Sleep is one of the most important contributors to human mental and physical health. For those who work night shifts, get migraines, or need total darkness to sleep, it can be difficult to get healthy amounts of sleep on the regular. With the best sleep masks, you can achieve a restful night’s sleep and wake up feeling refreshed.
Don’t know where to start? No problem. We’ve compiled a list of the top six sleep masks on the market currently. Our personal favorite is the Unimi Sleep Mask, because it is comfortable, effective, and — best of all — buyers love it.
Our Top Picks: Best Sleep Masks
No time for a full article? Check out our quick list of favorites below:
- Best Overall: Unimi Sleep Mask. An excellent, contoured sleep mask, ideal for anyone who wants a good, dark night’s sleep!
- Best Budget: Made By Design Eye Mask. A good quality, simple eye mask for anyone who doesn’t want to break the bank.
- Best for Night Shift Workers: Manta Sleep Mask. Perfect for blocking out any light, so you can even sleep in the middle of the day.
- Best for Migraines: Brownmed Compression Eye Mask. This cooling, weighted eye mask can help you get some sleep or even alleviate migraine symptoms.
- Best for Travel: FRESHME Cotton Sleep Mask. With its bonus earplugs, and secure, soothing fit, this is perfect for travelers or use at home.
- Best for Side Sleepers: Mavogel Eye Mask. Perfect for those who toss and turn, or sleep on their side. This mask will stay securely in place no matter what!
1. Unimi Sleep Mask
The best sleep mask overall
Brand: Unimi / Mask Type: Contoured / Material: Lycra & Memory Foam / Colors: 2 / Price: 💰💰
The Unimi sleep mask is ideal for anyone looking for an eye mask to block out light and be comfortable. Its contoured design won’t put any pressure on the eyes, and it effectively blocks light with an extra flap underneath the eyes. For those who don’t like velcro, you’re in luck. This eye mask comes with an adjustable elastic band so that anyone can wear it.
Some buyers found the Unimi mask uncomfortable, saying it put pressure on their nose and sinuses. This is a common complaint with sleep masks because everyone’s anatomy is slightly different. Finding the right eye mask for you can require some trial and error!
Luckily, most buyers were delighted with this mask. They found it effective at blocking light, and the eye contour made it a very comfortable mask to wear at night.
Reviewers Like
- Very comfortable to wear
- The eye contour is helpful
- Effectively blocks out most light
Reviewers Dislike
- Doesn’t block all light
- Puts too much pressure on nose
2. Made by Design Gray Eye Mask
The best budget sleep mask
Brand: Made by Design / Mask Type: Regular / Material: Polyester & Polyethylene / Colors: 1 / Price: 💰
Made by Design’s eye mask is an excellent option for anyone who wants a basic eye mask for a low price. It is a straightforward, average eye mask that anyone could wear. The Made by Design mask is ideal for those who don’t require an eye contour, or migraine relief mask. It has one job: block out light, and help you sleep!
Buyers loved how lightweight and breathable this mask is and found that it effectively blocked out the light from their eyes. However, some did find it slightly uncomfortable and thought the material was cheap. For the record, it is made primarily of polyester, which does have a low cost!
Reviewers Like
- Breathable
- Blocks most light
- Nice and lightweight
Reviewers Dislike
- Cheap material
- Not very comfortable
3. Manta Sleep Mask
The best sleep mask for night shift workers
Brand: Manta Sleep / Mask Type: Contoured / Material: Spandex, Modal, Polyester, & Cotton / Colors: 1 / Price: 💰💰💰
The Manta Sleep mask is excellent at blocking out light, making it the best sleep mask for night shift workers on this list. The Manta is another contoured eye mask. The eye cups are even adjustable, so you can make sure they line up perfectly with your eyes for a comfortable fit. This mask even comes with complimentary earplugs, so you can completely cancel out sight and sound from your slumber.
The majority of buyers loved this product, saying it was the best sleep mask for night shift workers and sleeping during the day. They found it highly effective at blocking out light and also noted that it stayed in place. However, some say the opposite, and experienced light coming through the eye cups.
