--- title: "Best Travel Eye Mask for Planes and Side Sleepers (2026)" url: https://33travels.com/best-travel-eye-mask/ author: "Lena Marchetti" published: 2026-11-08 updated: 2026-11-08 place: "Buying Guides" --- # Best Travel Eye Mask for Planes and Side Sleepers (2026) On an overnight flight from Milan to Singapore in November 2015, the man beside me kept his seatback screen on full brightness for most of twelve hours. The flat mask from the amenity kit lay against my lashes and let a stripe of blue light in at the nose. Around Dubai I gave up and tied my scarf over it. That flight taught me what the best travel eye mask has to do: seal at the nose, keep pressure off the eyes and stay put when you turn your head against a window. Below are the 13 masks I’d shortlist, grouped by how you sleep and where. [We may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page.](https://33travels.com/affiliate-disclosure/) ## Best travel eye mask picks at a glance | If you need | Pick | Why | | --- | --- | --- | | Best overall | [MZOO Contoured](#tpg-mzoo-contoured-memory-foam-sleep-mask) | 13 mm eye cups, tall nose padding, thin sides | | Side sleepers | [Manta Pro](#tpg-manta-pro-side-sleeper-sleep-mask) | Strap rides above the ears, cups lie flat at the temples | | Side sleepers on a budget | [LitBear](#tpg-litbear-side-sleeper-sleep-mask) | Tilted thin sides, about 15 g | | Custom fit | [Manta Original](#tpg-manta-original-sleep-mask) | Cups slide and angle to fit your face | | Lash extensions | [Nidra Contoured](#tpg-nidra-contoured-sleep-mask) | Deep cups that clear long lashes | | Silk | [Blissy](#tpg-blissy-mulberry-silk-sleep-mask) | 22 momme mulberry silk, no strap hardware | | Mask and earplugs in one box | [Alaska Bear](#tpg-alaska-bear-deep-contour-sleep-mask) | Deep cups, earplugs, pouch | Specs come from each Amazon listing. ## Why an eye mask for plane sleep matters more than at home At home you control the room. On a plane you control one window shade, and only some of the time. Airlines usually ask for shades up during taxi, takeoff and landing, and in cruise the crew may ask window passengers to lower them on night flights. Cabin lighting dims for sleep, but the reading lights and screens of the people around you stay on. Light at that level does more than keep you awake. In a [study of 104 adults](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3047226/), ordinary room light under 200 lux before bed cut melatonin by a median 71% compared with dim light. A [Northwestern study](https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2022/03/close-the-blinds-during-sleep-to-protect-your-health) found that one night of sleep at 100 lux raised heart rate during sleep and insulin resistance the next morning. Closed eyelids don’t solve it: they [cut light by roughly 100 times](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3469368), not to zero. The evidence that a mask helps comes mostly from hospitals and sleep labs, where light and noise are hard to escape. In a [sleep-lab study](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2887188) that played ICU noise and kept the lights at 100 lux, volunteers with masks and earplugs spent more time in REM sleep (12.9% against 9.3%) and woke less. A 2023 study in the journal Sleep had healthy adults wear a mask at home for five nights. They scored slightly higher on a [memory test and reacted faster](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9995773/), though they slept no longer. The mask didn’t add hours. It made the hours they slept count for a little more. Newer jets don’t remove the need. The Boeing 787 has dimmable electronic windows in place of shades, and ANA said in 2012 that they [didn’t go dark enough to sleep](https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2016/01/07/boeing-787-dimmable-window-maker-developing-far-darker-version/). Later generations are darker, but nothing on the boarding pass tells you which one you’ll get. ![Navy eye mask, orange foam earplugs and a plastic water cup on a seatback tray table in a dark cabin](https://33travels.com/wp-content/uploads/packing-guides/best-travel-eye-mask/assets/tray-table.webp) *A night-flight tray table, with a neighbor’s screen glowing at the edge.