Perhaps many have seen in Hollywood films how heroes put a dark mask over their eyes before going to bed. This behavior does not hide the whim or spoilage of rich people. Scientists say that everyone should sleep in complete darkness, as this helps prevent various diseases. Let's find out if this is true and why you need a sleep mask.
This is a special bandage, usually dark in color, that is placed over the eyes and protects them from light while a person sleeps. Before moving on to the health benefits of this accessory, the types of masks and the rules for their selection, you should delve a little deeper into the anatomy.
Why do you need a sleep mask?
The human brain has an organ called the pineal gland, or pineal gland. It secretes several types of hormones, including melatonin. All of them are important for the body and perform different functions. We are currently interested in the first of these hormones - melatonin.
It was discovered in 1958 by Lerner, who found that the concentration of melatonin in the pineal gland and blood changes throughout the day. Moreover, its content increases significantly at night. During the day, on the contrary, there is a decrease in its volume. Moreover, the most melatonin is produced between midnight and five o'clock in the morning, with a maximum surge around two in the morning. Lerner also determined that in winter the concentration of this hormone in the blood is higher than in summer. This is due to the length of daylight hours.
Melatonin is produced through the synthesis of the amino acid tryptophan. There is a lot of it in legumes, oats, cheese, cottage cheese, sesame seeds and milk. But the production process occurs mainly at night. About 70% of melatonin is released at night.
Moreover, the darker the room in which a person sleeps, the more intense the hormone is synthesized. Excess light inhibits this process, and decreased light levels increase the concentration of the hormone.
There is another pattern. With age, the functionality of the pineal gland deteriorates. Because of this, a small amount of melanin enters the blood. Perhaps for this reason, older people sleep less than young people or children, while they often wake up and are often tormented by insomnia.
Who needs a bandage?
A properly selected mask ensures good sleep, because proper rest is extremely important for health. It is at night that the bulk of vital processes take place.
- Skin cells are restored and renewed,
- Collagen is produced, which is necessary for healthy joints and spine,
- Hormones are synthesized
- Processing information received during the day and converting it into long-term memory,
- Enhanced removal of harmful substances,
- Improving brain, nervous and immune system function.
| All these processes take place at night, and pitch darkness is a prerequisite for their implementation. Since melatonin is produced only in such circumstances, the slightest penetration of light onto the pupil leads to the destruction of the element. |
A similar accessory is required for people suffering from disruption of the natural sleep cycle. The products are recommended for patients with high sensitivity to light. The mask is also ideal for the following cases:
- For those who, due to duty, are forced to spend a lot of time on business trips and cannot sleep in transport due to the light,
- People living in megacities where night lighting is very intense. Sometimes the thickest curtains cannot protect you from advertising signs and street lights,
- Spouses with different biological rhythms. For example, the husband is sleeping, and the wife is awake, turning on the light or TV,
- For those who work the night shift. They have to make up for the lack of sleep during the daytime,
- People whose bed is located opposite the window,
- "Owls." They cannot sleep well during the day; the problem is especially acute in the summer, when dawn comes very early.
The price of a blindfold for sleeping cannot be called expensive. But still, many prefer to make it themselves. Moreover, it is not so difficult to do this. And in the end you will get an exclusive option.
For this we need:
- natural fabric on the inside - cotton, chintz or flannel,
- decorative fabric on the outside,
- internal filling – fleece or non-woven fabric; the first is used to give softness, and the second, to compact the fabric and give shape,
- wide elastic band,
- finishing materials: lace or satin ribbon; decorative decorations - rhinestones, beads, etc. (this will not be needed for a men's headband),
- scissors, thread and needle,
- template and patterns.
As for templates, they can easily be found on the Internet. You will also need to create patterns based on them. And all the details, both internal and external, are cut out from them. Be sure to leave a 1 cm allowance for stitching. All parts overlap each other, do not forget to also put fleece or interlining between the inside and outside.
We would like to immediately draw your attention to the fact that we are not talking about a cosmetic mask (i.e. any substance applied to the skin)
A reusable gel eye mask is a product that is placed on the face, made of a special material and filled inside with a special gel that retains cold or heat for a long time. The gel can be poured into the mask itself, or in the form of balls. For example, the Avon gel eye mask is not filled with a solid jelly-like gel, but with small gel beads.
There are masks of different shapes and sizes:
- Full face, with slits for eyes, nose and mouth.
- For the area around the eyes (shaped like a carnival mask with glasses) - this is the Spa Belle mask.
- Overlays over the eyes - that is, not a mask, but “circles” filled with gel, which are placed on the eye sockets with the eyes closed - this is the Letual mask.
