The best product I’ve ever reviewed for the Filter cost less than £10 and sent me to sleep. When I tested sleep aids last year in an effort to tackle insomnia, an eye mask helped me nod off faster and stay asleep for longer than numerous purported zzz-enhancers, including magnesium and lavender spray. Between you and me, it also worked better than the melatonin tablets I’d brought back from a trip to the US.
Even so, when I was asked to test a range of eye masks for this article, I didn’t expect the cheap MyHalos blackout mask to retain its pole position. Masks from leading sleep brands Tempur and Manta Sleep, and therapeutic tech specialists such as Therabody, use innovative designs to calm your mind and even sync with your heartbeat. The Lumenate Nova, which deploys soothing LED light therapy, reportedly has Jennifer Aniston among its many fans.
Surely a £10 slip of fabric couldn’t compete with those hi-tech rivals? Let’s just say I was pleasantly surprised by the results of this test, and if you’re looking for a genuinely effective bargain, then you’ll be pleased, too. Here’s what happened when I sleep-tested 12 eye masks through the hottest nights of the year (/decade/century) so far.
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At a glance
Best budget eye mask and best overall:
MyHalos blackout 3D sleep mask
Best Bluetooth eye mask:
SnoozeBand Pro
Best silk eye mask:
Drowsy silk sleep mask
Best therapeutic eye mask:
Therabody SleepMask
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Why you should trust me
I’ve spent decades reviewing products, from smartphones to hay fever remedies, so I’m professionally sceptical of manufacturers’ claims to magically improve our lives by buying their stuff. Not all the sleep aids, duvets and mattresses I’ve tested for the Filter have resulted in a good night’s sleep; some actively worsened my insomnia. However, others have proved so successful that I ended up buying them – eye mask included.
How I tested
Like so many of my favourite tests for the Filter, I took to my bed for this one. All the masks I sourced are marketed as sleep aids, so I judged them primarily on their impact to help me fall asleep, stay asleep and sleep more deeply.
I used each mask for at least two nights in May and June, when the nights were short and often uncomfortably hot. Note that not all the masks stayed on all night, as I confess in their reviews below. I asked my husband, Alan, to try each mask too – in part for a second opinion, but also to judge which were a better fit for the larger facial features of men.
To test blackout powers, I tried on each mask outdoors in bright sunshine (including the time I queued to see Harry Styles in 32C). Not all the masks here claim to be blackout, but the ability to block out light is important to achieve quality sleep, especially in summer.
Comfort is key, too. There’s no point spending hundreds or thousands on an amazing mattress, duvet and pillow if an ill-fitting, uncomfortable mask scuppers your sleep efforts. I looked for well-designed eye cups that prevented the masks from touching my eyelids; breathable fabrics that felt good against my skin; and easily adjustable straps that ensured a good fit without snagging my hair.
In those masks that included Bluetooth speakers, I assessed comfort, noise levels (that didn’t disturb Alan), and simple controls that I could access phone-free.
I also tested a few masks that incorporated therapeutic relaxation technology, such as light and vibration. With these, I tested how easy the tech was to set up and use, whether it made the mask uncomfortable, and how well it helped me sleep.
Once testing was complete, any masks I didn’t buy for myself were donated to the Southampton Hospitals Charity to be offered to patients. The dementia ward made excellent use of the weighted blankets I tested last year, so I hope these masks will help them through the summer nights.
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The best eye masks for sleep
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<em>Best budget eye mask and best overall:</em>MyHalos blackout 3D sleep mask
- What we love:Outstanding value for a genuinely sleep-transforming mask
- What we don’t love:No Bluetooth, and it leaks some light after a year of use
The MyHalos is one of the simplest and cheapest masks in my test, and the most effective. Its contoured foam eye frame blocks light without touching your eyes, the strap is easily adjustable to achieve a good fit, and the mask is so lightweight and comfortable that you’ll hardly notice you’re wearing it.
Why we love it
Sometimes, less is more. The MyHalos mask skips the audio, vibration, app controls and light therapy found on some of the more feature-packed models I tested. It’s not made from silk (although a silk version is now available), it doesn’t have detachable cooling eye cups, and it won’t massage your temples (yes, one of the others really does – keep reading). But none of this mattered, because this was the only mask that consistently gave me what I really wanted: a better night’s sleep, even when I was away from home.