* ## How to choose a travel eye mask Four things decide whether a travel sleep mask works in a seat: the shape of the eye area, the nose seal, the strap and the material. ### Contoured cups or a flat mask A flat mask lies on your eyelids. It packs flatter, but it presses on the eyes and on any lashes, and each blink drags against the fabric. A contoured mask has molded cups that arch over the eyes so the lids move freely. The Sleep Foundation recommends [recessed eye cavities](https://www.sleepfoundation.org/best-sleep-masks) for anyone who finds pressure on the eyes irritating, and a TechGearLab tester found that a flat silk mask [irritated her lashes](https://www.techgearlab.com/topics/home/best-sleep-mask) while deep cups did not. For a plane, contoured is the better default. A cup also stops the mask from sliding onto your eyelids when your head drops forward. ### The nose bridge is where light gets in No mask blocks every photon. In TechGearLab’s flashlight test, [none of the masks](https://www.techgearlab.com/topics/home/best-sleep-mask) reached full blackout, and the gap at the nose was the common leak, worst on smaller faces. The Sleep Foundation says a mask that blocks 90% of light is far less effective than one that blocks 95 to 99%. Look for one of three fixes: tall foam padding on the nose (MZOO), a hollow molded bridge (LitBear), a bendable wire you shape to your nose (Mavogel) or a separate molded nose piece (Alaska Bear). When you try a new mask, sit facing a lamp and look down. If you see a bright line, the seal fails when your head tilts forward in a seat. ### Straps and buckles decide how side sleepers fare The strap is where most masks fail side sleepers. A plastic adjuster or a ridge of Velcro sits between your temple and the window or headrest, and you feel it within the hour. The Sleep Foundation’s advice is to avoid [metal or plastic adjusters](https://www.sleepfoundation.org/best-sleep-masks) if you sleep on your side and to choose a soft, low-profile band. Two other strap details matter in transit. A wide band spreads pressure and is less likely to slide off against a headrest, and a strap that adjusts lets you wear it loose enough to keep the cups from pressing. ### Foam, cotton or silk | Material | Light blocking | Packs | Care | Best for | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Memory foam (contoured) | Highest | Bulkier, holds its shape | Mostly hand wash | Planes, bright cabins | | Cotton | Less than foam | Flat | Hand wash, fades | Hostels, warm rooms | | Silk | Less than foam | Very flat | Gentle machine or hand wash | Skin, hair, light sleepers in dark rooms | | Weighted beads | Depends on fit | Heavy, about 9 oz | Machine wash | Back sleepers at home | Cotton and silk breathe well but [wear out with repeated washing](https://www.sleepfoundation.org/best-sleep-masks), and foam blocks the most light at the cost of bulk. Silk is also the least durable: TechGearLab found both silk masks it tried wore poorly. If you wash your mask in a hotel sink every few days, foam with a sewn cover lasts longer. ## Best contoured travel eye mask for airplane sleep These three masks cover most travelers looking for the best sleep mask for travel. Pick by budget and by how fussy your face is about fit. ### MZOO Contoured: best overall The MZOO covers the most situations of any mask here. Its cups sit 13 mm off the eyelid, a 22 mm nose pad fills the gap that flat masks leave open, and the sides are angled thin so they don’t pinch against a seat wing. The strap stretches from 19 to 28 in, which covers most head sizes and lets you wear it loose. It is hand wash only, so give it a sink rinse rather than a machine cycle. [![MZOO Contoured Mask](https://33travels.com/wp-content/uploads/packing-guides/_products/B07KC5DWCC.webp)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KC5DWCC?tag=33travels-20&ascsubtag=best-travel-eye-mask) MZOO Contoured MaskBudget The all-rounder for planes and hostels. Deep eye cups plus a tall nose pad keep light out when the cabin lights come on, and the thin sides suit a window-seat lean. - Low-rebound memory foam; 13 mm eye cups, 22 mm nose padding, 15-degree thin sides - Adjustable strap, 19 to 28 in; hand wash only [Check