Your eyes are a vital part of your body, and just like any other organ, they also need pampering and proper rest. It is especially true for people whose work lives revolve around staring at a screen. Sitting in front of your laptop and gawking at the tiny letters can tire your eyes. It can harm your health and result in double vision, headache, and concentration difficulty.
Also, experts believe that exposing your eyes to longer screen time can affect your sleep cycle and result in insomnia. This, in turn, can lead to poor memory, depression, irritation, and anxiety. This is why it is essential to give proper rest to the eyes. For this, you can try several solutions like minimising screen time, cutting down on phone usage and controlling the brightness of your workstations. Besides, using eye masks also offers relaxation and helps you sleep better. Here is all you should know about the benefits of using a sleep mask.
Using eye masks is suitable for your eyes and improves your sleep quality. Here is how this happens:
The primary purpose of using a sleep mask is to block out artificial light. It creates an ambience for resting well, which aids in catching on a good night’s sleep. The internal clock controls sleep-wake patterns in humans, and exposure to light at night can disrupt its functioning. It occurs because artificial light suppresses the release of melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone responsible for signaling the brain that it is time to rest. When you come in contact with light, the release of this hormone is disrupted, and a wrong sign is sent to the brain. This negatively affects your ability to fall asleep quickly.
Thus, individuals are advised to reduce exposure to streetlights, ambient lights (light coming from a clock), and blue lights to sleep well. They should be mindful of avoiding intrusive lights as they can result in shallower sleep periods. This is how eye masks prove helpful. They act as a shield that blocks artificial light. In this way, they realign your internal biological clock with the rising and setting sun and help you sleep better.
Besides reducing your exposure to light and improving your sleep quality, there are various other benefits of sleep masks as follows:
Experts recommend people experiencing sleep issues should wear a mask as it positively impacts REM sleep. Research carried out in 2010 revealed that for patients admitted to ICU feeling distracted by light and noise, sleep masks ensure longer REM time. In addition, wearing the sleep accessory results in shorter REM latency and elevated melatonin levels. Thus, sleep masks promote healthy sleep patterns and ensure hormonal balance.
People who cannot rest well at night are at an increased risk of developing chronic health conditions like heart ailments and Alzheimer’s. They are also vulnerable to diabetes and cardiovascular problems. Thus, using an eye mask is recommended because improving your sleep quality reduces the risk of developing health problems.
Most people work on their laptops because of which their eyes feel tired by the end of the day. To deal with this, eye masks are required. The Cooling gel or Aloe-Vera masks are the best for this purpose as they prevent itching in the eyes and ensure a relaxing effect.
Nobody likes a dull and lackluster face. But, when you fail to catch good-quality sleep, your skin loses its glow and looks pale. Especially the area around your eyes turns gloomy and dark circles appear. In order to prevent this from happening, the use of eye masks is recommended. The masks help preserve delicate skin around your eyes that prevent wrinkles and dark circles.
You can adjust the room’s environment according to your needs at home, but you cannot do this while travelling. So, it would help if you used eye masks as they can ensure complete darkness for resting well at night. Moreover, covering your eyes while travelling also prevents dust, dirt, and dry air exposure. This is good for your eyes.
Sleep masks help you get a good night’s rest by creating a favourable environment. They block the exposure to light as coming in contact with artificial brightness can confuse your circadian rhythm. This, in turn, can limit the release of melatonin – a sleep-inducing hormone – and lead to insomnia. Also, sleep masks are recommended as it increases REM sleep, assist travelling, protect the skin, and reduce the risk of diseases.
Disclaimer: The facts and information contained in this article are obtained from reputed medical research organisations and do not necessarily reflect the opinions & beliefs of ResMed. The solutions mentioned above are only suggestive remedies for treating sleep problems and should not be taken as medical advice. The content is meant only for informational purposes. So, the readers are advised to practice caution and consult a healthcare professional before pursuing any solution.