Sleeping is an imperative feature in our lives for survival and healthy wellbeing. It radiates our hormone levels as well as provides our bodies with much-needed rest and repair. You’ve probably heard that some people sleep with eye masks, and you may have even tried it yourself, but what exactly do they do? And is there any benefit to wearing them? We are all used to wearing masks at the minute, so should you also consider wearing an eye mask?
Why do we feel the need to sleep?
According to the “National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute,” the responsibility for the desire to sleep can be placed on two factors. The first is a hormone compound called “Adenosine” which fluctuates its levels within the brain dependent upon the time of day, it’s basically the alarm clock for your brain, increasing whilst we're awake and peaking to tell us when to sleep.
The second factor is what’s commonly known as your “body clock”, or more scientifically your “Circadian Rhythm”, it works by assessing the input of light through the eyes to predict a time of day and release hormones accordingly. A study published in 2011 in the “Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism” noted that exposure to light suppresses the production of Melatonin (the sleep hormone) by about 1:30 hours. Therefore, the darker the environment in which your sleeping in, the more melatonin is produced and the more your Circadian Rhythm believes it's time for bed. Therefore, since an eye mask acts to darken the sleeping environment, it significantly aids in not only the falling asleep process but the quality of sleep as well.
Should you wear an eye mask?
The answer to this question lies entirely in your hands. Everyone is different and therefore, it is unrealistic to say that we all should or shouldn’t be wearing them. Certainly, studies prove that wearing ones for bed will greatly improve the quality of sleep you experience.
On the other hand, you can wear eye masks during the day too which are designed to help rejuvenate and relax your eyes. Eye masks such as “MGD RX THE EYEBAG” would be beneficial for those suffering from specific eye conditions as it has been designed by Ophthalmologists as an effective treatment.