Contoured, Silk, or Weighted: How to Find a Sleep Mask You Will Actually Keep On

Streetlights through the blinds, a partner reading with the lamp on, the blue glow of a charger, sunrise at 5:30 in June. Plenty of things can light up a bedroom when you are trying to sleep, and not all of them can be fixed with curtains. A sleep mask is the cheapest way to make your own darkness, whether you are at home, on a plane, or sleeping through the day after a night shift.

The trouble is that a lot of people try one mask, find it slips, presses on their eyes, or leaks light around the nose, and give up on masks altogether. Masks have come a long way. Here is how to find one that you can actually sleep in.

Top Sleep Masks

Why darkness matters

Most sleep advice includes a dark room. The CDC's tips for healthy sleep include going to bed and getting up at the same time each day and keeping your bedroom quiet, dark, and at a comfortable temperature. A mask does not replace good habits, but it is an easy way to handle the dark part when you cannot control the light around you.

Common reasons people reach for a mask include:

• Shift work that means sleeping during the day.
• Travel, from overnight flights to hotel rooms with thin curtains.
• Shared bedrooms where someone else keeps different hours.
• Early summer sunrises and light from streetlights or neighbors.
• Naps, when you want to rest without closing every blind in the house.

The main types of sleep masks

Flat masks

The classic mask is a flat piece of fabric with a strap. Silk, satin, and cotton versions are light and soft, and many people find them the most comfortable to wear. Because they rest directly on the eyelids, some people find them a bit warm or feel pressure on their eyes. Flat masks may also leak some light around the nose unless they have a shaped nose piece or an adjustable wire.

Contoured or 3D masks

Contoured masks have molded cups that sit around the eyes rather than on them. You can blink freely, and they do not press on lashes or eye makeup, which makes them popular with people who have lash extensions. The foam cups usually seal better around the eye area, so they block more light. They are bulkier than flat masks, though, which can bother side sleepers.

Weighted masks

Weighted masks have small pockets filled with beads that add gentle pressure across the eyes and forehead. Some people find the weight relaxing and like that it stays put without a tight strap. Others find it heavy. They are usually best for back sleepers and people who lie fairly still.

Masks with adjustable eye cups

Some masks have separate eye cups that attach to the strap with hook-and-loop fasteners, so you can slide each cup to line up with your eyes. They take a minute to set up but can fit faces that other masks do not.

Masks with headphones

A headband-style mask with thin speakers built in lets you listen to music, audiobooks, or white noise without earbuds. They are handy for travel and for people who fall asleep to audio. You will need to charge them, and the speakers can feel lumpy if you sleep on your side.

Getting a good fit

Fit is what separates a mask you use from one that ends up in a drawer. Look at these details before you buy:

• The strap. An adjustable strap lets you set the tension so the mask stays on without squeezing your head. Wide straps are more comfortable than thin elastic, and hook-and-loop closures are easier to adjust than a slider but can catch hair.
• The nose area. Most light leaks come from around the nose. A shaped nose flap, a soft ridge, or a bendable nose wire helps close the gap.
• Side sleeping. If you sleep on your side, look for a thin, low-profile mask or a contoured one with slim sides. A thick strap buckle or bulky cups will press into the pillow.
• Size. Masks that cover more of the forehead and cheeks block more light, but some people find them warm.

Materials

Silk is smooth and light, and many people like how it feels against the skin. Mulberry silk is the most common type in masks. It needs gentle washing.

Satin is usually polyester woven to feel smooth like silk. It is less expensive and easier to care for.

Cotton is breathable and easy to wash, a good pick for people who run warm.

Memory foam is used in contoured masks to hold the cup shape. It blocks light well but can feel warmer than fabric.

If you have sensitive skin, a plain fabric without strong dyes or scents is a safer bet. Check the fabric content on the listing rather than relying on words like "silky."

Getting used to a mask

If you have never slept in a mask, it can feel strange for the first few nights. Many people pull it off in their sleep at first. A few tricks help:

• Wear the mask for a few minutes while reading or relaxing in bed so it feels familiar.
• Start with naps before trying it for a full night.
• Set the strap snug enough to stay on but loose enough that you do not notice it.
• Keep the mask in the same spot on your nightstand so it becomes part of your bedtime routine.

Keeping it clean

A mask sits on your face all night and collects skin oils, sweat, and any skincare you put on before bed. Wash it regularly according to the care label. Many cotton and satin masks can go in a mesh laundry bag in the washing machine, while silk usually needs hand washing in cool water with a mild soap. Let it dry flat. Having two masks makes it easy to wear one while the other is in the wash.

Replace a mask when the strap loses its stretch, the foam flattens, or the fabric pills and starts to let light through.

Pairing a mask with other sleep aids

Light is often only half the problem. If you are sleeping during the day, sharing a room, or staying in a noisy hotel, noise can wake you as easily as light. Many people pair a mask with soft foam earplugs or a white noise machine. If you do, choose a mask with a slim strap that does not press the earplugs deeper or push on your ears. On planes, a travel pillow keeps your head from tipping, which also helps the mask stay in place. Blackout curtains or a simple window shade at home can make the mask more comfortable too, since it does not have to block every bit of light by itself.

Popular sleep masks worth a look

These picks come from the sleep mask best-seller list and cover contoured masks, silk, cotton, weighted designs, adjustable cups, and a headphone mask.

3D blackout mask. A contoured mask with 16 mm deep eye cups designed to keep the fabric off your eyelids and lashes.

Weighted mask. A four-pod weighted mask that spreads gentle pressure evenly across the eyes, for side or back sleepers.

Mulberry silk two-pack. Two light, smooth silk masks, so one can be in the wash.

Headphone sleep mask. A contoured Bluetooth mask with thin built-in speakers for music, audiobooks, or white noise.

Silk mask with a foam core. A mask with silk on both sides and a shaped foam insert that cushions the eye sockets without pressing on the eyes. Machine washable.

Cotton mask with a nose wire. A cotton mask with a bendable nose wire you can shape to block light around the bridge of your nose.

Sculpted foam mask for any sleep position. Target carries the Loop SleepMask Eclipse, a foam mask shaped to sit around the eyes with space for lashes. Loop says the soft, breathable foam works for back, side, and stomach sleepers, and the mask is sized for naps and travel as well as nightly use.

Low-cost contoured mask. Target's up&up sleep mask has cushioned, contoured foam eye cups that do not press on your eyes and adjustable elastic straps. It is an easy way to test whether you like sleeping in a mask before spending more.

Simple satin mask with a nose cover. The Spa Bella satin mask is made of polyester satin with an elastic strap and a small nose cover that blocks light from leaking in at the bottom. It is light enough to pack for flights and hotel stays.

Which mask to choose

If you have never used a mask, a soft silk or cotton flat mask is an easy start. If light leaks or eye pressure has bothered you before, try a contoured mask. Side sleepers should look for a thin, low-profile design, and people who fall asleep to audio might like a headphone mask. Whatever you pick, give it a week before deciding. Most people need a few nights to get used to one.

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