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6 Benefits of Using a Sleep Mask That Have Nothing To Do With Sleep

One of the most important factors in living a healthy life is making sure you get adequate rest. But with the busy life that many of us live, getting good sleep can be more difficult than you would expect. Busy lives and constant distractions from devices and other sources can make it hard to settle your mind and thoughts at night. Things like light exposure and things that disrupt the circadian rhythm can be inhibitors to a decent night’s sleep. This is why people use things like blackout curtains to reduce exposure to light. Tools like sleep masks are also beneficial for this purpose as well. Maintaining a dark setting is a crucial element of sleep hygiene, directly enhancing sleep quality and length. But there are certain aspects of sleep masks that are beneficial beyond just a good night’s sleep. These reasons may just be the deciding factor that could convince you to start using a sleep mask. Read on to learn these six benefits of using a sleep mask that have nothing to do with sleep.

Sleep masks are proven to improve circadian rhythm

While this is part of getting good sleep, your circadian rhythm is essential to your life in so many other ways. It is basically the internal clock that helps us understand our surroundings from a time and space perspective. The journal Sleep completed two experiments that tested participants’ sleep cycles when wearing an eye mask and when not. The results showed a drastic difference in how their circadian rhythms responded. 

Light exposure strongly influences our circadian rhythms. Evening and early-night light can delay them, making sleep elusive, while morning light can advance them, making staying awake the next night more difficult.