{"id":29163,"date":"2023-06-20T04:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-06-20T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog-staging.saatva-node-stage.tsc-starts-coding.com\/?p=29163"},"modified":"2023-12-14T00:22:01","modified_gmt":"2023-12-14T00:22:01","slug":"therabody-smart-eye-mask","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saatva-node-stage.tsc-starts-coding.com\/blog\/therabody-smart-eye-mask\/","title":{"rendered":"I Tried a Smart Eye Mask to Improve My Sleep\u2014Here\u2019s What Happened"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

From sleep trackers<\/a> to meditation apps<\/a>, it seems like there\u2019s a new piece of tech every single day that promises to help us sleep better. But with so many items out there (and most of them not<\/em> cheap), it\u2019s hard to figure out which ones actually work the way they should. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, after a slew of work travel that left me way too jet lagged<\/a> for my own good, I was prompted to try a new product from my favorite massage device company: The Therabody SmartGoggles<\/a>, which use the brand\u2019s signature massage therapy and vibration patterns, combined with heat therapy, to help reduce one\u2019s heart rate<\/a> and bring down stress levels\u2014thus resulting in increased focus and (allegedly!) better sleep. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While I\u2019m usually a great sleeper\u2014thanks to a regimented schedule and a stint with a sleep therapist<\/a> to help figure out my patterns\u2014at that point, it really felt like the stress of work travel (including an international trip to Japan) and constantly staring at screens to catch up on an influx of work had left me perpetually tired and cranky but unable to turn my brain off enough to sleep. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The jet lag was tough<\/em>, and even if I forced myself up all day, I just wasn\u2019t able to fall asleep at night. So, I figured I had nothing to lose and decided to try the device for a month to see whether it worked. Here\u2019s my honest review. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s a smart eye mask?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A smart eye mask is essentially the same shape as a regular sleep mask<\/a>, but it adds enhanced features through tech. While the features vary overall, a smart eye mask could have anything from integrated audio or meditation to help sleep, light technology, massage or vibrational therapy, sensors for tracking heart rate and sleep, and even weighted eye pads to mimic a weighted blanket. They\u2019re designed to help improve sleep through a number of different mechanisms, depending on the features they offer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smart eye masks vs. regular sleep masks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The main difference between smart eye masks and regular sleep masks is their features. A regular sleep mask usually consists of soft, hypoallergenic fabric (more often than not, that\u2019s silk) and adjustable straps to block out all light and help people sleep better: In fact, a 2023 study<\/a> found that wearing one nightly improved sleep and boosted cognitive function and alertness the next day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A subset of the regular sleep mask category is also the weighted sleep mask<\/a>, which uses a weighted material, such as microbeads or sand, to put a little pressure on the eyes and help you decompress. While weighted blankets<\/a> have been proven to promote sleep and reduce insomnia<\/a>, there hasn\u2019t been conclusive evidence about weighted sleep masks just yet. However, they seem to use similar mechanisms, and people do<\/em> believe that they work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of now, there’s also only anecdotal evidence pointing to the increased effectiveness of smart eye masks that contain all those additional features mentioned above. But it\u2019s been suggested that by adding these options proven to help sleep (meditations, massage, etc.), they can have additional benefits to helping sleep than simply using a regular eye mask alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benefits of smart sleep masks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart sleep masks have been said to have the following benefits:<\/p>\n\n\n\n