Most sleep masks are similar in the sense that they’re small and lightweight. But deciding which specific model is best for you depends on a few factors. While you’re shopping, experts recommend thinking about the following:
Material: “Eyelid skin is the thinnest, most vulnerable skin on the human body, so there’s a low threshold for insults,” says Dr. Zaineb Makhzoumi, a dermatologic surgeon at the University of Maryland Medical Center and University of Maryland School of Medicine faculty practice locations. “Since sleep masks come into contact with it, you want to make sure it’s made of something mild.” She recommends prioritizing silk and cotton, which are lightweight, gentle materials. Silk and cotton also aren’t likely to pull on your eyelashes and eyebrows because they don’t have a lot of pores for the hairs to get caught on, she says. Silk specifically is a great option for mature skin and those worried about sleep lines, which can develop when sheets and pillowcases make indentations on the skin. The material is smooth and tends not to wrinkle or crease easily, eliminating the chances of it creating sleep lines, says Makhzoumi.
Style: Sleep masks come in two styles: those that lay flat against your face and 3D options that have domed cups (they resemble a bra). The style you choose is ultimately a personal preference — since you’re wearing sleep masks for hours at a time, it’s important to prioritize comfort. But our experts generally recommend 3D sleep masks with domed cups. They put space between the cup and your eyelid, putting pressure on your orbital bone instead of resting atop your eyes. Due to their shape, sleep masks with domed cups also tend to have less light leakage around their perimeter compared to flat sleep masks.
Adjustability:Look for a sleep mask that’s tight enough to fit properly but doesn’t create discomfort as the night progresses, says Dr. Christopher Winter, a neurologist and sleep specialist based in Charlottesville, Virginia. Some sleep masks have a band that goes over and around your head, while others are designed with adjustable straps or ties. It’s often helpful to buy a few sleep masks, try them on to see how they fit and return the ones that you don’t like, says Lynelle Schneeberg, a licensed clinical psychologist and assistant professor at the Yale School of Medicine.
Washability: Cleaning your sleep mask once or twice a week is essential, says Makhzoumi. As it sits on your face, the mask’s fabric absorbs oil and dirt from your skin, which you’ll want to remove to prevent breakouts and practice good overall hygiene. How you should wash a sleep mask often depends on the material it’s made from, so pay attention to cleaning instructions brands include on the product’s packaging or on their website. Machine-washable sleep masks are the easiest to clean, but you can also give them a quick rinse in the sink with warm water and gentle laundry detergent.
With experts’ guidance in mind, we rounded up sleep masks we’ve tried and highly rated options. We also included what we like and what to note about each sleep mask to help guide your shopping.
Kara Birnbaum, NBC Commerce photo editor, has insomnia and relies on sleep masks overnight as well as for naps. Out of all the options she’s tried, Drowsy’s silk eye mask is her favorite due to its wide shape, padded design and blackout interior liner. “It’s the most blackout mask I’ve been able to find,” says Birnbaum. “It’s like a pillow on your eyes, it’s so soft and it’s an all around game changer.” You can purchase the mask in over a dozen colors like Green Sapphire, Lavender Haze and Dusty Gold.
“I don’t wear a sleep mask every night because I’m a hot sleeper, but I do like to travel with this one because I almost always fall asleep on planes,” says Nikki Brown, NBC Select SEO editor. She finds silk to be more cooling compared to other materials, and says it looks chic, too. You can purchase this sleep mask in over a dozen colors and patterns like black, pink, navy, polka dots and stripes. Slip also makes a 3D version of this sleep mask with contoured, domed eye cups if you prefer that style.
Material: Silk | Style: Flat | Adjustable: No | Machine-washable: No
In addition to sleeping on Blissy’s silk pillowcase, Mili Godio, NBC Select updates editor, uses the brand’s silk sleep mask. “I’m not a big fan of wearing something on my face while I sleep, so any sleep mask I use needs to be super soft, lightweight and comfortable,” she says. “This one fits the bill perfectly, and it’s by far the most comfortable sleep mask I’ve come across because I forget it’s even there.” The sleep mask, which the brand sent her to try, feels soft against Godio’s skin and doesn’t scratch or pull at it. She also says the mask’s elastic band never feels tight around her head or temples.
“This sleep mask is downright masterful at light blocking,” says Ari Night, NBC Select editorial assistant. It resembles swim goggles due to its padded 3D eye cups, which create a seal around the eyes to prevent light from leaking in while you’re sleeping. Night also says the sleep mask helps relieve migraines, and that its band is comfortable and secure.
Material: Proprietary fabric derived from beechwood fiber | Style: 3D with domed cups | Adjustable: Yes, Velcro strap | Machine-washable: No
Light commonly peaks through sleep masks around the nose bridge area since your nose tends to lift the mask up a bit. To solve this problem, Mavogel designed its sleep mask with a bendable nose wire that you can adjust to reduce how much space there is between the mask and your face. This sleep mask, which has a 4.4-star average rating from 82,862 reviews on Amazon, also has a black sponge inside of it to help block light. The triangular wings on both sides reduce how much direct pressure the mask’s band puts on your temples.
Material: Cotton | Style: Flat | Adjustable: Yes, buckle strap and nose piece | Machine-washable: No
Thanks to its domed eye cups, this contoured mask, which has a 4.6-star average rating from 90,143 reviews on Amazon, avoids putting pressure on your eyes. It hugs your face to prevent light from leaking in and reduce the chance that the mask will move while you’re sleeping. Mzoo’s sleep mask is also designed with an air hole so it feels breathable rather than stuffy, according to the brand.
