Whether you’re trying to kip in a bothy with a south-facing window or recover on a long-haul flight back from a ski trip, sleep masks for light-sensitive sleepers do one job that blackout curtains can’t: they travel with you. Jose Colon, MD, an adult and paediatric sleep medicine physician, puts it plainly: sleeping in a dark room is best, but blackout shades are not always practical. A well-fitted mask, he says, creates that darker sleep environment wherever you happen to lay your head.
Why light matters more than you think
Too much light at bedtime suppresses your body’s melatonin production, making it harder to wind down and feel sleepy. It can even disrupt your circadian rhythm after you’ve fallen asleep. For anyone who rises early for a dawn ridge walk or a cold-water swim and needs to be in bed while summer light still bleeds through the curtains, that’s a real problem. A quality sleep mask, fitted properly, closes that gap.
Clinical psychologist and clinical sleep specialist Michael Breus, PhD, is one of the experts behind these picks. According to his profile on Sleep Doctor, Dr. Breus is one of only 168 people in the world to have passed the Sleep Medical Speciality board without going to medical school, and was named the Top Sleep Specialist in California by Reader’s Digest. He has authored five non-fiction books, with his most recent, Sleep, Drink, Breathe: Wellness is Too Complicated, published in 2025. When Dr. Breus calls a product his favourite sleep mask, that carries some weight.
The best sleep masks for light-sensitive sleepers: five tested options
Manta Original Sleep Mask ($39) is Dr. Breus’s top pick outright. The eye cups are adjustable, sliding along the mask to match the distance between your eyes, and they sit deep enough that you can open your eyes without pressing on your lashes. For side sleepers, he recommends the Manta Pro instead: its slimmer profile lies flat against the sides of your head rather than adding bulk at the temples. Manta Sleep makes the mask machine-washable, which matters if you’re pulling it out of a pack every few days on a multi-night wild camp.
Mzoo Sleep Mask ($17) earns its place for anyone who needs total blackout on the move. Memory foam eye cups contour to your face, and the foam is perforated to keep airflow moving through the night, useful for hot sleepers post-exertion. It ships with earplugs and a carrying pouch. Senior commerce director Shanna Shipin, who tested the mask in New York and Los Angeles, notes that two separate adjusters on the strap give a firm, reliable fit that holds through the night: ‘The mask has a better chance of actually staying put all night. Hello, uninterrupted sleep.’
Lunya Washable Silk Sleep Mask ($65) takes a different approach. The wide strap doesn’t taper until it reaches the back of your head, so the same fabric covers your ears as well as your eyes. There are no moulded cups; instead the whole mask is uniformly plush, which the brand says can improve light-blocking. It comes in two sizes rather than offering an adjustable strap, so sizing matters. Lunya makes it in mulberry silk, machine-washable on a cool cycle.
Slip Silk Contour Sleep Mask ($79) is the one to reach for if you’re protecting eyelash extensions or simply can’t stand anything pressing against your lids. The contoured interior gives your eyes genuine clearance, while the moulded cups still sit flush against your brow and undereye area to keep light out. It’s available in over a dozen colours, though it isn’t adjustable and comes in a single size.
Quince Mulberry Silk Beauty Sleep Mask ($20) is the budget entry. Silk is less absorbent than cotton, so your skincare doesn’t transfer into the fabric overnight. The interior isn’t contoured, making it better suited to moderate light-blocking rather than a full blackout situation. The strap isn’t adjustable, but it is silk-wrapped to prevent hair creasing.
Dr. Colon’s broader advice applies across all five: the mask must still feel comfortable after hours of wear, and it should be washed regularly and replaced when the strap stretches out or the padding breaks down. A mask that shifts around in the night solves nothing. Find the one that stays put, and your early starts will thank you.
