Authors: Therabody Scientists: Tim Roberts, MSc; Rachelle Reed, PhD, MS, ACSM-EP; Kyle Silvey, PhD, CSCS; Ashmeet Anand, MS; Michelle Darian, MS, MPH, RD, LDN
Consistent, quality sleep is widely recognized as a healthy habit (and a basic human need). Still, one in three Americans fails to get the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep per night. [1, 2]
Consumer reports show that people actively seek and invest in sleep and wellness solutions.
Enter Therabody ® SleepMask, an innovative device designed to enhance the body’s natural sleep-promoting processes. This new sleep technology combines two key features: customizable gentle vibrations and a 100% blackout design that are shown to promote more restful sleep. [3, 4, 5, 6, 7]
Importantly, SleepMask is scientifically proven to enhance sleep quality and duration.
SleepMask helps people fall asleep faster, get more sleep, and wake up feeling refreshed — without using medications. In this article, we dive into the science of sleep and unpack the study findings from our recent scientific study, where study participants wore the Therabody SleepMask to bed.
Why Does Sleep Matter?
Sleep helps you to perform at your peak. Whether you’re a busy parent, a professional athlete, or an executive, adequate rest enhances productivity. Beyond day-to-day tasks, sleep compounds and influences overall health. Here are a few key health benefits of consistently prioritizing sleep:
- Brain Health: Sleep enhances cognitive function, improving memory, learning, and concentration. [8]
- Stress + Mood: A strong, bidirectional link exists between stress and sleep. High stress levels can disrupt sleep patterns, while poor sleep can elevate daytime stress. [9, 10]
- Hormone Health: Sleep plays a role in regulating hormones, including those controlling appetite and satiety. [11]
- Immune Health: Quality sleep supports immune function and reduces inflammation in the body. [12]
- Chronic Disease Risk: Sufficient sleep can also help reduce the risk of developing chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and depression. It can even lead to a longer life expectancy. [13, 14]
- Performance + Recovery: Muscles repair and grow during sleep, expediting recovery, which can lead to better performance. [15]
SleepMask was developed using our understanding of sleep science and its impact on overall health. It aims to improve natural sleep processes. Let’s examine the scientific basis for two of its key features: vibration and 100% light block.
How Vibration and a Dark Environment Can Improve Sleep
SleepMask has two primary features to help enhance sleep: vibration therapy and a 100% blackout design.
Vibration Therapy That Helps You Fall Asleep
SleepMask has gentle vibration patterns designed to help you feel relaxed and lull you to sleep.
Vibration is detected by receptors on the skin, muscles, and joints. This creates an electrical signal that travels to the central nervous system. There, the signal can either go to the brain for more processing or create a response.
- Gentle vibrations can help promote relaxation: This stimulus can help the body transition from a sympathetic ‘fight or flight’ response to a parasympathetic response, ‘rest and digest.’ Getting the body into a relaxed and restful state sets you up to fall asleep faster.
- Vibration can also create a sensory distraction: For example, if you’re trying to fall asleep but stressing about a looming presentation, vibration therapy can bring your attention back to the body. Narrowing your focus to the present can help signal the body to fall asleep.
The gentle rocking of a rocking chair or a smooth ride in a car often help to lull a baby to sleep. The same may be true for adults. Studies show that vibration can help relax the body, helping you fall asleep faster and get more restful sleep. [5, 6, 7].
100% Blackout Design That Creates a Dark Environment
SleepMask is engineered to block out light completely, creating an ideal dark environment. Going from light to darkness stimulates melatonin production, the hormone responsible for inducing sleepiness. Conversely, light exposure can disrupt the circadian rhythm — our 24-hour internal clock governing physical, mental, and behavioral changes. In light-filled environments, like a bedroom with bright windows or an airplane, maintaining darkness can help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. [3]
Next, we’ll dive into the study and discover what happened when participants wore the SleepMask.
How Was the Study Set Up?
The study was conducted by Therabody’s research partner SleepScore Labs, a global leader in sleep research and innovation. SleepScore Labs analyzed 2,851 nights of sleep across 91 research participants who self-reported having difficulty falling and/or staying asleep and were otherwise in good health.
The average age of participants was 45, and they ranged from 21 to 74 years old. About 70% of participants were female, 66% identified as White (Black or African American 11%, Asian 10%, Hispanic/Latino 7%), and 64% were employed full-time.
The study had a randomized, counterbalanced, cross-over design, meaning each participant completed each of the three study periods:
- Baseline: No mask was worn to sleep (14 nights)
- Control mask: A generic sleep mask without vibration was worn to sleep (14 nights)
- SleepMask: A mask that blocks all light and has vibration therapy was used before bed and worn to sleep (14 nights)
Participants were randomly assigned to wear either the SleepMask or control mask first before swapping. The non-contact sleep monitoring device, SleepScore Max, took objective sleep measures.