price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KC5DWCC?tag=33travels-20&ascsubtag=best-travel-eye-mask) ### Manta Original: best custom fit The Manta solves the problem that one molded shape can’t: faces differ. Its two eye cups attach to the strap with Velcro, so you slide them closer together or farther apart and angle them to your brow and cheekbones. That adjustability is why it seals on faces where fixed masks leak at the nose. The cost is bulk and hardware: the cups are thick and the Velcro sits at the temples, so it suits back sleepers in an upright seat better than window-leaners. The listing contradicts itself on washing (machine wash in the bullets, hand wash in the spec table), so hand wash it. [![Manta Original](https://33travels.com/wp-content/uploads/packing-guides/_products/B07PRG2CQY.webp)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PRG2CQY?tag=33travels-20&ascsubtag=best-travel-eye-mask) Manta OriginalMid-range The fit-it-yourself pick. Eye cups slide and angle independently, so you can dial in a seal on a seat you did not choose, and nothing touches your lashes. - Independently adjustable eye cups, angle and strap; Modal-fabric cups - Detachable eye cups; Velcro strap; listing says cold-water machine washable [Check price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PRG2CQY?tag=33travels-20&ascsubtag=best-travel-eye-mask) ### Tempur-Pedic Sleep Mask: one-piece memory foam The Tempur-Pedic mask is a single piece of the mattress company’s foam, shaped to the face rather than cupped. It weighs 1.6 oz and follows the line of the nose without a wire or separate nose piece. Because it rests closer to the eyes than a cupped mask, it suits people who like a little pressure and don’t wear lash extensions. It closes with an elastic strap and Velcro. [![Tempur-Pedic Mask](https://33travels.com/wp-content/uploads/packing-guides/_products/B0027OUUFW.webp)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0027OUUFW?tag=33travels-20&ascsubtag=best-travel-eye-mask) Tempur-Pedic MaskMid-range A one-piece memory-foam mask from the mattress brand for long-haul flyers who want a soft, shaped mask with a little pressure over the eyes. - TEMPUR memory foam shaped to the face; 1.6 oz - Elastic strap with Velcro closure; hand wash only [Check price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0027OUUFW?tag=33travels-20&ascsubtag=best-travel-eye-mask) ## Best travel eye mask for side sleepers Side sleeping in a plane seat means leaning on a window, a headrest wing or a neck pillow. Whatever sits at your temple gets pressed for hours, so you want thin sides and a strap with nothing hard on it. On a night highway bus from Tokyo to Kyoto in December 2022, I spent the trip curled toward the window behind the seat curtain. The plastic slider on my mask’s strap sat right between my temple and the glass. Around Shizuoka I turned the strap so the slider sat at the back of my head, which fixed it. ### Manta Pro: best for side sleepers The Manta Pro is the side-sleeper redesign of the Original. Its C-shaped cups lie flat against the temples instead of standing proud of them, and the slim strap angles up to run above the ears, so the part of the head that touches a pillow or window has nothing on it. The cups still adjust like the Original’s. It sits in the premium tier and packs larger than a foam one-piece, but nothing else on this list is built around side sleeping to the same degree. [![Manta Pro](https://33travels.com/wp-content/uploads/packing-guides/_products/B0C36K8SJJ.webp)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C36K8SJJ?tag=33travels-20&ascsubtag=best-travel-eye-mask) Manta ProPremium Built for the person who sleeps on their side on a long-haul flight. The strap sits above your ears and the cups sit flat against the temples, so nothing sits under the pillow. - C-shaped adjustable eye cups; slim angled strap above the ears - Ventilated, quick-drying fabrics; adjustable cups and head strap [Check price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C36K8SJJ?tag=33travels-20&ascsubtag=best-travel-eye-mask) ### LitBear: best budget side-sleeper mask The LitBear is a one-piece budget mask built for the same problem: the sides tilt 15 degrees and taper thin, and the whole mask weighs about 15 