The 11 Best Sleep Masks & Eye Masks for Travel [2023]

A sleep mask is a perfect accessory for travelers who appreciate a little peace and quiet, wherever they may be.

Inexpensive, easy to carry with you, and useful in a wide range of different circumstances, an eye or sleep mask can help shut the world out while you catch some z’s. Not just for sleeping, this travel accessory can help reduce stress levels or even ease away a headache.

Do I Need a Sleep Mask?

Eye masks don’t just help you to nod off to sleep — they also improve the quality of your sleep. Here are some great reasons to keep your eye mask with you at all times:

• Fall Asleep Quickly — Scientists believe that complete darkness boosts your body’s melatonin level, which helps you to doze off faster.
• Drop Off Anywhere — Long car rides, airplanes, trains, buses, and even in a city center hotel room — you can beat fatigue by falling asleep virtually anywhere.
• Beat the Jet Lag — Combat jet lag by being able to sleep in any time zone. Your sleep mask can help you to sleep at the right times to beat the dreaded jet lag.

Bottom Line: When you’re on the move, being able to rest your mind and your body can make your journey more enjoyable and help you feel fresher when you get there. A sleep mask will help you greatly in this endeavor. 

What To Look for in a Sleep Mask

Shape and Fit

Eye masks are designed to contour perfectly to your face. When you’re looking for the right eye mask for you, seek out ones with molded eye pockets to keep the fabric from sitting directly on your eyelids, which can be uncomfortable.

You should also ensure that the mask itself is wide and long enough to cover your eyes completely. If the light still creeps in on the side, it will hit your peripheral vision and make it harder to go to sleep.

Other design touches, like contoured shaping around the bridge of the nose and Velcro straps that allow you to wear the mask without messing up your hair, all make a difference to how much you fall in love with your newest travel accessory.

Fabric and Material

Your eye mask needs to be thick enough to keep the light out, yet soft and light enough to not put any pressure on your eyelids.

A mask that offers a bit of padding on the sides and around the edges will provide superior comfort. Because your eye mask is likely to be heavily used on your travels, it would also be advantageous to grab one in a material that can stand up to regular washing.

Bottom Line: Silk, cotton, polyester, and even satin are all popular choices for sleep masks, but be sure to check the quality of the seams and washing instructions before you buy.

Extras

If a simple sleep mask doesn’t satisfy your needs, try something a little bit extra. Sleep masks can be found with plenty of additional features to help you sleep soundly, wherever you may be. Some come complete with matching earplugs, for complete sensory deprivation, while others offer collagen eye patches to help you awaken looking refreshed and free from puffy eyes and wrinkles.

Consider buying a travel neck pillow to complete your sleep-well-anywhere package.

Hot Tip: If you’re looking to wear your mask for stress or pain relief, you can purchase masks with integrated lavender to keep you calm or cooling patches to help relieve aching heads. You can also find them in designer fabrics, with matching carry cases or even sleepwear, if the look is what you’re all about.

The 11 Best Sleep Masks for Travel

1. Designed To Gently Keep Your Eyelids Shut

Alaska Bear Natural Silk Sleep Mask

Made from top-quality, 19-millimeter, natural mulberry silk on one side and soft cotton on the other, this little beauty will see you off to the land of nod in no time at all. Cool and breathable, the silky smooth fabric blacks out the light while gently pressing your eyelids close to avoid dry eyes in the morning.

The contoured nose cut-out is comfortable on your face, while still blocking out light to ensure a restful night’s sleep.

Combined with an adjustable head strap that’s designed for comfort no matter the sleeping position, this is an affordable and effective little eye mask.

What We Like

• Comes in a variety of colors and designs

What We Don’t Like

• The strap slips around a bit

2. Shut Out the Sights and Sounds of Travel

Sleep Master Sleep Mask

Designed by someone who suffered from their own case of insomnia, the Sleep Master eliminates both light and sound to help you get some sleep on the move. Made from lightweight, washable satin fabric, this mask is extra wide to block out the light, while the ear area is also padded to help muffle unwanted noise.