Importantly, participants slept at home (rather than in a lab) to understand SleepMask’s effectiveness under real-life conditions.
Participants completed brief, daily questionnaires each morning of the study to assess compliance. They also completed a sleep experience questionnaire three times (at the end of each study period: baseline, SleepMask, and control mask). These questions asked about perceived sleep quality, feeling well-rested, stress, anxiety, relaxation, and more.
The results were analyzed to compare outcomes between each of the three study periods.
Let’s discuss the main study findings.
The Study Showed That Wearing Therabody SleepMask Leads to Better Sleep
With vibration and 100% light block, it’s no surprise that SleepMask improved sleep duration and quality and helped participants feel more relaxed. After analyzing objective sleep measures and participants’ perceptions of their sleep, here’s what the study found.
- Participants Slept Longer
Wearing the SleepMask meant spending 3% more time in bed and sleeping 3% longer compared to nights when participants wore the generic control mask. Over a month, a 3% increase in time spent asleep would add up to an additional 5.5 hours of sleep. This shows that small, incremental amounts of sleep can add up.
Even a small increase in sleep time can significantly improve health outcomes. [16]
- Participants Got More Deep Sleep
On average, study participants added 3 more minutes of deep sleep per night when they wore SleepMask (compared to wearing the generic control mask). This would add an extra 90 minutes of deep sleep per month.
Deep sleep, also known as slow-wave sleep, aids in physical restoration. During this stage, the body releases growth hormones, aiding tissue repair and muscle growth. So, increasing the amount of time spent in deep sleep means the body has more time to physically repair itself. [17]
- Participants Fell Asleep Faster
While the study participants wore SleepMask, they fell asleep 1.4 minutes faster than when they didn’t wear a mask, leading to a 7% improvement each night, on average. For people who have trouble falling asleep, a shift to a shorter sleep latency (the time it takes to fall asleep) can indicate improved sleeping patterns. [18]
An improved sleep latency may lead to more restorative sleep, better daytime functioning, and even reduced anxiety about sleep itself. [19]
- Participants Reported Feeling Better When Using SleepMask
Study participants also reported feeling better after wearing the SleepMask than when they wore no mask. Compared to baseline, participants noted a:
- 11% improvement in perceived sleep quality
- 14% improvement in waking up feeling more rested
- 10% improvement in feeling it was easier to fall asleep
- 18% improvement in the ability to sleep through the night without waking up
- 33% improvement in the perception of tossing and turning on fewer nights per week
- 20% improvement in feeling satisfied with sleep more days per week
Relaxation and feeling better overall makes it easier for the body to transition into sleep. A relaxed state also decreases racing thoughts and worry, allowing the mind to calm down and prepare for sleep. [20]
- Using SleepMask Helped Participants Feel Less Stressed
Participants reported feeling less stress and anxiety (and more relaxed) than at baseline after using the SleepMask. After wearing the SleepMask, participants noted:
- 14% lower levels of anxiety (measured by the short form of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, a validated survey tool)
- 36% lower levels of anxiety (measured by a Visual Analog Scale (VAS), that measures perceived anxiety on a scale of 0-100)
- 29% lower levels of stress (measured by VAS)
- 21% higher levels of relaxation (measured by VAS)
Getting better sleep is highly correlated with feeling less stressed. The opposite is also true: feeling less stressed can make falling and staying asleep easier. Lower stress and anxiety levels reduce the production of stress hormones like cortisol, which can interfere with sleep. [21, 22]
Study Participants Enjoyed Using SleepMask
Arguably, one of the most important aspects of incorporating a new tool into your sleep routine is whether or not you enjoy it. At the end of the study, participants were invited to share their experiences using the SleepMask. On a scale of 0 to 100, where 100 was “very much agree," participants gave SleepMask the following rankings:
- SleepMask was effective at blocking light: 95/100
- Ease of use: 86/100
- Fit of the mask: 80/100
- Breathability of the mask: 78/100
- Felt more relaxed: 62/100
Further, when asked if they enjoyed using the SleepMask, 82% of participants responded “Yes."
Key Takeaways
Therabody SleepMask is scientifically proven to:
- Improve Sleep Duration: Participants using SleepMask slept 3% longer compared to the control mask.
- Increase Deep Sleep: Participants added 3 minutes of deep sleep per night when using the SleepMask, compared to the control mask, promoting better physical restoration.
- Improve Sleep Latency: SleepMask helped participants fall asleep 1.4 minutes faster compared to baseline.
- Reduce Stress and Anxiety: Participants self-reported significantly lower levels of stress and anxiety when using SleepMask, with up to 36% reduction in anxiety levels compared to baseline.
- Satisfy Participants: SleepMask was well-rated for effectiveness, ease of use, and overall enjoyment.