g. The cups sit 12 mm off the eyes with a hollow 22 mm nose bridge. Its strap uses an adjuster buckle, so turn that to the back of your head before you lean on a window. It is hand wash only. [![LitBear Side-Sleeper Mask](https://33travels.com/wp-content/uploads/packing-guides/_products/B09H7FZ5JM.webp)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09H7FZ5JM?tag=33travels-20&ascsubtag=best-travel-eye-mask) LitBear Side-Sleeper MaskBudget A low-profile contoured mask for side sleepers on a budget. The 15-degree tilted sides are thin so the temples are not pinched against a headrest. - 6-layer low-rebound memory foam; 12 mm eye cups; 22 mm hollow nose bridge - 15-degree thin sides, 20.5 to 26.5 in strap; about 15 g [Check price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09H7FZ5JM?tag=33travels-20&ascsubtag=best-travel-eye-mask) If you pair a mask with a neck pillow, the pillow’s side wings will press on the mask’s edges. Our [travel pillow guide](https://33travels.com/best-travel-pillow/) covers pillow shapes that leave room at the temples. ## Best eye mask for long flights A long-haul flight adds two demands: you want to block noise as well as light, and you’ll wear the mask long enough to notice any pressure. These three masks come with extras for that. ### Alaska Bear Deep Contour: best mask and earplug kit This contoured Alaska Bear comes as a travel kit. The cups are deeper and wider than most, with a molded nose piece, and the listing says you can blink freely inside them. It weighs about 17 g, the seams are sewn rather than glued and it comes with earplugs and a pouch, so it covers the usual red-eye kit in one purchase. It takes either a hand or machine wash. [![Alaska Bear Deep-Cup Mask](https://33travels.com/wp-content/uploads/packing-guides/_products/B07CPWZSZN.webp)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CPWZSZN?tag=33travels-20&ascsubtag=best-travel-eye-mask) Alaska Bear Deep-Cup MaskBudget A ready-to-pack travel set. Deep cups leave room for lashes, and the box includes earplugs and a pouch, which covers the usual red-eye kit in one purchase. - Deep 3D cups with a molded nose piece; sewn (not glued) seams - Includes earplugs and travel pouch; hand or machine wash [Check price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CPWZSZN?tag=33travels-20&ascsubtag=best-travel-eye-mask) ### WAOAW 3D: budget sleep kit The WAOAW is the budget version of the same idea: recessed foam cups, a wide elastic strap that doesn’t catch hair, and earplugs and a pouch in the box. The wide band makes it steadier against a headrest than masks with a thin cord. It is hand wash only. [![WAOAW Mask and Earplugs](https://33travels.com/wp-content/uploads/packing-guides/_products/B09712FSLY.webp)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09712FSLY?tag=33travels-20&ascsubtag=best-travel-eye-mask) WAOAW Mask and EarplugsBudget A sleep kit for noisy trains and hostels: a recessed-cup mask with wide elastic straps, plus earplugs and a pouch. - Recessed memory-foam cups; wide elastic strap that avoids hair snags - Includes earplugs and a travel pouch; hand wash only [Check price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09712FSLY?tag=33travels-20&ascsubtag=best-travel-eye-mask) ### MUSICOZY Bluetooth: for sleeping to audio If you fall asleep to a podcast or white noise, earbuds become a problem on a long flight, because they press into your ear when you lean on that side. The MUSICOZY puts thin speakers inside the headband, so the sound comes from the mask itself. It is flat rather than contoured, so it presses on the eyes more than the masks above, and at 105 g it is the heaviest strapped mask here. It charges over USB-C and the battery is built in, so it travels in a carry-on like any other small electronic device. [![MUSICOZY Bluetooth Mask](https://33travels.com/wp-content/uploads/packing-guides/_products/B08S2WXBP8.webp)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08S2WXBP8?tag=33travels-20&ascsubtag=best-travel-eye-mask) MUSICOZY Bluetooth MaskMid-range For people who sleep to audio on flights. Thin speakers sit inside the mask band, so you skip bulky earbuds and can still lie on your side. - Bluetooth 5.4 speakers, Type-C charging; 14+ hours of playtime (200 