15 Sleep Mask Benefits From People Who Use Them Every Day
Written by: Gabrielle Talan
Gabrielle, a former insomniac turned sleep writer, brings over a decade of content expertise to her work. For the past 3 years, she's focused exclusively on sleep topics – a happy choice that helps give her the deep and restful sleep she craves.
We often underestimate the importance of sleep, but high-quality rest isn't just a want – it's a need. Your brain requires darkness to send a signal to your body that it's time to wind down. But between screens and streetlights, sleeping in total darkness can be tough.
A sleep mask is a simple, cost-effective and convenient solution. Approximately 15% to 25% of adults worldwide regularly use one to enhance sleep quality, according to Lens.com.(1)
Sleep masks are good for your health in so many ways. Read this article to discover 15 sleep mask benefits from people who use them daily. And if you need help finding the perfect mask for you, take our 30-second sleep quiz!
Table of Contents
1. Block Light
The earth's natural cycle of light and dark regulates the circadian rhythm, your body's 24-hour internal clock. When your retinas detect light, they send a signal to your brain that you should be up and alert. Light also triggers the production of cortisol, a hormone that helps with alertness, focus and wakefulness, while darkness tells your brain to get ready for bed.
One-hundred percent light-blocking sleep masks like Manta PRO can help create a dark environment. This applies to a quick, restful snooze in the middle of the day, or overnight sleep.
2. Boost Melatonin Production
You're likely already familiar with the sleep aid, melatonin. You might even be taking it as a supplement to help you sleep. But what is it, really?
Melatonin is a chemical that your body naturally produces. Its main function is to tell your body that it's time for bed. StatPearls says that melatonin relies on darkness to trigger its release. Melatonin also turns down alertness and wakefulness signals in your brain by activating certain receptors, known as MT1 and MT2, allowing drowsiness to set in.(2)
Even a tiny pinprick of light can suppress melatonin production. So, blackout sleep masks are a great way to boost melatonin and get a great night's sleep.
3. Reduce Sleep Wrinkles and Puffiness
Sleep masks have beauty benefits, too. A clean eye mask can protect the sensitive skin on your face from the oils, dirt and bacteria that accumulate on your bedding. If you’re serious about your beauty sleep, we need to talk about silk.
A premium silk sleep mask can be incredibly good for your skin. Silk eye mask benefits include reducing sleep wrinkles because of its smooth, frictionless texture. Silk helps keep the skin around your eyes moisturized and reduces puffiness and the appearance of dark under-eye circles. If you're big on eye creams and serums, a silk mask can also help with product absorption.
“The silk sleep mask feels so luxurious and good for my skin. It blocks out all the light and makes me feel so comfortable. Love it!”
— DeeAnne
If you have sensitive skin, a silk eye mask should top your skincare list because it's hypoallergenic. You can say goodbye to irritation and allergies while getting your beauty sleep.
4. Help Calm Anxiety
Sleep masks can help calm anxiety by blocking visual stimuli. When you're anxious, your brain is in fight-or-flight mode, and so the slightest sound or visual can feel threatening. For example, when babies are overstimulated, settling them in a dark, quiet space can help calm them. The same logic applies to adults.
The darkness you get from wearing a sleep mask also helps put your brain into rest-and-digest mode, triggering your parasympathetic nervous system to help you relax. This reduces the stress response that anxiety creates.
“After dealing with some stress and anxiety… from the moment I settle this on my head, I immediately feel a sense of calm. I wear it fairly snug, but it never feels tight or uncomfortable. The eye cups are phenomenal. I have slept much better the last two weeks wearing this nightly.”
— Kristin
A weighted eye mask usually contains beads to provide gentle pressure. It can be helpful for people with anxiety. It works on the same premise as a weighted blanket, which uses deep touch pressure therapy (DTP) to induce a sense of calm.
5. Boost Cognitive Abilities
Okay, so wearing sleep masks won't turn you into a genius. However, wearing one overnight can boost your cognitive abilities, including alertness and memory, according to a study published in Sleep.(3) This works best when light and sound are blocked out completely.
6. Convenient for Travel
The great thing about a sleep mask like Manta ORIGINAL is that it's portable. All you need to do is stash it in your travel bag, and you've got instant darkness within easy reach.
Ever heard of the first-night effect (FNE)? It's a phenomenon in which you find it hard to fall asleep and stay asleep because a part of your brain remains more alert in an unfamiliar environment. Think of it as a night watchman who is on the lookout for any potential threats.
