The benefits of sleep masks

There are many factors that contribute to getting an average night of sleep, but the most prominent factors can be linked back to distractions in our sleeping environment, including light and sound, and our overuse of digital devices throughout the evening. Living in a digital world, we spend countless hours behind a digital device every day. Whether it be for work or play, for the most part we are addicted to our screens. Although at times this can’t be helped, there comes a time where we need to draw a line and find a healthy balance between screen use and down time.

This is particularly crucial when it comes to our sleep cycle. Understandably, we tend to bring our phones into our rooms and continue to scroll our social media till we hit the hay. Without even realising it, the blue light emitted by our screens restrains the production of melatonin, the hormone that controls your sleep-wake cycle making it even more difficult to enter a deep state of sleep. Don’t stress, there are various things you can do to counteract this.

Firstly, try not to bring your device into your sleeping environment, or at least try not to look at a screen 30 minutes prior to going to sleep. We understand it’s easier said than done, so another alternative is to use blue light or sleep glasses when using your device in the evening.

Another main concern that interrupts a healthy sleep cycle is distractions within our sleeping space. These can include things like lights, sounds, even certain smells. One way to avoid these is by using sensory deprivation to block out certain distractions, allowing your brain to shut off and drift naturally into a deeper, more restful state of sleep.