It was a close race with the SnoozeBand Pro, however. If you like to drop off to podcasts or music, and you don’t mind having your ears covered all night, you may prefer the Bluetooth-enabled SnoozeBand. I prefer the simplicity of the MyHalos, which doesn’t connect to my phone (the enemy of sleep) and whose blackout eye frame is so comfortable and effective that it now puts my brain into sleep mode the moment I put it on.
It’s a shame that … if I must grasp at critical straws, I’ve noticed that it leaks a little light around my nose after a year of wear. It’s nothing that kept me awake, though, even during a daytime nap.
Material: synthetic materials, including foam eye frame
Colour options: black, blue, navy, grey, peach, lavender
Blackout: yes
Bluetooth: no
Machine washable: no, hand-wash only
Guarantee: 30-day free returns, two-year warranty
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<em>Best Bluetooth eye mask:</em>SnoozeBand Pro
- What we love:Full blackout, and speakers flat enough for side sleepers
- What we don’t love:The wraparound design can feel too warm in summer
SnoozeBand’s range of sleep masks targets your ears and eyes to help you drift off. Of the three I tested, the SnoozeBand Pro was the standout, pairing a light-blocking mask with Bluetooth speakers that lulled me to sleep via music, meditations and more.
Why we love it
Contrary to expectations, I didn’t find the SnoozeBand Pro quite as effective as the MyHalos at helping me to fall asleep – mainly because it requires more input than the MyHalos (choose audio, change volume, set timer and so on), but also because I didn’t like having my ears covered on warm nights. In winter, I may feel differently. For now, though, it sits in second place.
Its inner lining felt soft and breathable against my skin, and the 3D padded eye sockets kept the light out without butting against my eyelids. At under £50, it’s one of the more affordable Bluetooth masks on the market, yet sound quality is surprisingly good and the speakers sit flat enough to feel completely comfortable when you lie on your side, unlike earbuds.
The free app provides access to audio sleep aids, including white noise, meditations and sleep music, but you can stream audio from any app you want. I enjoyed being able to listen to my current fall-asleep favourite, Radio 4’s The World Tonight. Alan, lying next to me in bed, couldn’t hear it at all.
It’s a shame that … the Velcro strap got caught in my long hair when I was trying to put on the mask at 5.30am. Also, while I don’t sleep with a snorer, if you do, the audio isn’t loud enough to drown it out.
Material: cotton fabric and synthetic padding
Colour options: grey
Blackout: yes
Bluetooth: yes
Machine washable: no, hand-wash recommended after removing control unit and speakers
Guarantee: 15-day free returns, one-year warranty
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<em>Best silk eye mask:</em>Drowsy silk sleep mask
- What we love:Good blackout; looks ravishing; cooling and kind to skin
- What we don’t love:Pricey for a simple eye mask, and no eye cups
The cooling, hypoallergenic, nonirritating properties of this bamboo-padded silk mask make it a great option for sensitive skin. It also looks the business and comes in a fabulous range of colours, including “la vie en rouge”, the gorgeous wine colour I tested.
Why we love it
The Drowsy is the best-looking, best-feeling mask I tested. It doesn’t have any eye cups to block out light, but its large size gave it the best blackout capabilities of any silk mask in my test. Its smooth fabric reached halfway down my cheeks to stop light creeping in, and I welcomed the cutout section for my nose to poke through, and the wide expanse of silk on either side of the Velcro strips to help avoid hair entanglements at the back.
It’s a shame that … I didn’t like the slight pressure of the silk against my eyelids. If that’s an issue for you, you may want to check out Drowsy’s range of eyelash-protecting masks with eye cups, although their full price of £79 makes them quite an investment.