mAh) - Velvet and stretch cotton; removable parts for washing [Check price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08S2WXBP8?tag=33travels-20&ascsubtag=best-travel-eye-mask) ## Best eye masks for lash extensions and sensitive skin Lash salons recommend [deep 3D cups](https://thelashspa.com.au/secrets-to-sleeping-with-lash-extensions) and back sleeping, and say even a silk mask should not sit flush on the lashes. Skin is the other reason people change masks. Silk drags less than cotton, which one dermatologist told Healthline [matters for sensitive skin](https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/pillowcase-benefits), though the evidence is thin. ### Nidra Contoured: best for lash extensions The Nidra’s cups are among the roomiest in this list, and the listing says they don’t compress lashes. Thin side panels keep it usable for side sleepers, and at 7.5 x 3.5 in and about 18 g it slips into a seat pocket or jacket pocket. It goes in a hand or machine wash, which suits a mask that touches eye makeup every night. [![Nidra Contoured Mask](https://33travels.com/wp-content/uploads/packing-guides/_products/B00M9BC1M8.webp)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00M9BC1M8?tag=33travels-20&ascsubtag=best-travel-eye-mask) Nidra Contoured MaskMid-range Deep, roomy cups for lash extensions and eye makeup, with thin side panels for side sleepers. Compact enough for a carry-on pocket. - Low-rebound memory foam; spacious 3D cups, listed lash-extension friendly - Thin side panels, adjustable strap; 18 g [Check price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00M9BC1M8?tag=33travels-20&ascsubtag=best-travel-eye-mask) ### Blissy Silk: best silk mask The Blissy is 22 momme mulberry silk over a padded inner layer, with a silk-covered elastic strap and no buckle or Velcro to snag hair. Momme measures fabric weight, not light blocking. The mask is still flat, and the listing admits some light can get in depending on your face. It works best in a dark hotel room or a cabin with the lights down, and it is machine washable. The strap is not adjustable and fits roughly 20 to 24 in. [![Blissy Silk Mask](https://33travels.com/wp-content/uploads/packing-guides/_products/B0BFDGC7CC.webp)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BFDGC7CC?tag=33travels-20&ascsubtag=best-travel-eye-mask) Blissy Silk MaskMid-range For anyone who cares about skin and hair on the road. Silk drags less than cotton, and the soft elastic strap has no hardware to snag hair. - 100% 22 momme 6A mulberry silk, OEKO-TEX listed; padded inner layer - Non-adjustable silk-covered strap, about 20-24 in; machine washable [Check price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BFDGC7CC?tag=33travels-20&ascsubtag=best-travel-eye-mask) ## Best sleep masks for hot sleepers, hostels and bright rooms Sleeper trains, hostel dorms and summer hotels in the far north have their own problems: heat, other people’s lights, and in June, a sky that barely gets dark. In Stockholm in June 2022 the sun came up before 3:30 a.m. My hotel had blackout curtains, but white light ran down both edges and across the ceiling. The flat silk mask I’d packed for the flight blocked the room but leaked at the nose every time I rolled over. ![Grey silk sleep mask and a phone on a hotel nightstand, bright daylight at the edge of dark curtains](https://33travels.com/wp-content/uploads/packing-guides/best-travel-eye-mask/assets/curtain-gap.webp) *Midsummer light gets around blackout curtains in Stockholm.* ### Manta Cool: for hot sleepers The Manta Cool is the Manta shell with pockets for reusable cooling pads filled with ceramic beads. The listing says the cooling lasts about 10 minutes per session, so it helps you fall asleep in a stuffy train compartment or dorm rather than through the night. After that it works as a normal contoured blackout mask. Hand wash only, and the pads don’t go in a microwave. [![Manta Cool](https://33travels.com/wp-content/uploads/packing-guides/_products/B0865RLTXB.webp)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0865RLTXB?tag=33travels-20&ascsubtag=best-travel-eye-mask) Manta CoolMid-range For hot sleepers on stuffy overnight trains and warm hostel dorms. Ceramic-bead cooling pads go in the eye