Recent research is showing the impact a sleep mask can have not only on our sleep but also on our memory and alertness. This can have a real impact on our learning and performance as well as everyday tasks such as driving.
So how does it work?
The research
In a study* 94 people wore sleep masks one week and the next slept without. What was found was quite astonishing. Wearing a mask facilitated the encoding of novel information for the next day, basically people remembered better after sleeping with a mask. This memory benefit was predicted by time spent in slow wave sleep. Wearing a mask also increased reaction time, i.e. alertness, the day after.
Light and sleep
There is a close correlation between light and sleep, not only unwanted light at night. Light is instrumental in regulating our internal clock, the circadian rhythm. Light also impacts the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone. The amount and type of light we experience is crucial for our sleep quality:
- The circadian rhythm signals when we should be alert and when we should rest. When we are only exposed to natural light our circadian rhythm becomes atuned with the sun rising and setting and hence us staying awake with its light and falling asleep when it’s dark. In today’s world electricity makes it possible to have light 24/7 which can impact the circadian rhythm negatively.
- The production of melatonin, the sleep hormone is initiated by the brain when it’s dark. Light will halt or slow the production of melatonin.
- Our sleep cycles can also be negatively impacted by light; light exposure when we sleep can interfere with the transition from one cycle to another. As a result we either wake up or we have a lower quality sleep with less time spent in the deeper, more restorative sleep phases.
Block out the light at night
A blackout curtain might do the trick but we often have light seeping in and when travelling or sleeping away from home we might not be able to impact our ambient environment. The most efficient way to block out light is a blackout sleep mask.
The Dagsmejan blackout sleep mask
Dagsmejan’s blackout sleep mask combines 100% darkness with super-soft, temperature regulating fabrics and it’s made with natural and sustainable materials. It’s totally adaptable to your face so you can adapt it to your nose and eyes so that there is no pressure and no light.
Discover the blackout sleep mask now