Reviewers Like
- Stayed on all night
- Effectively blocked light
- Perfect for sleeping during the day
Reviewers Dislike
- Wasn’t comfortable
- Let trace amounts of light in
4. IMAK Compression Eye Mask
The best sleep mask for migraines
Brand: Brownmed / Mask Type: Contoured / Material: Cotton & ErgoBeads / Colors: 1 / Price: 💰💰
The Brownmed IMAK sleep mask is ideal for those who suffer from migraines or any headache pain. You can stick it in a freezer for the ultimate migraine relief eye mask. Especially for anyone with light sensitivity during migraines, this mask will black out your vision to help you relax.
Buyers loved using this mask for their migraines. They found that it blocked all light, was lovely and cooling for their heads, and its weight was soothing. Some, however, found that the mask only stays cold for a short amount of time.
Reviewers Like
- Blocks all light
- Cooling effect is nice
- Perfect for migraines
Reviewers Dislike
- Only stays cold for a short time
- Can start smelling like the freezer
5. FRESHME Cotton Sleep Mask
The best sleep mask for travel
Brand: FRESHME / Mask Type: Regular / Material: Cotton & Spandex / Colors: 3 / Price: 💰💰💰
The FRESHME sleep mask is an excellent option for anyone who wants a good night’s (or day’s) sleep. It is also one of the best eye masks for travel, as it comes with earplugs for extra restful sleep. The cotton construction is nice and breathable, and even hand washable. The extended flaps along the sides of the user’s nose stop any light from coming through. Its large strap will cover your ears and is more secure than the average thin-strapped sleep mask.
Buyers loved this sleep mask’s ability to block light, and they liked the thicker strap for security. It also comes with earplugs, perfect for travel, or even for getting some rest during the day. A few buyers found the sleep mask to be ill-fitting, and one mentioned being disappointed that the mask didn’t block sound despite covering ears. However, the product does not suggest that it stops sound, but rather that the earplugs do.
Reviewers Like
- Covers ears
- Blocks all light
- Comes with earplugs for travel
Reviewers Dislike
- Didn’t fit perfect
- Earplugs don’t block all sound
6. Mavogel Eye Mask
The best eye mask for side sleepers
Brand: Mavogel / Mask Type: Regular / Material: Cotton & Modal / Colors: 2 / Price: 💰💰
The Mavogel sleep mask is modal and cotton fabric, so they are very comfortable and soft to the touch. Similarly to the FRESHME mask, it has velcro straps for fastening behind your head and even has nose flaps to keep any light from penetrating the mask. With how securely the velcro holds the mask in place, even side or stomach sleepers should be able to keep it on throughout their sleep.
Buyers found this mask to be very comfortable, and they loved that it blocked all of the light from affecting their sleep. There were still some who disagreed and mentioned that it didn’t stop 100% of light, and that it was too large for those with small heads. Overall, people loved it. Some even explicitly mentioned how high-quality the material felt, which is excellent for the price!
Reviewers Like
- Great quality
- Blocks nearly all light
- Very comfortable to wear all night
Reviewers Dislike
- Doesn’t block 100% of light
- Doesn’t work for people with small heads
What to Look for in the Best Sleep Masks
Sleep masks are very simple products. You only need to consider a few basics when looking for your perfect sleep mask (and the perfect sleep).
Does It Block Light?
When searching for the best sleep mask, you want to find one that actually blocks out light. It’s invaluable to have an eye mask that is effective at blocking light. Especially for those who work a night shift, or have another reason to sleep during the day,
Is It Comfortable?
Another critical question to ask yourself! It would help if you made sure that the material will be right for you and that the strap is the right size, preferably adjustable.
Do You Need Migraine Relief?
Some enjoy using eye masks as migraine relievers. Especially for those with light sensitivity due to migraines, sleep masks’ light-blocking features may help ease discomfort and pain. You can also find eye masks with cooling or heating effects, as well as compression effects.
These are all things to consider when looking for an eye mask for migraines.
Is the Strap Adjustable?
Your average sleep mask probably doesn’t have an adjustable strap; it’s most likely a simple elastic band. While this is perfectly acceptable for some, it may not work as well for others. Definitely look into adjustable straps if you are someone who sleeps on your side or tosses and turns in their sleep.
Our Process
For this guide on sleep masks, our team spent 6 hours researching the most popular options from over 10 brands and manufacturers big and small. We then read about seventy-five user reviews (both positive and negative) to discover what shoppers thought about each mask. After comparing this data, we narrowed our list down to the top 6 sleep masks on the market. You can count on this research to guide you to a mindful purchasing decision.
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