Why We Love the Nidra Deep Rest Eye Mask

By Anna PerlingPublished January 17, 2022Save

When I moved to New York City a few years ago, I quickly learned that I would need to make some lifestyle adjustments to survive. I got comfier walking shoes, a set of noise-cancelling headphones, and a slew of sleep aids to help me snooze through the lights, sounds, and vibrations of the city that never sleeps. The Nidra Deep Rest Eye Mask was a small but crucial addition to my reserves. It shuts out ever-blazing street lights as well as the rising sun after a late night of dancing. Plus, it’s so lightweight and comfortable that I forget I’m wearing it.

I’ve moved away from New York, but I remain a loyal fan of the Nidra eye mask and take it wherever I go. The mask is made from smooth, soft material that doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin. The contoured cups let me blink my eyes, unlike flat masks that press down on my eyelashes and feel, frankly, like I’m wearing a pair of Spanx on my face. Even when I stash the mask in a bag or suitcase for travel, the cups never flatten. They spring right back up. This mask is also easy to keep clean because it’s machine-washable and -dryable.

Our pick

Nidra Deep Rest Eye Mask

The best sleep mask

Lightweight and contoured, this mask fits comfortably and blocks light well for a wide variety of face shapes (though it’s best for those who are sitting upright or sleeping on their back). Its deep eyecups allow your eyes to flutter during sleep.$14 from Amazon

There’s a medical reason that people may prefer the raised cups of the Nidra, too. When writing  our sleep mask guide, Sabrina Imbler consulted Dr. Nitun Verma, a sleep doctor and spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Verma explained that as long as the mask isn’t rubbing on the eyelids, it shouldn’t interfere with the natural movements of your eyes while you’re sleeping. “It’s more of a comfort thing, and an option for those finding conventional eye masks distracting,” he added. So if you don’t like the flat eye masks you may get from a hotel or plane, you may prefer the roomier Nidra.

The flat elastic band on the Nidra is adjustable, and it stays shut with Velcro. Among our panel of testers, people with a variety of face shapes and sizes found the Nidra comfortable to wear. This mask was one of the widest we tested temple to temple, so it may work for folks with larger faces. The Nidra’s molded nose cutout has a gentler slope and is relatively unstructured compared with those of other masks we tested, so it can fit various types of nose bridges.

• The Best Sleep MaskWhether we were resting in our own beds or traveling to places unknown, the Nidra Deep Rest sleep mask kept us slumbering peacefully.

I appreciate that even though the Nidra stays on all night, it’s still easy to push up to my forehead if I need to check the time or grab a drink of water. Then I slide the mask down over my eyes, roll over, and go back to sleep.