If you want total silence, insert the ear muffs provided with the mask, and let the wrap-around design keep them firmly in place while you sleep. Incredibly soft and comfortable, this mask can be adjusted to fit you perfectly using the Velcro tabs, and the durable material can stand up to regular washing.

This is a neat idea for those who want relief from both the sights and sounds of traveling.

What We Like

• Blocks light and muffles sound

What We Don’t Like

• The Velcro strap is quite thick to lie on

3. The Perfect Eye Mask for Side Sleepers

LitBear Sleep Eye Mask

Made from 6-layer low rebound soft memory foam and soft silk lining, this smart little mask is both breathable and lightweight. The contoured eye sockets allow you to blink freely in between naps and will ensure any make-up stays smudge-free.

Block out the dark completely with the broad design of this mask, which also fits most nose shapes with the hollow nose bridge. The adjustable strap has been designed with comfort in mind and is made to fit head circumferences of 20.5 to 26.5 inches. Well-designed and well-built, this is a great eye mask for those who want to sleep on the go.

What We Like

• It stays securely in place and is comfortable sleeping on your side

What We Don’t Like

• The headband stretches out over time

4. Give the Blue Light Theory a Go

Check on Target

Sound Oasis Deluxe Glo to Sleep Natural Sleep Eye Mask

These quirky glasses promise to deliver a unique way to help ease your stress and help you sleep. The Glo to Sleep ideology works on the basis that you just have to raise your eyes and gaze on a focal point of blue lights to instantly achieve a deeply relaxed state that leads to sleep.

By slowing the frequency of the brain’s electrical activity, you can obtain a similar result to those achieved by meditation or hypnosis. An interesting concept, indeed!

With 3 auto-dim options, you can ramp down in 10, 20, or 30 minutes. As your body relaxes, you’ll gently fall into a deep, refreshing sleep, wherever you are. While the jury may still be out on the effectiveness of the blue light theory, this is a high-quality, easy-to-wear sleep mask that seems to make a difference.

What We Like

• Great for getting to sleep or just relaxing

What We Don’t Like

• Material is quite stiff

5. Eyelash Protecting Option for Those Who Like to Sleep in the Dark

Bucky 40 Blinks Comfortable, Contoured, No Pressure Eye Mask

The 40 Blinks eye mask offers the perfect solution for anyone wanting to block out light while they travel. This ultra-lightweight, contoured eye mask is big enough to cover your eyes and peripheral vision. The lightweight design allows you to blink freely into the contoured eye holes.

Made from latex-free molded foam, it won’t smudge your make-up or put unwanted pressure on your head while you sleep. An adjustable Velcro strap that connects in the back will keep the mask in place while you nap and the 100% polyurethane foam fabric can be washed in cold water to keep it clean and fresh for every journey.

What We Like

• No eye pressure with molded eye pockets

What We Don’t Like

• Fabric layers can come apart after washing

6. State of the Art Technology To Help You Snooze

Heated USB Eye Mask

This sleep mask uses cutting-edge technology to help you nod off. Using a thermally-conductive material, the mask heats up quickly and can promote blood circulation to help with dry eyes and fatigue. It can also provide beauty and skincare therapy to smooth your wrinkles and eliminate dark circles while you sleep.

If you’re worried about having the heat so close to your eyes, the safe design comes with 2 heat modes and a contoured design that allows the mask to adapt to the shape of your face. The mask can be powered using any USB port and has an automatic shut-off. A unique solution to a timeless problem, this mask will help you sleep using infrared technology that’s similar to the wavelength of the body.

What We Like

• The eye cover is removable and washable

What We Don’t Like

• Battery only lasts 1 to 2 uses

7. Natural and Lightweight Cotton Sleep Mask

100% Handmade Cotton Sleep Mask Blackout

Made from high-quality, all-natural cotton, this super-wide sleep mask feels soft on your skin while keeping out unwanted light and sound to help you sleep. The “nose wing” design helps to effectively block light even from the nose area, meaning you can drift off in complete darkness.