Material: Brand does not specify | Style: 3D with domed cups | Adjustable: Yes, buckle strap | Machine-washable: Yes
Beyond the adjustable band, you can move this sleep mask’s eye cups wider apart or closer together depending on your face shape. The eye cups also detach from the body of the sleep mask, allowing you to swap them out for the brand’s cooling eye cups, which can help with headaches and migraines, according to Manta. The mask has a 4.6-star average rating from 12,582 reviews on Amazon.
Material: Cotton and modal (rayon) | Style: 3D with domed cups | Adjustable: Yes, Velcro strap and eye cups | Machine-washable: Yes
Luna’s weighted sleep mask, which the brand sent me, is a lifesaver for dealing with my seasonal allergies that cause sinus pressure. When I put this mask on my face, it dulls the discomfort and helps me relax so I can get a good night’s sleep. The mask’s removable weighted insert is filled with ceramic beads. You can put it in the microwave for up to 90 seconds so it’s warm, or put it in the freezer for about two hours before use so it has a cooling effect. I prefer the cooling effect for my sinus pressure, but I look forward to the warmth during the winter months when my bedroom is freezing. The mask blocks a sufficient amount of light and I find it comfortable to wear while sleeping on my side or back.
Material: Polyester, cotton and rayon | Style: Flat, weighted | Adjustable: Yes | Machine-washable: Yes, without the weighted insert
Nodpod, one of our favorite women-owned businesses, makes a weighted sleep mask that has a 4.5-star average rating from 4,947 reviews on Amazon. Its strap-free design is best for side sleepers, according to the brand, although anyone can use it. The mask has four pods filled with weighted beads, two of which you put over your eyes to block out light. There’s fabric on both ends of the sleep mask — you pull one piece of fabric through the slit on the other piece to secure the mask to your head. You can also put the mask in the freezer if you want it to feel cool when you put it on.
Material: Cotton and microfleece | Style: Flat, weighted | Adjustable: Yes | Machine-washable: Yes, but the brand recommends air drying
You should wash your sleep mask once or twice a week, says Makhzoumi. Once a week is the baseline, but consider adding an extra wash if you have oily or acne-prone skin.
Be sure to wash your sleep mask with a gentle, unscented, fragrance-free laundry detergent and avoid fabric softeners and scent boosters, says Makhzoumi. Many people are sensitive to artificial scents and fragrances, which can cause allergic contact dermatitis, an immune response that may show up as itchiness, a rash or blisters, she says. With that being said, avoiding scents and fragrances entirely is your best bet when it comes to choosing a detergent.
Sleep masks tend to be most beneficial in situations where it’s difficult to control the artificial and/or natural light in your sleeping environment. For example, maybe your bed partner likes to stay up and read, you’re a shift worker who sleeps during the day or you’re trying to get some shuteye while traveling. Some people wear a sleep mask situationally, but others are more sensitive to light and use the accessory every night so they don’t see sunlight peeking through their shades or the flashing light on their Wi-Fi router. Sleep masks are also a low-cost alternative to getting a better sleep with blackout curtains if you don’t want to or can’t install them in your home.
Sleep masks may also be useful for those who have a hard time falling asleep, regardless of why. If you wear the mask every night, putting it on may become a signal that tells your body and mind it’s time to power down and get some rest, says Schneeberg.
If you tend to have a hard time waking up in the morning, wearing a sleep mask may not be a great idea, says Schneeberg. Just how darkness cues our body to sleep, light cues our body to wake up. And if you struggle to wake up with some light peaking through your curtains, creating a pitch black environment with a sleep mask will only make it worse, says Schneeberg. She specifically does not recommend sleep masks for tweens and teens who have trouble waking up for school on time.
Because sleep masks totally cover the eyes, some people wonder if they’re safe to wear for extended periods of time. All of our experts agree that sleep masks are safe to wear, so long as you can easily take it off by yourself. So, for example, people who have mobility restrictions and can't take a sleep mask off by themselves should not wear one, experts say.
Yes, kids can wear sleep masks, so long as they’re able to put it on and take it off by themselves, says Winter.
There are a few factors that greatly impact our sleep quality and quantity, including temperature, sound and light. The main concern as far as light goes is exposure right before or during bed, which can affect the circadian rhythms that dictate our sleep-wake cycle, experts told us.
When we see light during the day, mechanisms in our eyes feed back into parts of the brain that keep time, telling it to produce cortisol, a hormone that helps keep us awake and alert. Then, when our eyes perceive darkness at night, those same mechanisms communicate with the brain, telling it to produce melatonin, a hormone that makes us feel sleepy and relaxed, says Winter. Exposure to light at night can delay melatonin production, which may mean it takes us longer to fall asleep or prevent us from entering a deep sleep. With that being said, try to aim for total darkness when you’re going to bed to get the best sleep possible.
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure that all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and with no undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
Dr. Zaineb Makhzoumi is a dermatologic surgeon who specializes in Mohs micrographic surgery at the University of Maryland Medical Center and University of Maryland School of Medicine faculty practice locations. She is also an Assistant Professor of Dermatology, Head of Dermatologic Surgery and Oncology, and Director of Clinical Services in the Department of Dermatology at the School of Medicine.
Lynelle Schneeberg is a licensed clinical psychologist and assistant professor at the Yale School of Medicine. She’s also a fellow at the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and author of “Become Your Child’s Sleep Coach: The Bedtime Doctor’s 5-Step Guide, Ages 3-10.” Her practice focuses on helping parents teach their preschool and elementary school children to be great sleepers and using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) to help adolescents and adults sleep well.
Zoe Malin is an associate updates editor at NBC Select who covers sleep, including stories on sunrise alarm clocks and slippers. For this article, she interviewed three experts about sleep masks and rounded up NBC Select staff favorites, as well as highly rated options.
