A sleep mask is any type of covering that people normally put over their eyes as a means of both keeping out the light, and also to a lesser extent providing some type of comfortable environment internally that allows them to sleep better.
People normally associate a sleep mask with travelling, either on aeroplanes or bus or coach journeys, or when people are abroad in environments that they are not familiar with and can find their sleep pattern is disrupted.
People can also use a sleep mask at home in their normal sleeping situation, if they find difficulty in sleeping.
A sleep mask is different from other type of masks that are available which normally proclaim some type of health benefits either by way of reducing wrinkles or increasing certain vitamins or minerals in the skin around the eyes.
These should not be confused with a sleep mask.
Eye Cover
A sleep mask at its very basic needs to cover both eyes. Not only does it need to cover both eyes, it needs to do so with both a material and a softness does not in any way to irritate the eyes, and provides enough space for the eyelids and eye socket and eyeball to move around freely.
The intent of any type of garment that covers the eyes is that it should both be comfortable and safe. Many sleep masks do cover the eyes, but people often complain that they are generally ill fitting and can feel quite tight around the head.
There is little point in covering the eyes if the government is so uncomfortable that you do not want to wear it.
Best Sleep Mask
As with many things that are bought with the purpose of travelling in mind, the ideal solution is to buy one beforehand and try it out before you go travelling. With sleep masks this is easier than a lot of other products, because they are often readily available are lots of pharmacists and chemists, as well as other general merchandise stalls.
The important thing is comfortable three when wearing it, and making sure that it is not too tight, and that the material it is made of feels both comfortable against the eyes, and is effective in terms of keeping out the light.
Collagen Eye Mask
A collagen eye mask is one of those masks referred to above that is not actually a sleep mask, but is promoted as having health benefits. Many people believe that it does, others are more sceptical.
In any event, it should not be used as a sleep mask or substitute simply because that is not its intent or purpose. It is also not a good idea to use one in a dish on to a sleep mask at the same time as wearing both could compromise the integrity of both products and possibly your health as well.
Cooling Eye Mask
A cooling eye mask is similar in some ways to a collagen eye mask in that it is more designed for health benefits rather than helping with any type of sleep deprivation.
Where it slightly differs and why it is important is that a cooling eye mask is often promoted as one of these products that can help tired and sore eyes.
Again the truth of these claims is often disputed, and many people would caution against using any type of product, be it a cooling eye mask or any type of eye drops, that are put in or near the eyes themselves.
Cute Sleep Mask
A cute sleep mask is simply a sleep mask that has been designed in such a way that could be described as cute, very simple really.
The reason is simply that manufacturers of sleep masks continually try to come up with new and innovative ways to differentiate our products from other ones, and can come up with all types of different shapes designs and differing images to make their own stick masked standout.
Some people find the idea of cute sleep mask attractive, other people find them pretty hideous, it is really just a matter of taste.
Cold Eye Mask and Heated Eye Mask
Both a cold eye mask, and a heated eye mask should be seen in the context of health benefits, rather than specific masks intended to help with any type of sleep deprivation.
Again as mentioned already, many people will see the idea of a cold cool eye mask and a heated iron mask as having certain health benefits in terms of relaxing or helping to soothe eyes that are deemed to be irritated or sore.
The veracity of these health claims is often disputed, and many people will be wary of putting anything or any product near their eyes in case of any potential problems.
Whilst all of these products are generally deemed to be fairly safe, it should always be remembered that there are potential dangers with any type of product that is put in or near the eyes, and could potentially leak or not function properly in some other type of way, and could have consequences could adversely affect your health.
If you are going to use any type of eye product that claims to have health benefits it should be researched thoroughly, and independent medical advice sought.
Eye Shades for Sleeping
Many people refer to Eye shades as opposed to eye masks, although in reality they are pretty much the same thing.
It is possible to buy some type of eye shade products that resemble more of an eye patch that you often see people wearing when they have lost an eye or sight in an eye, and some people find these more comfortable than a eye mask that is a single product covering both eyes.
The same principle applies really when buying them, that they be comfortable, that they keep out the light, that they are made of a material that is soft and does not irritate any area of the skin around the eyes, and the product itself can be adjusted sufficiently so that it doesn’t put any pressure on the skull or head.
Travel Eye Mask
A travel eye mask is simply a sleep mask that is sold on the basis that it is used for people when travelling, rather than simply for people who use them in the normal home environment.
There is no real difference between a product, or at least there should be no real difference between a product that is sold as a travel mask or a travel ey mask and a normal sleep mask. Both are in effect interchangeable, and it may be useful to buy a normal sleep mask before travelling to make sure that it is the product you want and is effective in terms of enabling a better sleep pattern.
Men’s Sleep Mask
The idea of a men’s sleep mask as opposed to a woman’s sleep mask, or simply a sleep mask itself, is normally more of a marketing ploy than the need for any specific product that works better for men than for women or children.
People are much better off simply experiment in which a different type of mask, and seeing which fits best and works best according to their own personal preferences.
Black eye mask
A lot of people presume that because an eye mask is black it keeps out the light better than other products which are a different colour.
There can be some truth in this, but actually depends much more on how the product is made, lining the product has both on the inside and also on the outside of the eyepatch.
Eye masks of different colours can be as effective as those that are black depending both on the material and the way it has produced.
