Quick! These five best eye masks for sleep make perfect stocking stuffers

A lady sleeps on her side while wearing a Tempur-Pedic eye mask

(Image credit: Tempur-pedic)

The best eye mask for sleep will block out residual light, helping you to fall into a deep and restful slumber. They’re a traveling essential, making it easy to fall asleep in unfamiliar surroundings. But, depending on the model that you opt for, there are also additional benefits to wearing an eye mask, too.

For example, an eye mask made out of natural fibers, such as silk, can help protect the delicate skin around your eyes while you sleep, while a weighted eye mask can help alleviate anxiety. There’s even evidence that the total darkness that eye masks provide can improve the quality of your sleep.

If you’re stuck on what to buy the tired person in your life who seemingly has everything, We’ve rounded up a guide to the best eye masks on offer right now. Masks such as the Mavogel Cotton Sleep Eye Mask, which is currently just $9.98 at Amazon, or the Mulberry Slip Silk Sleep Mask, which is down to $35 from $50 at Amazon, make perfect (and practical) stocking stuffers. Let’s take a closer look.

1. Mavogel Cotton Eye Mask: From $19.99 $9.98 at Amazon
Best for: Light blocking comfort

Improve your sleep on the go with the Mavogel eye mask, which is currently 50% off at Amazon. As well as providing complete darkness, they’re incredibly comfortable, with reviewers praising its ultra soft cotton fabric and ergonomic design that suits every head size. We love the little travel pouch this comes with, making it the perfect travel accessory — and at just $9.98, it’s a great price, too.

2. Grace & Stella Cooling Eye Mask: $14.99 $11.99 at Amazon
Best for: Cooling anti-inflammatory

This gel bead eye mask gently soothes tired eyes, reducing dark circles puffiness when cooled. However, you can also heat this eye patch up, which provides blissful relief from headaches, including migraines. However, although this is touted as a sleep mask, some reviews have mentioned that it doesn’t block out residual light as effectively as other models. So, if you’re looking for a product that purely blocks out light, you might be better off with the Mavogel eye mask instead.

3. Mulberry Slip Silk Sleep Mask: From $50 $35 at Amazon
Best for: Anti-aging

This 100% silk sleep mask is designed to be gentle on the delicate skin around your eyes, as well as effectively blocking out residual light. The silk fabric is touted as a solution against premature aging, as studies indicate that silk absorbs less moisture from the skin than cotton. The silky surface has also been shown to allow your skin to glide over your pillow, which helps cut down on eye-creases caused by cotton. How anti-aging is it? Who’s to say — but we love how sumptuously soft the silk is.

5. Manta PRO Sleep Mask: From $69 $62.10 at Manta Sleep
Best for: Sleep quality

The Manta PRO promises 100% black out, which helps lull you into a deep, quality sleep (studies show that effective black out eye masks increase the time you spend in REM). While most eye masks are designed for back sleepers, this one accommodates side sleepers, too, thanks to its wrap around ergonomic design. The eye cup design also means that the effective light reduction doesn't come at the expense of any pressure on your eyes - this mask will feel comfortable and weightless.

Nicola Appleton is Sleep Features Editor at Tom’s Guide, specialising in quality news content surrounding sleep and wellbeing. Nicola cut her teeth as a journalist in a busy newsroom in Bristol, UK, 15 years ago as part of a team at Britain's largest independent press agency. Since then, her job as a journalist has taken her to the States, to Sydney, and then back to Blighty, where she has written and edited features for a whole host of prominent British and international brands, including The Independent, The Sydney Morning Herald, HuffPost, Refinery29, Stylist and more. As well as tackling the vast topic of sleep, Nicola will be joining the raft of expert mattress reviewers at Tom's Guide, helping steer readers towards the very best mattresses on the market.