Material: mulberry silk fabric and bamboo filling
Colour options: many, including midnight blue, damask rose, green sapphire and leopard print
Blackout: yes
Bluetooth: no
Machine washable: no, hand-wash only
Guarantee: 60-day free returns
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<em>Best therapeutic eye mask:</em>Therabody SleepMask
- What we love:Light and comfortable; blackout; soothing vibration modes
- What we don’t love:No Bluetooth; some may find vibrations annoying; can’t wash
Therabody’s lightweight mask gently shudders against your face (stay with me here) by emitting a choice of three vibration patterns. The effect is wonderfully soothing, like a sort of white noise for your skin, and genuinely proved helpful to switch off my mind for sleep.
What we love
Therapeutic eye masks go beyond simply blocking out light; they use heat, sound, light or, in this case, vibration, to stimulate your other senses and help you relax. According to the multiple references to “scientifically proven” on Therabody’s website, these effects are more effective than light-blocking alone and can even help you drift off to sleep.
I loved the robust feel of the Therabody mask, which I found comfortable and great at blocking out light, although I remained sceptical about its vibration feature – for about three seconds, by which time it had won me over. The three vibration modes (pulse, wave and constant) are easy to switch between while wearing the mask, and I found the “constant” setting particularly relaxing, even for soothing a headache.
I liked not having to switch it off, either: it has a timer that powers down the vibrations after a default 15 minutes, although you can tweak this via the free app. The vibrations grow gradually less intense as the minutes tick down. Without the vibrations, the mask works as a comfortable blackout mask with a soft eye frame and adjustable strap, much like the MyHalos, making it easy to wear all night.
It’s a shame that … I found the “pulse” and “wave” vibrations a little distracting because they were out of sync with my heartbeat, which I could also feel when lying on my side. You can’t remove the electronics unit to give this mask a good wash.
Material: bird’s-eye weave fabric inner, PVC and “sofa fabric” housing, knitted cotton fabric and nylon strap
Colour options: blue
Blackout: yes
Bluetooth: no
Machine washable: no, wipe clean outer layer, machine wash inner layer
Guarantee: two years
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The best of the rest
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Bon Charge blackout contoured sleep mask
- What we love:Light and comfortable; really helped me sleep
- What we don’t love:Doesn’t justify its price
Best for: doing the job of blackout curtains for much less money and hassle.
I felt right at home wearing this mask because it’s similar in feel and performance to my trusty MyHalos. It’s comfortable, easy to adjust without snagging your hair (much), and blocks all light without pinching your nose or butting up against your eyelids. However, the MyHalos does all of this, too – at less than half the price.
It didn’t make the final cut because … I loved this mask, but it’s not different enough from my cheaper overall winner to justify a higher ranking. Look out for it at a discount, though.
Material: Lycra and memory foam; colour options: black; blackout: yes; Bluetooth: no; machine washable: no, hand-wash only in warm water; guarantee: one year
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Manta Sleep Sound mask
- What we love:Fantastic Bluetooth sound quality and full blackout
- What we don’t love:Expensive; eye cups may prove too bulky for many women
Best for: men who like to fall asleep to music or podcasts
The eye-mask specialist Manta Sleep sent me a few of its masks to try, and the Sound mask was by far the most effective. Its soft eye cups blocked all light, while its flat Bluetooth speakers let me stream soporific podcasts. The sound quality is superb – better than the SnoozeBand – and the speakers proved easy to move into position.
However, as with the cheaper SnoozeBand Pro, Manta’s Bluetooth mask was difficult to wear through the night in warmer temperatures. More frustratingly, its foam eye cups were too big for my small features. They block all light and are easily adjustable to find a comfortable position, but they’re likely to be just too bulky for most female or smaller faces. This mask was the perfect fit for Alan, though.
It’s a shame that … it’s rather expensive, especially for a mask that didn’t fit me properly. No matter where I positioned the eye cups, they proved bulky and slightly narrowed my nostrils as a result.
Material: perforated foam and mesh outer, modal fabric inner, Tactel foam eye cups; colour options: classic (dark grey), pastel peach, sundown blackout: yes; Bluetooth: yes; machine washable: yes, after removing control unit and speakers; guarantee: 60-day free returns, six-month warranty
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SnoozeBand Silk
- What we love:The silk looks fabulous and feels gorgeous
- What we don’t love:Not blackout; with no eye cups, it brushes against eyelashes
Best for: nodding off to podcasts on a warm night
Of all the Bluetooth masks I tested, this was the one I least minded using on hot nights – its mulberry silk wraparound design was great at resisting heat. However, it’s not quite blackout, and like the other silk masks I tested, it touched my eyelids. The non-silk SnoozeBand Pro has better blackout capabilities, more room for your eyes, and a significantly lower price.
