I first read about the Lights Out Sleep Mask on Inflight HQ.
I didn’t give it a second thought at the time, because it didn’t seem particularly different, or even interesting. Over the years, I’ve seen all sorts of sleep masks: simple, tasteful black ones, vibrantly colored and patterned designer ones, and everything in between.
Although I have a simple sleep mask, I’ve never used it. It seems that I can sleep under most any conditions. But those people who require darkness to sleep absolutely swear by a sleep mask and always travel with one.
On a recent flight I saw someone using a sort of unusual looking sleep mask. Although it was much smaller, and lighter weight, it almost gave the appearance of a divers mask. When the passenger woke up, I asked him about them. Turns out it was Lights Out.
He said that he had an important meeting, and needed to get some rest and quiet time, although not necessarily sleep. When he first put them on, the molded nature of the mask took a bit of getting used to, but he said that within minutes he didn’t remember a thing ““ having lapsed into a nice little nap. His comments were enough to make me check them out.
Turns out that the Light Out Sleep Mask was designed to promote REM (Rapid Eye Movement), the necessary part of the deep sleep cycle. They sell for $9.95, and you can check them out here. And, of course, they can be used many other places besides on an airplane.
I don’t know that I’m ready to spring for a pair, but if I was traveling to a time zone with more than a 4-5 hours difference, I might consider it.
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