A solution is to bring something familiar from home when traveling to help with sleeplessness and make you feel safer. Some people bring their favorite blanket or pillow. You can travel light by bringing your trusty sleep mask for a good night's sleep.
7. Ease Pain from Migraines and Sinus Headaches
Sleep masks help ease symptoms of migraines and sinus headaches in several ways.
If you suffer from migraines, you're all too familiar with that excruciating pain caused by light. It's because your brain is on overdrive when you're experiencing a migraine, so light or any visual stimuli can worsen symptoms.
Sleep masks can help ease migraine pain by providing a dark, soothing environment that allows your brain to take a breather. A cooling eye mask can provide an additional layer of comfort by constricting blood vessels and numbing the pain. Choose cooling cloth eye masks like Manta COOL over gel eye masks, which tend to reach uncomfortably low temperatures.
“I suffer from migraines and this mask is hands-down the best thing I've found for when I'm really feeling terrible – the weight feels really good, the coolness of the eye cups is very soothing, and the black-out of the eye cups is crucial to blocking out everything exacerbating my headache. I also really love to wear this when my eyes feel tired from sinus headaches.”
— Erin L.
Sleep masks also help with sinus headaches. Darkness will help relax facial muscle tension, while light worsens the pain. Sleep masks with warming eye cups can be particularly helpful. The soothing warmth promotes better blood circulation, helps open the nasal passages, and reduces painful pressure.
8. Cheaper and More Convenient Than Blackout Curtains
High-quality blackout curtains or blackout shades can be incredibly effective at blocking out light. However, they're also pricey, difficult to install and high-maintenance.
“I bought one for my husband. He works nights and has had a lot of difficulty sleeping during the day. We’ve tried blackout curtains, blackout blinds, and a stupid amount of sleep masks. Nothing helped. The first time he used the mask, he said it was the best sleep he’s gotten since starting night shift.”
— Nickie M.
A sleep mask can be just as effective, if not more so, than blackout curtains, depending on its light-blocking capacity. (You need something that provides 100% blackout.) It's also less expensive, portable and easier to use and clean.
9. Help Ease Symptoms of Dry Eye Syndrome
If you've never had dry eyes, they can be quite uncomfortable, with itching and burning, blurred vision, or that annoying feeling as if there's something in your eye. While the condition can be situational (like when you're on a plane and exposed to dry cabin air), it can become chronic, in which case it's called dry eye syndrome.
“I love this mask and have been using it twice daily for my dry eyes. It’s easy to use, comfortable to wear and very, very soothing for dry, sore eyes.”
— Bev
Regular sleep masks can help with both occasional and chronic dry eyes by retaining moisture during sleep. Masks with eye cups are particularly effective at sealing in moisture. They also shield your eyes from dry air from the AC or drafts, which can worsen symptoms. Meanwhile, heated sleep masks like Manta STEAM Mask can provide soothing warmth and improve blood circulation in the eye area, potentially reducing dry eye symptoms.
10. Improve Sleep Quality
Sleep masks can also improve your overall sleep quality. A study published in the Journal of Sleep Research found that wearing earplugs for sleeping and a sleep mask improved sleep quality and helped participants feel less anxious and scared.(4)
“As a sleep scientist, I prioritize sleep every night for me and my families in my practice. I usually recommend using a mask to improve sleep quality and help parents fall asleep quicker after a night-time wake!”
— Paulina D.
It's crucial to maintain a dark environment for restful sleep because it's what triggers the release of melatonin. Sleep masks that block out 100% of light, like Manta PRO, help you fall asleep faster and minimize awakenings, resulting in better sleep quality.
11. Reduce Distractions From Light and Environmental Noise
You already know that sleep masks block out ambient light so you can get a good night's rest or a refreshing nap. However, there's a type of sleep mask that can also mask disruptive noise with relaxing sounds. It's known as a Bluetooth eye mask, and as a sleep company, many of our users swear by our version, Manta SOUND, to help them block out the world.
While it might sound counterintuitive, sound and sleep can go hand in hand. There are certain types of sounds that can help you sleep, depending on your preference, such as white noise, ASMR, nature sounds or even lullabies. If you sleep better with sounds, a sleep mask with headphones is the way to go for a full night's rest.