On the face, the mask seems to stick to the skin; moreover, it has an anatomically correct, comfortable shape due to the cutout for the nose.
Gel cooling eye mask with massage granules (gel in them)
Functions of such masks:
- A cold gel eye mask gives refreshment, a feeling of vigor, and helps you wake up. A warm mask, on the contrary, relaxes and encourages sleep.
- Can help with tension headaches, migraines, fever (for colds).
- Relieves eye fatigue (for example, if a person works a lot at the computer or does minor work, reads a lot).
- A slightly warmed mask relieves spasms from facial muscles and relaxes.
- A chilled mask keeps the skin of the face and eyelids toned.
- There is evidence that with regular use it prevents the progression of skin aging and the formation of facial wrinkles.
The action of the mask is based on the uniform effect of coolness or heat on the area around the eyes (sometimes cheeks and eyes). It is a mistaken belief that the mask releases some useful substances, vitamins or something else - it does not release anything, the gel is hermetically sealed inside the product! The presence of vitamins is stated in advertisements; for example, the Eyes Cover reusable gel eye mask is considered to be vitaminized. But the gel itself does not have any cosmetic benefits - you should not squeeze it out of the mask and apply it to the skin!
In essence, this mask is an easy-to-use reusable compress. The “distant ancestors” of the gel eye mask can be considered chilled tea bags, heating pads with cold or warm water, cloths and cotton wool soaked in water at the desired temperature...
Researchers who study sleep are unanimous that the darker the room, the better the sleep. The only way to make your bedroom completely dark is to use blackout curtains. This is an expensive proposition if you have large windows. Alternatively, you can simulate darkness by using a sleep blindfold to block ambient light from disturbing you.
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Central heating makes the air in your apartment dry, which negatively affects the mucous membranes of the eyes. In addition, dust and animal hair get into them. A blindfold will protect you from these troubles.
They are useful for people who have nocturnal lagophthalmos - the inability to completely close their eyes when they sleep. To maintain their moisture, together with your doctor, you need to select a suitable bandage.
What are the benefits of melatonin?
Now let's list the functions of melatonin, as a result of which it will become clear why a sleep mask is a very useful accessory. Hormone produced by the pineal gland:
- regulates sleep frequency;
- slows down the aging process;
- strengthens the immune system;
- has an antioxidant effect;
- ensures a person’s adaptation when he changes time zones.
Melatonin is also believed to prevent tumor formation. This has been proven in studies involving animals. And these are not all the “advantages” of sleeping in the dark.
It is at night that a person can get a good night's sleep, and deep sleep lifts the mood, improves well-being, fills with energy, relieves fatigue and irritability.
Why and who needs a sleep mask?
Light rays first penetrate the eyes, and information about this enters the brain. This is how the pineal body understands that it is necessary to reduce hormone synthesis. To prevent this from happening during sleep, it is necessary to protect your eyes from all sources of light. This can be done using a special bandage or mask. Of course, people who sleep in complete darkness do not need this accessory. However, not everyone is able to always sleep at night. Moreover, at this time of day it may be light in certain geographical areas.
Most often, masks are used in the following cases:
- when traveling by plane or other transport;
- during daytime sleep, for example, siesta;
- if there are no curtains on the windows in the room;
- one of the family members wakes up earlier and turns on the light or, on the contrary, goes to bed later than everyone else and watches TV or reads a book; constant insomnia;
- while doing yoga.
Also, people who work at night and sleep during the day will need a sleep mask. Actually, anyone can purchase this accessory. It will definitely come in handy. Let's find out what types of such masks there are and how to choose them correctly.
How to choose a sleep mask?
To choose a good mask, you should know the basic criteria that are important when purchasing such accessories. They all perform the same functions, but there are a number of differences. So, pay attention to the design. There are masks for men, women and children. Many may think that there is no fundamental difference between them. Indeed, does it really matter whether you sleep in a man's or a woman's blindfold at night? However, they differ not only in style, but also in size. In addition, you may be wearing a mask on an airplane, train, or other place where there will be a lot of people. Therefore, the aesthetic component is also important, especially for women.
The next criterion is the material. Masks are made from natural and synthetic fabrics. It is better to purchase headbands made of cotton or silk. They are more durable and pleasant to the touch. Synthetics can provoke allergies and cause itching of the facial skin. Masks made from natural materials are more expensive, but this accessory will not have to be changed often, so you can buy a better quality product.
Another criterion is the filler. Such dressings can be with padding polyester and gel inside. The first ones are considered a universal option. They have a number of advantages:
- strength;
- environmental friendliness;
- long service life;
- safety;
- comfort.
The gel may cause allergies. However, bandages with a gel filler help smooth out wrinkles, increase the tone of facial muscles, relax the eyes, and relieve fatigue.
