This Under-$30 Eye Mask Helps Me Sleep on Red-Eyes

Despite taking countless red-eye flights over the past 20 years, I’ve never been able to crack the code on how to sleep on a plane. If I’m being totally honest, I’m pretty lousy at it: A bout of rough air will jolt me awake in a sheer panic, and fellow passengers’ screens and the plane’s overhead lights will keep me up for hours. By the time I’ve reached my destination, I’m usually exhausted and cranky, and rocking a killer headache. Truthfully, I was tired of being tired after a flight.

All of my jet-setting friends swear by wearing an eye mask on the plane, but finding one I actually liked proved to be a challenge. The cheap ones handed out by flight attendants are…well, cheap—and they’re usually too tight around my head. Other sleep masks I’ve tried in the past would press down on my eyelids, which was incredibly uncomfortable (and felt like a stye waiting to happen). My luck changed when I stumbled upon Zimasilk’s sleep mask on Amazon a few months ago, and it’s been smooth, surprisingly sleep-filled flying ever since.

The eye mask’s buttery-soft, 100% mulberry silk fabric is what initially drew me in. According to the brand, it’s completely covered in 22 Momme Grade 6A silk, which is pretty high-end for the mask’s under-$30 price point. Mulberry silk is naturally smooth and temperature-regulating, and is gentle on the skin. It feels so nice—a small touch of luxury that makes me like I’m sitting in first class. The mask comes in 11 different colorways, from beige and black to plum and sky blue, all with a sleek sheen.

Contributor Kelsey Mulvey wearing Zumasilk’s sleep mask on a recent flight

Kelsey Mulvey

The soft material might’ve piqued my interest, but the 3D-molded eye cups are what sold me. The chambers completely block out light, and they’re roomy enough that I can comfortably blink while wearing it (which is more than I can say for most eye masks on the market). Plus, it’s not bulky at all—the lightweight, packable design of the mask makes it an ideal choice for travelers. I simply fold it up and slip it into a pocket or side compartment of my carry-on. Once I’m settled in my seat, I can tinker with the adjustable band to get a Goldilocks fit—snug, but not too tight—and be ready for takeoff in no time.

I’m not the only one who’s a fan of Zimasilk’s sleep mask. For a while, my husband was convinced he didn’t need to spend $27 on an eye mask. But ever since he tried mine, he’s totally converted, and even got one for himself that he’s been wearing everywhere from planes to hotel rooms.

As expected, the contoured eye mask doesn’t magically keep me from jolting awake during turbulence, but it does make falling asleep a lot easier. I’ve traveled to six different time zones over the past five weeks—on trips to Fiji, London, Croatia, Greece, Chicago, and San Francisco—and have been able to get at least a little bit of sleep on each flight.

Perhaps my best sleep streak was on an 11-hour red-eye to Fiji, where I miraculously spent at least half the time sleeping. When my husband and I finally made it to our hotel in Savusavu, I was surprisingly upbeat. (A red-eye rarity, if you ask me.) And, thanks to this mask, I can fall asleep during daytime itineraries, too: I was recently on a morning flight from Athens to London and conked out for hours. When I finally woke up, I noticed some nearby passengers awkwardly glancing my way. Who knows…maybe I was sleeping so deeply that I was snoring—or maybe they were just jealous I found the secret to an in-flight snooze.