My non-negotiable for summer sleeping is a great eye mask. I'm ultra-sensitive to light when I'm trying to sleep, and even though I have blackout blinds, I find the morning light creeping in around the edges is often enough to wake me unpleasantly early. My eye mask is even more essential for travel — you can never trust that your accommodation will have suitably heavy curtains for blinds to keep the light out.
I tried plenty of eye masks during my time as a sleep writer, but I've ended up with just two that I use all the time. My at-home mask is the Drowsy silk sleep mask. This one is wide, flat, soft and super luxurious. It cocoons the top half of my face with its smooth Mulberry silk, turning down all the sensory information to help me nod off.
For travel, I use the Ostrichpillow sleep mask. This one is less expensive and more robust than the Drowsy, so I'm happier cramming it into my travel bag. The molded eye cups create a complete blackout, so it's amazing when used in very light situations like an airport or coach.
In recent years, we've seen a spate of more hi-tech sleep mask options hitting the market. These include masks that have built-in speakers (as an alternative to dedicated sleep headphones), masks that apply gentle, soothing pressure, and masks that gently warm your eye area. These won't be for everyone, but then sleep is a very personal thing — if you spot something that sounds good to you, it's well worth a try.
Read on for a rundown of the best sleep masks on the market, including my own personal summer saviors. I'll start with my US picks, or you can jump down the page for my UK options.
US: super sleep masks
UK: super sleep masks
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