It’s a shame that … I found the speakers difficult to adjust because you have to reach down inside the fabric to get to them. I also found that the mask moved around my head slightly when I turned in bed.
Material: mulberry silk; colour options: petal pink, midnight black, deep navy; blackout: no; Bluetooth: yes; machine washable: no, remove electronics then hand wash; guarantee: 15-day free returns, one-year warranty
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Tempur sleep mask
- What we love:Padding makes for a snug fit; folds easier than its rivals
- What we don’t love:Unusual design may feel uncomfortable on some face shapes
Best for: squashing into your carry-on for travelling
Tempur’s grey velour-covered offering looks like a ninja mask with chunky strips under the eyes. The idea is that these strips, which are filled with memory foam (“Tempur material”) mould to the shape of your face to ensure full light-blocking and comfort. It didn’t quite hit these marks for me, not least because the chunky bits pushed against my nose similarly to Manta’s eye cups. However, it felt soft and light, and I found the fabric surprisingly breathable in the heatwave.
It didn’t make the final cut because … the lower section of the mask pressed against my nose.
Material: finished in soft grey velour material; colour options: grey; blackout: yes; Bluetooth: no; machine washable: no, sponge by hand; guarantee: two years
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Manta sleep mask
- What we love:Genuinely blackout, and you can wash it in the machine
- What we don’t love:Big eye cups may press into nose if you’re a side sleeper
Best for: people who sleep on their back
This is effectively the Manta Sleep Sound Mask without the sound. Its fabric construction looks and feels high quality, but it covers your ears more than a non-Bluetooth mask really needs to. As with the Sound Mask, the Sleep Mask has chunky foam eye cups that seem to be designed for a man because they’re bulky and butt against your nose if you have smallish features. I love that you can machine wash it, though.
It didn’t make the final cut because … besides the eye cups, I found the mask itself too bulky, and so did Alan. It may not be such an issue if you sleep on your back, but for a side sleeper with a firm pillow like mine, it wasn’t comfortable.
Material: modal fabric eye cups and polycotton head strap; colour options: light grey, sunrise pink, carbon black; blackout; yes; Bluetooth: no; machine washable: yes (use cold water); guarantee: 60-day free returns, six-month warranty
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Therabody SmartGoggles 2nd Gen
- What we love:Relaxing tech, including temple massage and vibration
- What we don’t love:No audio; too bulky to wear all night
Best for: a nice temple massage after work
My first impression of this foldable mask was that it looks and feels (in your hands, at least) like the Tesla Cybertruck of eye masks. I imagined it would be like trying to wear a VR headset to bed. However, in practice, this device is wonderful. Less Cybertruck, more massage chair for your forehead.
The comfortable cushioned eye frame expands and contracts at your temples for a glorious massage while blocking all light. With another click or two of the buttons on top of the mask, you can set it to vibrate in relaxing patterns, emit heat (save that for when your bedroom doesn’t already feel like a furnace), and even sync with your heart rate. There are no speakers for audio, but you can pair the SmartGoggles with your phone to control it via the feature-rich app.
It’s a shame that … if you’re a side sleeper like me, you’ll find it almost impossible to fall asleep with this mask on – but it’s great for relaxing.
Material: thermal PU inner, PVC and “sofa fabric” housing, knitted cotton fabric, polyester and nylon strap; colour options: black; blackout: yes; Bluetooth: yes; machine washable: no, wipe clean; guarantee: two years
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Lumenate Nova
- What we love:Beautifully made mask with an anxiety-soothing light show
- What we don’t love:Full access is pricey; some may find lights annoying
Best for: calming your mind when you’re feeling stressed or anxious
This Kickstarter-funded mask is lovely to wear. It’s chunky but surprisingly light, with a soft blackout eye frame and an adjustable band that uses a buckle, Velcro and elastic to ensure you get the perfect fit. But what of its USP, the psychedelic sleep lights?
