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Warpy

(113,130 posts)
Wed Mar 1, 2023, 01:03 PM Mar 2023

Wearing an Eye Mask While You Sleep Could Have Surprising Mental Benefits

To get used to the conditions, the participants slept with an intact eye mask one night and an eye mask with holes with holes for the second night. This was followed by two nights' of sleep under the same conditions, only this time with added testing.

Again, a word-pair association task revealed wearing an eye mask helps with learning new information and forming fresh memories. In addition, data provided by the headband suggests there is an association between mask wearing and more slow-wave sleep time, known to be important when it comes to memory boosts.

"The benefit to memory was predicted by time spent in slow-wave sleep while wearing the mask," write the researchers.

"This suggests wearing an eye mask during sleep is an effective, economical, and non-invasive behavior that could benefit cognitive function and lead to measurable impacts on everyday life."

https://www.sciencealert.com/wearing-an-eye-mask-while-you-sleep-could-have-surprising-mental-benefits

I can attest to this. Light pollution is a thing and when you eliminate all of it, your sleep will improve. Yes, I wear a sleep mask, have done for a couple of decades.

8 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Wearing an Eye Mask While You Sleep Could Have Surprising Mental Benefits (Original Post) Warpy Mar 2023 OP
Interesting! Thx for sharing. SheltieLover Mar 2023 #1
Is it the mask or WhiteTara Mar 2023 #2
I wear a sleep mask utopian Mar 2023 #3
I fold a black T-shirt in half, lengthwise, and put it over my face. Chalco Mar 2023 #4
I live in the desert Warpy Mar 2023 #5
I often sleep with my head under the blankets... 2naSalit Mar 2023 #6
Can't do this. hippywife Mar 2023 #7
I use blackout curtains NickB79 Mar 2023 #8

utopian

(1,104 posts)
3. I wear a sleep mask
Wed Mar 1, 2023, 01:21 PM
Mar 2023

And since I began, my quality of sleep has improved dramatically. I believe it's the complete darkness that did the trick.

Chalco

(1,357 posts)
4. I fold a black T-shirt in half, lengthwise, and put it over my face.
Wed Mar 1, 2023, 01:27 PM
Mar 2023

Leaving room to breathe, of course. I don't like the masks and the feeling of them on my face. The
T-shirt works better for me.

Warpy

(113,130 posts)
5. I live in the desert
Wed Mar 1, 2023, 01:33 PM
Mar 2023

and there's no way I could do that in the summer. My face would be sopping wet with sweat within 15 minutes. Even masks get a little soggy and uncomfortable at times, especially when it's midnight and still over 90F.

2naSalit

(92,707 posts)
6. I often sleep with my head under the blankets...
Wed Mar 1, 2023, 01:57 PM
Mar 2023

I have always done that plus I don't have light pollution here unless the neighbor leaves there laser porch light on.

hippywife

(22,767 posts)
7. Can't do this.
Wed Mar 1, 2023, 02:51 PM
Mar 2023

I have to be able to read when I go to bed. Every night, I drop off to sleep, at the same time dropping my book (traditional) or my phone (ebook) as I go out.

NickB79

(19,625 posts)
8. I use blackout curtains
Mon Mar 6, 2023, 08:49 PM
Mar 2023

Also, my bedroom is on the northwest side of our house.

And, we live in the country, so there isn't any real light pollution to speak of.

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