Why I wear 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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Maybe it's the font, maybe it's her haircut, but somehow I get a 80s vibe from the Mindfold's packaging :-)

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

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

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

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

The mask is flexible, enabling a comfortable fit

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Articles (148)

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2024-03-05 No, I Won't Build That!
2024-02-16 Vision Pro
2024-01-16 Health and fitness data
2023-12-15 Backup Rotation Scheme
2023-11-10 Apple Watch as Phone
2023-11-01 And... there is light!
2023-10-14 Giving AI Training
2023-10-13 Hello, stranger
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