cups, then the mask works as a normal blackout mask. - Reusable ceramic-bead cooling pads; contoured cups, listed as near-blackout - Adjustable strap; hand wash only, do not microwave [Check price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0865RLTXB?tag=33travels-20&ascsubtag=best-travel-eye-mask) ### Mavogel Cotton: budget pick for hostels The Mavogel is a flat cotton mask with a bendable wire in the nose, which closes the gap that most flat masks leave open. Cotton wings on the strap stop it from shifting, it weighs about 20 g and it breathes better than foam in a warm room. It is the mask to keep in your daypack for a hostel dorm where someone switches on the overhead light at 2 a.m. It is hand wash only. [![Mavogel Cotton Mask](https://33travels.com/wp-content/uploads/packing-guides/_products/B07D3M6892.webp)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D3M6892?tag=33travels-20&ascsubtag=best-travel-eye-mask) Mavogel Cotton MaskBudget A flat, breathable cotton mask for warm hostel dorms. A bendable nose wire seals the gap, and the cotton wings keep it from shifting. - Five layers incl. cotton and modal; bendable nose wire; 20 g - Cotton triangle wings keep it in place; hand wash only [Check price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D3M6892?tag=33travels-20&ascsubtag=best-travel-eye-mask) ### Nodpod: weighted mask for back sleepers The Nodpod has no strap. Four bead-filled pods drape over the eyes and stay put by weight, about 9 oz in all. With no strap, nothing presses on the side of your head, but the weight itself presses on the eyes, and side or stomach sleeping pushes the pods into the face. An ophthalmologist speaking for the American Academy of Ophthalmology told Reviewed there is [little good data on weighted masks](https://reviewed.com/sleep/features/weighted-eye-masks-may-not-great-sleeping) and that long pressure on the eyes can cause dry eye. Skip it if you have glaucoma or recent eye surgery. It suits a short nap lying on your back more than a night in a seat. [![nodpod Weighted Mask](https://33travels.com/wp-content/uploads/packing-guides/_products/B01E7YKAL8.webp)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01E7YKAL8?tag=33travels-20&ascsubtag=best-travel-eye-mask) nodpod Weighted MaskMid-range No strap, so nothing presses on the side of your head. Bead-filled pods rest over the eyes by weight; best for a short nap lying on your back. - Bead-filled pods, no strap or Velcro; cotton, about 9 oz - Machine washable; can be chilled in the freezer [Check price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01E7YKAL8?tag=33travels-20&ascsubtag=best-travel-eye-mask) ## Travel eye mask comparison table | Mask | Type | Best for | Strap | Weight | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [MZOO Contoured](#tpg-mzoo-contoured-memory-foam-sleep-mask) | Contoured foam | All-round, planes | Elastic, 19-28 in | Not listed | | [Manta Original](#tpg-manta-original-sleep-mask) | Adjustable cups | Custom fit | Velcro | Not listed | | [Manta Pro](#tpg-manta-pro-side-sleeper-sleep-mask) | Adjustable flat cups | Side sleepers | Slim, above ears | Not listed | | [LitBear](#tpg-litbear-side-sleeper-sleep-mask) | Contoured foam | Side sleepers, budget | Buckle, 20.5-26.5 in | 15 g | | [Tempur-Pedic](#tpg-tempur-pedic-sleep-mask) | Shaped foam | Soft seal | Velcro | 1.6 oz | | [Alaska Bear](#tpg-alaska-bear-deep-contour-sleep-mask) | Deep contour | Red-eye kit | Adjustable | 17 g | | [WAOAW 3D](#tpg-waoaw-3d-sleep-mask-earplugs) | Contoured foam | Budget kit | Wide elastic | Not listed | | [MUSICOZY](#tpg-musicozy-bluetooth-sleep-mask) | Flat, Bluetooth | Sleeping to audio | Velcro | 105 g | | [Nidra](#tpg-nidra-contoured-sleep-mask) | Deep contour | Lash extensions | Adjustable | 18 g | | [Blissy](#tpg-blissy-mulberry-silk-sleep-mask) | Flat silk | Skin and hair | Fixed, 20-24 in | Not listed | | [Manta Cool](#tpg-manta-cool-sleep-mask) | Cups with cooling pads | Hot sleepers | Adjustable | Not listed | | [Mavogel](#tpg-mavogel-cotton-sleep-mask) | Flat cotton | Hostels, budget | Elastic with wings | 20 g | | [Nodpod](#tpg-nodpod-weighted-sleep-mask) | Weighted pods | Back sleepers | None | 9 oz | ## Travel sleep mask Reddit: what people actually use In