There are also special covers for masks:
- magnetic disks that have a beneficial effect on muscles and stimulate the process of skin regeneration;
- tourmaline is a mineral used in alternative medicine, whose supporters are confident that tourmaline threads in a mask have a positive effect on the activity of the nervous system and blood circulation;
- fabric with copper oxide, which prevents the formation of wrinkles and smoothes the epithelium.
Perhaps such overlays are just part of a marketing ploy aimed at increasing sales, and, in fact, they do not have the listed beneficial properties. However, it is still worth paying attention to parameters such as size and material when choosing masks. Try it on when purchasing. Make sure it doesn't let in light, doesn't cause discomfort, and doesn't slip off your face.
Overlays for women
The latest invention that reads the impulses occurring in the brain and distinguishes between the “slow” and “fast” phases of sleep. Why is it needed? To spend less time on rest, but at the same time get a good night's sleep. At the end of the fast phase of night rest, the accessory sends a specific signal in the form of a gradually increasing light flux.
| As a result, a person wakes up alert and rested, even if he has been in bed for three hours. The device can be set for naps and is ideal for regulating your sleep cycle in a disordered sleep pattern. |
However, doctors do not recommend using the device regularly. Because all vital cycles require eight hours of sleep.
For the fairer sex, it is important not only to get enough sleep, but also to get rid of cosmetic problems. Sleep masks equipped with unique inserts were developed especially for lovely ladies.
- Filler in the form of a gel copes with swelling,
- Night glasses with integrated magnetic disks will help you tidy up your skin and get a good night's sleep. They “trigger” biological active points, eliminate hypertonicity of the facial muscles and accelerate the process of epidermal regeneration. If you additionally apply a nourishing cream, the effect of using the bandage will increase,
- Masks with woven tourmaline threads tidy up the nervous system and improve blood circulation. Heat emanates from the human body, which triggers the work of tourmaline, it begins to emit infrared rays. As a result, black circles under the eyes disappear,
- Eye cups impregnated with copper oxide will be a good prevention against wrinkles. Daily use of the accessory will make your skin smooth and velvety.
Is it possible to make a sleep mask yourself?
You can make the bandage yourself at home. You will need a small piece of fabric - approximately 30 cm long and 15 cm wide. Measure the width of your face, forehead, and the distance from the right temple to the left.
For the inside of the mask, it is better to use cotton, silk, chintz or flannel. As for the exterior decoration, this is already a matter of taste. If you want a beautiful mask, choose a material with unusual prints or floral patterns. The outer and inner sides can be glued or sewn together. After that, attach the elastic band. It should not be very weak or too tight, otherwise it will slip or lead to poor circulation. It is impossible to sleep comfortably in such a bandage. In addition, it is also harmful to the skin and blood vessels.
Now let's look at the rules of good sleep. Its quality depends not only on the mask on the eyes.
Rules for good sleep
A good dream can be called if a person practically did not wake up during the night, did not have nightmares, and after waking up he feels cheerful and rested. This can be achieved if you follow these simple rules:
- Sleep at the same time. Set yourself a routine. Try not to go to bed very late. On weekends, rest no more than 8 hours, as on weekdays, otherwise your sleep time may shift.
- Leave at least 6-8 hours a day for sleep. It is recommended to sleep at night. Daytime sleep, even for the same 6-8 hours, does not bring as much benefit as night sleep.
- Get out of bed immediately after waking up to avoid falling asleep again. Firstly, this can disrupt the rhythm of life. Secondly, you will feel tired and exhausted if you lie in bed longer than usual.
- Don't overload yourself with work before going to bed. Spend 30-40 minutes in a quiet environment, read some light book.
- Don't eat at night. It is recommended to eat two to three hours before bedtime. Overeating will negatively affect your sleep, figure and appearance after waking up.
- If you can't go to bed in complete darkness, wear a mask over your eyes.
Blindfolds for sleeping - a full-fledged element of nightwear
As a rule, people are accustomed to the fact that before going to bed, they only need to take pajamas or a negligee. However, sleep blindfolds are also an equally important element. They are essential to protect yourself from bright light. They are especially relevant in the northern regions, because white nights do not provide the opportunity to properly rest. The only salvation in these parts is blindfolds for sleeping.
By the way, these accessories are often taken with them on long trips, just like earplugs. As a rule, neither on buses, nor on trains, nor on planes do the lights turn off, but only dimmed. Of course, this will negatively affect your well-being.
These attributes are made from light-proof materials and are distinguished by a multi-layer structure. One of the parts protects from light, the second allows the eyes to relax and rest as much as possible.
