Can a sleep mask improve your memory and concentration, perform better at work?

Internal medicine and sleep behaviour expert Dr Suranjit Chatterjee on whether this sleep aid helps in waking up alert the next day.

With doctors emphasising the need for a good quality sleep, people keep on looking for sleep-inducing aids, from mood lighting to a warm shower. In fact, research from Cardiff University last year said that wearing eye masks is the best way to cut out distracting light, slip into deep slumber and improve our learning and alertness. And since even a few watts of power, be it from a device like cellphone, laptop or TV, can trick you into believing it is daytime, can eye masks solve our problem?

Says Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, Senior Consultant, Internal Medicine and Sleep Medicine, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi, “Using an eye mask while sleeping can help you block all kinds of ambient light while its comforting softness may help you fall asleep faster. A good, restorative sleep at night allows the brain to better consolidate memories and new information that was acquired during the previous waking hours, helping in both learning and alertness.”

Studies have shown that rapid eye movement (REM) and slow-wave sleep are important for improving brain function. “REM sleep occurs 70 to 90 minutes after a person first falls asleep and is essential for emotional well-being. On the other hand, deep, slow-wave sleep, which occurs during non-REM periods, puts the body in a state of repair and relaxation, which controls blood pressure, an essential element of cardiovascular health. By eliminating light distractions, eye masks help extend the time spent in these critical sleep stages. This leads to improved memory, better focus and increased concentration ability the following day,” adds Dr Chatterjee.

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Light exposure, even at dim levels, can shift the body’s internal clock and disrupt healthy sleep-wake cycles. Light interferes with the release of melatonin, a hormone that induces sleepiness and regulates the sleep cycle. “Eye masks prevent artificial or environmental light from reaching the eyes and altering melatonin levels. This allows melatonin to rise naturally in the evening and trigger better quality sleep at the appropriate time. That’s why people sleeping with eye masks feel more well-rested and alert when they wake up,” says Dr Chatterjee.

Also read | Try this simple technique to get deep sleep tonight

WHAT STUDIES SAY

Researchers from Cardiff University in the UK conducted a small study last year where a group alternated between sleeping while wearing an eye mask and being exposed to light at night. Participants performed better at pairing associative words after wearing an eye mask than after being exposed to light at night. Those wearing a mask had better reaction times on this task.

Another study in 2010, published in the National Library of Medicine, showed that patients in an intensive care unit (ICU), usually distracted by motion, light and sound around them, were able to spend more time in REM (rapid eye movement) sleep while wearing a sleep mask.

HOW TO IMPROVE SLEEP WITHOUT A MASK

Dr Chatterjee advises that we get as much natural daylight as we possibly can, moving all our physical activities and errands to the early half of the day. He then advises minimising exposure to electronic devices and reducing our screen time, preferably wiring out at least two hours before we intend to sleep. Then switch off unnecessary lights and make the bedroom environment as dark as possible and the bed as comfortable as possible. If external light streams in, try changing over to a thicker curtain.