Unfortunately, I couldn’t enjoy the Nova’s immersive LED light show, because I have epilepsy. Pregnant people, under-18s and anyone who’s been drinking should avoid it, too. I asked Alan to do the honours, and he was thoroughly impressed by the introductory light-therapy session narrated by Rosamund Pike. “It’s an experience in mindfulness,” said Alan. “It really does stop your mind racing. It wouldn’t send me to sleep, but I’d definitely use it to relax me.” He also said the mask made him feel hot, but this was during the violent heatwave of mid-June.
The introductory session is one of several you get for free with the Lumenate app. The app comes with a free seven-day trial of a Lumenate subscription, which gives you the full range of sessions for a pricey £9.99 a month or £59.99 a year.
It didn’t make the final cut because … some will find the light show to be nothing more than an expensive gimmick.
Material: polyester and nylon fabric, polyurethane foam eye cup; colour options: blue; blackout: yes; Bluetooth: yes, but no speakers; machine washable: no, detach the eye cushion for handwashing; guarantee: one year
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Sweet Bee Organics deep sleep eye mask
- What we love:Blackout works well when fastened tight; silk feels gorgeous
- What we don’t love:Mask pushes against your eyelids
Best for: napping on a warm afternoon
This is a padded mulberry silk mask, similar to the SnoozeBand Silk but without the audio. It’s a beautiful product that feels lovely in your hand and against your face, and its blackout capabilities are reasonably effective. There’s also no pressure on your nose because of the cutout section.
It didn’t make the final cut because … it only reaches its full blackout potential when you fasten it tightly, and when you do that, the silk presses against your eyelids.
Material: mulberry silk fabric and bamboo filling; colour options: midnight slate, calming sage; blackout: yes; Bluetooth: no; machine washable: no, hand-wash only; guarantee: 30-day free returns
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What you need to know
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Can an eye mask really help me sleep better?
As a light sleeper with an easily distracted brain, I was sceptical about eye masks when I tried a few for the Filter last year. I assumed I’d find them distracting, and that the fabric would press against my eyelids. Besides, tying a length of fabric around my head put me in mind of ninjas. Not very soporific.
However, they turned out to be the most effective sleep aids I’ve ever tried. The best eye masks are designed to block light without touching your eyelids, and to feel weightless and comfortable when you sleep. Full darkness triggers your body’s circadian system to help you fall asleep, stay asleep, and feel more refreshed the next day. Eyelids alone can’t filter out all light, so an eye mask can help.
There’s research to back this up. A 2023 study found that eye masks and earplugs had “positive effects on sleep quality” in intensive care patients. In a 2022 study by Cardiff University, participants performed better in some learning and alertness tasks the day after sleeping with an eye mask.
“One of the main reasons for using a sleep mask in the first place is to block out light, especially in the summer when the sun can rise pre-5am,” says Dr Nerina Ramlakhan, sleep expert at the specialist bed brand Oak Tree Mobility. “Moulded eye cups with tapered edges are worth seeking out over flat designs because they reduce pressure on your eyelids and allow you to sleep comfortably on your side. This helps to prevent soreness when you wake up, and allows you to open your eyes during the night, which is more common than you might think.”
Will an eye mask make me hot at night?
Some of the designs I tested weren’t ideal for wearing on the hot nights of May and June because they covered my ears with wide stretches of fabric. These tended to be the models with built-in Bluetooth speakers, but not always. Even with an electric fan on all night, I just felt too warm. The masks that best allowed my skin to breathe were the smaller ones with no ear coverings, and the silk masks.
“The drop in core body temperature in the evening is one of the main biological mechanisms that helps you sleep,” says Ramlakhan. “Anything that traps heat around your face will be working against this, so look for gentle, naturally breathable fabrics such as silk.”
For more, read:
• How to sleep in a heatwave: 13 clever tips and cooling essentials
• The best mattresses in 2026
• How to create the perfect bed: seven things our sleep expert swears by
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Jane Hoskyn is a features journalist who’s spent three decades rearranging bookshelves and “testing” gadgets while deadlines loom. She would always rather be in the woods, or napping, or napping in the woods