travel sleep mask Reddit threads, the Manta comes up more than any other brand, and in [r/BuyItForLife](https://www.reddit.com/r/BuyItForLife/comments/1felz35/looking_for_a_blackout_eye_mask_for_side_sleepers/) side sleepers point each other to the Pro’s tapered cups. The recurring complaint is a Velcro strap that loosens after months of use. Alaska Bear, the Nodpod and the Tempur-Pedic follow, and owners in the same sub say a Tempur-Pedic mask lasts for many years. In the travel subs the advice is less about brands: on daytime flights, bring your own mask instead of asking the window seat to close the shade, a point made in [r/unitedairlines](https://www.reddit.com/r/unitedairlines/comments/13emtpl/mandatory_window_shade_closings_during_daytime/) and r/delta. A popular [r/travel thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/travel/comments/1iadjfd/tips_to_fall_asleep_faster_in_flights/) suggests putting on the mask and a quiet podcast once you feel drowsy rather than forcing sleep. One-baggers in r/onebag use a merino neck gaiter pulled over the eyes in place of a mask. ## What to pack with your travel eye mask A mask handles light. On a night train from Hanoi to Lao Cai in April 2019, the light was fine and the noise was not: the carriage braked and whistled through every town, and the earplugs I’d left in my main bag stayed there until morning. Keep these together in the seat pocket or the top of your bag. In the seat pocket - Travel eye mask, out of its pouch before takeoff - Foam or silicone earplugs - Lens case and solution if you wear contacts - Empty water bottle to fill after security For an overnight flight or train - Neck pillow with room at the temples - Light blanket or a warm layer - Lip balm and eye drops for dry cabin air - A spare budget mask for a hostel or a lost pouch [Build a printable list for your trip](https://33travels.com/packing-list/) For the full list for your trip, use our [packing list generator](https://33travels.com/packing-list/). A [travel blanket](https://33travels.com/best-travel-blanket/) is the other half of sleeping well on a cold flight. ## Travel eye mask FAQ Can you wear contact lenses under a sleep mask on a plane? Take them out first. The CDC says to [avoid sleeping in lenses](https://www.cdc.gov/contact-lenses/prevention/index.html) unless your eye care provider has told you it is safe, and to remove them before sleeping when you travel. A mask doesn't change that risk. Pack your case and a small bottle of solution, which fits the liquids rule, in the seat pocket. How do you clean a travel eye mask? Follow the label, because most foam masks are hand wash only. Rinse it in a sink with a drop of mild soap or shampoo, press the water out in a towel and let it dry flat overnight. Avoid wringing foam cups. Cotton and silk masks [wear out with frequent washing](https://www.sleepfoundation.org/best-sleep-masks), so wash them every week or two rather than daily. Does an eye mask help with jet lag? Only when you wear it at the right time. Jet lag shifts with light timing: the CDC advises [avoiding light in the evening when flying east](https://www.cdc.gov/yellow-book/hcp/travel-air-sea/jet-lag-disorder.html) and avoiding early-morning light when flying west, and notes that a mask and earplugs may help you nap in flight. On an eastbound trip, take it off for morning light after you land. Can you take a gel or heated eye mask on a plane? Gel masks and battery masks follow two separate rules. TSA allows gel packs through security [when frozen solid](https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/gel-ice-packs); a soft or slushy gel mask has to meet the 3-1-1 liquids rule. For a heated mask, any spare lithium battery or power bank that runs it must go in your carry-on, never in checked bags, [according to the FAA](https://www.faa.gov/hazmat/packsafe/lithium-batteries). How tight should a sleep mask be? Snug enough to close the gap at the nose, loose enough that the cups don't press on your eyes. If you see red marks around the eyes in the morning or your eyes feel dry, loosen the strap. With a contoured mask, the foam rim should touch your brow and cheekbones while the cups stay off your eyelids. Adjustable straps make this easier than fixed ones.