It is so lightweight, you’ll barely notice it on your skin. It can be washed and rinsed on the go and can be folded to fit into its very own travel bag. This sleep mask can be adjusted in length to perfectly fit the size of your head without tangling your hair or feeling tight, and the natural material is breathable and won’t cause you to sweat.

What We Like

• Lightweight and soft

What We Don’t Like

• The Velcro strap can loosen over time

8. Affordable and Effective Silk Solution

Jersey Slumber 100% Silk Sleep Mask

The Jersey Slumber 100% Silk Sleep Mask is an affordable and effective mask suitable for anyone who struggles to sleep with the light on. The ergonomic design nicely contours the shape of your face and eyelids, allowing you to get a great night’s sleep, wherever you may be.

Made of lightweight silk material, this eye mask is cool, comfortable, and easy to clean. The breathable, natural fibers of hypoallergenic silk are also soothing to the skin, making it a great solution for insomnia, migraine headaches, and even dry-eye conditions.

Block out the light, ease insomnia, and arrive feeling well-rested and refreshed every time you travel with this little beauty.

What We Like

• No Velcro strap that can snag your hair

What We Don’t Like

• Might be too large for those with smaller heads

9. Sleep Mask, Earplugs, and Carry Case — All in One Set

Sleep Mask By Bedtime Bliss

Designed to block out the light to help you fall asleep quickly and wake up refreshed, this is a super-effective mask that’s affordable and extremely portable. What’s more, this super-smart sleep set also comes with its very own set of Moldex earplugs to keep unwanted noise at bay while you snooze.

The contoured design allows for complete eye movement even underneath your mask, meaning your makeup won’t smudge and you won’t feel restricted, while the adjustable straps will fit all head sizes. As a well-designed set comprising earplugs, a sleep mask, and a carry bag, this is money well spent for those who like to switch off while traveling.

What We Like

• Comes with a handy carry pouch and earplugs

What We Don’t Like

• Can fall off with lots of movement when sleeping

10. Memory Foam Eye Mask for a Total Blackout

MZOO Contoured 3D Eye Mask Eye

Made from high-grade memory foam, this eye mask molds perfectly to your head, making it super easy to nod off wherever you may be. Offering total darkness, the innovative nose design with invisible foam helps to ensure that no cheeky bits of light sneak in and stop you from snoozing.

With a wider eye space and deeper design than many other masks on the market, there’s no pressure on your eyelids or uncomfortable feeling on your nose. The easy-to-adjust headband avoids the tight feeling associated with traditional straps and the anti-fade, anti-bacterial, anti-mite material is durable and easy to clean.

What We Like

• No Velcro adjustable strap

What We Don’t Like

• Can make your face a bit warm

11. Sleep Masks for 2

PrettyCare 3D Sleep Mask – 2 Pack

With one for you and one for your other half, too, this is a great way to ensure that you both get a good night’s sleep while you travel. Made from opaque, high-density memory foam, these masks are super lightweight, incredibly thin, and designed to perfectly block out all of the unwanted light around you while you snooze.

With larger-than-usual eye cavities and a raised and thickened nasal bridge, these masks are designed with comfort in mind. The eye mask is also designed to fit any size head, and the new loop closure design prevents hair tugging and discomfort. With anti-fade, anti-bacterial, and anti-mite properties, these eye masks offer a practical solution that will last you the duration of your trip.

What We Like

• Lightweight and slim material

What We Don’t Like

• Can let in some light when lying on the strap

Final Thoughts

An eye mask can help you nod off to sleep anywhere in the world. The darker it is, the better you sleep, and these beauties can have you nodding off in no time.

Eye travel masks are affordable, lightweight, and extremely compact necessities that should be standard in everyone’s carry-on luggage.

Sleep tight!