allowing you to feel relaxed and ready for sleep. Sleep masks can be especially helpful for those who work at night and need to sleep during daytime hours.
What To Look For in a Sleep Mask
There are a few factors to look for as you seek the ideal sleep mask:
- Composition. A sleep mask may be made of natural or synthetic fibers or of foam. Each type of material will have its own feel. Which one is best? That's really a matter of individual preference.
- Effectiveness. Simply put, a sleep mask that blocks out 99% of all light in the room will be markedly more effective than a mask that blocks out just 90% of light.
- Eye protection. If your eyes are prone to irritation, getting a sleep mask with recessed eye cavities is best.
- Adjustability. While it's certainly helpful to have a sleep mask that can be adjusted to provide the best fit, note that plastic or metal clips are bound to cause some discomfort as you sleep.
Benefits of Sleep Masks
There are a number of reasons why sleep masks can be beneficial:
- Sleep masks are very low-cost, especially when it comes to alternative light-blockers such as blackout curtains.
- Most sleep masks weigh less than a pound and can be easily folded, making them great travel companions.
- The typical sleep mask is machine-washable and very easy to maintain.
- Many sleep masks, especially cotton ones, are made with breathable materials, preventing you from feeling overheated or stuffy.
FAQs About Sleep Masks
Do sleep masks work?
There is ample clinical evidence to suggest that sleep masks can result in elevated melatonin levels and in greater REM time, both of which indicate a more restful and restorative night of sleep.
Can you use a sleeping mask every day?
Using a sleep mask every day is usually no problem, but do be alert to any signs of skin irritation around your eyes. If mask use damages your skin, it may call for some changes to your pre-bedtime skincare routine.
Is cotton or silk better for a sleep mask?
Both are great options because they are lightweight and breathable. Silk may be slightly better for those who have delicate or sensitive skin.
About the Author
Josh is a journalist and writer whose work has appeared in magazines and local newspapers such as Christianity Today, IMAGE Journal, Relevant Magazine, FLOOD, The Nashville Scene, True Tunes, Rise Up Daily, and Looking Closer with Jeffrey Overstreet. Josh is an avid hiker and outdoor enthusiast.
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