12. Soothe Tired Eyes
After a long day at work, eye fatigue is the name of the game. Going overboard with screen time means your eyes have been exposed to a lot of blue light. Not only will this make it harder to fall asleep later, but too much exposure to blue light can also contribute to eye strain.
“After three to five minutes of these, my eyes start to feel really good. After a day of staring at a screen for work then reading to a toddler the rest of the day my eyes get so tired.”
— Tye O.
The logical thing to do is to rest your eyes by closing them. The problem is that your eyes can still detect light even when your eyelids are shut, which means they're not totally at rest. That's why wearing an eye mask can soothe tired eyes, because it offers total blackout. A warming sleep mask like Manta STEAM is another great choice for this purpose. The soothing heat helps relax tense eye muscles and reduce nerve sensitivity in the eye area.
13. Safer Than Sleep Medications
If you have a sleep disorder like chronic insomnia, you might be prescribed certain medications. While they can be helpful, there are downsides:
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You can develop a tolerance to sleep medicines over time, which can make them less effective. In some cases, they can even disrupt sleep, according to the Cleveland Clinic.(5)
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They might leave you feeling groggy, confused and forgetful the next day. One study published in The British Medical Journal found that sleep medications caused memory loss and confusion in older adults.(6)
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Depending on what you're taking, sleep medications come with their own set of side effects.
An excellent sleep mask might not put you to sleep instantly, but it will help improve your sleep quality without the harmful effects of sleep medications. It's a safe option for beating sleep deprivation.
14. Help With Jet Lag
If there's one thing any traveler dreads, it's jet lag. It happens when your internal body clock isn't in sync with the local time at your destination after crossing multiple time zones. Your sleep schedule is turned upside down, and you end up conking out instead of exploring.
“As an airline pilot I obviously spend a great deal of time in hotels and often I am trying to sleep during the local daylight hours. This mask has made an enormous difference in my ability to get meaningful sleep by blocking out the light completely.”
— Matt W.
Enter the jet lagger's best buddy: a sleep mask. Light cues your brain about when it's time to be awake, while darkness signals that it's time to wind down for bed. Sleep masks help with jet lag by letting you control these cues, whether you're in a bright hotel room or on the plane. They help you reset your body clock faster, so you can adjust to the new time zone.
15. Help Shift Workers Sleep
Shift workers face a tough challenge: sleeping when their body is naturally wired to be awake. They're at risk for sleep issues, like shift work sleep disorder (SWSD), which causes insomnia and excessive sleepiness at the wrong times.
Whether you're on the night shift or a rotating one, you're going up against your internal body clock, which needs darkness to trigger melatonin production for quality sleep.
“Amazing! I sleep like a baby with this mask. I use it for sleeping in the daytime, as I work nights. The best sleep I could ask for.”
— Lisa F.
A sleep mask is an indispensable tool for shift workers. It provides total darkness during the day, signaling your brain that it's bedtime. Wearing sleep masks promotes faster sleep onset and helps you stay in deep and REM sleep stages longer, even during the day.
Conclusion
From helping you get more restful, deeper sleep to easing anxiety and headaches, sleep masks are powerful yet simple tools for feeling healthier inside and out.
Whether you're constantly battling jet lag, trying to sleep when your shift ends during the day, or simply want restorative sleep, a sleep mask can make a world of difference in how you feel every single day.
Sources:
(1) "What Percentage of People Use Eye Masks for Sleep?” Lens.com, www.lens.com/questions-answered/what-percentage-of-people-use-eye-masks-for-sleep/. Accessed 13 March 2026.
(2) “Melatonin.” StatPearls, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534823/. Accessed 13 March 2026.
(3) “Wearing an eye mask during overnight sleep improves episodic learning and alertness.” Sleep, academic.oup.com/sleep/article/46/3/zsac305/6912219. Accessed 13 March 2026.
(4) “The effects of eye masks and earplugs on sleep quality, anxiety, fear, and vital signs in patients in an intensive care unit: A randomised controlled study.” Journal of Sleep Research, onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsr.14044. Accessed 13 March 2026.
(5) “Sleeping Pills.” Cleveland Clinic, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/15308-sleeping-pills. Accessed 13 March 2026.
(6) “Sedative hypnotics in older people with insomnia: meta-analysis of risks and benefits.” The British Medical Journal, www.bmj.com/content/331/7526/1169. Accessed 13 March 2026.
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