Wearing a eye mask at night

On the benefits of wearing a eye mask in bed

Jan. 24, 2020 - Willem L. Middelkoop

Over the past few weeks I have been experimenting with wearing a sleep mask in bed, blocking all light. Our bodies produce the sleep hormone, melatonin, in darkness. Living in an environment awash in artificial light, is therefore exactly the sort of thing that disrupts one's circadian rhythm. Can a simple mask help?

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The soft foam conforms to your face for maximum comfort and darkness

The sleep mask has open spaces covering your eyes, allowing your eyes to open freely (while maintaining darkness): this is a mayor difference with many other masks that sit right on your eye lids

Pavlovian response: my body knows it's time to sleep when I put my mask on - zzzzz

Heart rate graph shows a near flat line, very close to my minimum rate (collected with Biostrap)

Average heart rate variability (HRV) during the same night shows a steady increase (and recovery)

Effects of a nap during the day: around 2pm you'll notice a steady decline in heart rate

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