How many hours of sleep do you get each night?
If it’s less than 6 to 7 hours, you’re at a greater risk of developing diseases. Not only is lack of sleep linked to increased blood pressure and cholesterol, but it’s also associated with the production of more stress hormones. Sleep deficiency has also been linked to cognitive impairment and hormonal imbalances that lead to obesity.
Of course, for some people, getting a peaceful sleep can be challenging. After all, sleeping problems can have a wide range of causes. Now, if you also find sleeping at night difficult, the good news is there are steps you can take to improve your sleep hygiene.
Using an eye mask is one such step. Here, we’ll discuss the ways eye masks can help people sleep soundly.
Eye Masks Block Out Intrusive Light
The darker your room, the more melatonin your body produces. Melatonin is a hormone that helps promote sleep.
One way to keep your room in total darkness is to use blackout curtains. These can be expensive, though, especially if you have large windows to cover. Eye masks are cheaper, plus they’re just as effective as blackout curtains.
Now, if you’re still experiencing sleep issues, consider if you’ve removed all sources of intrusive light. Remember, phones and electronic devices emit blue light, which can disrupt your body’s natural wakefulness and sleep cycle. Even glare from an alarm clock can be intrusive, so try to check if there’s any light source in your room that can impede better sleep.
Using Eye Masks Equals More REM Time
Some people don’t have problems falling asleep. However, they still can’t get a peaceful sleep because they keep waking up. If this is your problem, using an eye mask can help decrease wakefulness.
It can also increase rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which is believed to play a role in learning, memory, and mood. Aside from wearing an eye mask, you can improve REM sleep and reduce nighttime waking by establishing a bedtime routine and avoiding alcohol before bedtime.
Go to Sleep Without Worrying About Side Effects
Rather than using sleeping pills or self-medicating with alcohol, using an eye mask doesn’t have side effects.
The only “side effect” you get is actually a welcome one. That’s because eye masks, specifically silk ones, can help prevent wrinkles. When you use a silk eye mask, the soft material acts as a shield between the delicate skin around your eyes and your pillow.
You can also swap out your pillowcases for silk ones to minimize tugging on the skin. Just be sure to wash your silk eye masks and pillowcases often. If you don’t, they could harbor bacteria and trigger breakouts.
Mask Your Way to a Peaceful Sleep
Are you excited to buy eye masks, now that you know how they can help improve your sleep?
If yes, great! For more tips on how to get a peaceful sleep every night, check out our other posts. We also have tons of information on other interesting topics, including beauty, lifestyle, food, health, and more.
