Do you want to get up in the morning feeling alert and mentally prepared? Well, wearing an eye mask can be life-changing for you. According to a study involving 122 participants over two experiments, blocking out ambient light while you are sleeping can improve alertness and memory the following day.
The study authors, from institutions in the UK, Italy, and the US, say that this is further evidence of the link between light and sleep – and that controlling the former can help in managing the latter.
During the first experiment, 89 adults aged 18 to 35 were asked to wear an eye mask while sleeping for a week, before going without it, or wearing an eye mask with holes (to factor in any effects from the discomfort of wearing a mask) the week after.
In the second experiment, 33 adult volunteers aged 18 to 35 were equipped with eye masks, devices to measure the light intensity on waking, and a wearable headband to measure brain activity while they slept.
According to the researchers, there is an association between mask wearing and more slow-wave sleep time, known to be important when it comes to memory boosts.
Several studies have pointed out that sleep plays an important role in the overall wellbeing and health of humans. During the study, the researchers found that an eye mask could well enhance the benefits of sleep. The findings was recently published in the Sleep journal.
