Is Therabody's New Vibrating Sleep Mask Worth the Hype? 3 Editors Weigh In

Therabody SleepMask ($99)

"When it comes to performance metrics and data, I'm a big nerd. I love sports science, and find a lot of value in wearable tracking technology. As a coach, I find that sleep performance metrics in particular can be useful for guiding strength and conditioning programming, providing insight about whether it's time to pull back on the reins or reduce training workload volume. Sleep can be complex, and if there are small ways to make an impact on getting more restful, quality sleep, I'm game to learn or try.

Personally, though, the act of falling asleep can be difficult at times. I have a tendency to grind my teeth at night, which causes jaw pain and related temporomandibular joint (TMJ) issues that can make sleeping a bit complicated. So I was looking forward to trying the Therabody SleepMask.

The mask worked wonders for me. I have a smaller-sized nose bridge, and as a result some other sleep masks I've tried allow light to come in. I didn't have this problem with the Therabody SleepMask. The adjustable strap made it easy to find a close fit, and the contours of the material stayed in place without movement.

The Therabody SleepMask is made of a soft, flexible material, and it's lightweight, making it a portable pick that's travel-friendly. I like the fact that the interior layer can be removed easily, and even after washing on a delicate cycle in the washing machine, it still retains its shape and softness. My previous sleep mask from Manta Sleep had tons of use, but the inner layer was not removable, and eventually started to peel off heavily, making it something I no longer reach for.

My favorite settings to use were the wave and pulse patterns, but I liked all three of the vibration options. The wavelike vibrations felt soothing and helped me fall asleep. I felt like it gave me something to focus on, instead of anxious, racing thoughts, my usual go-to. I also enjoyed following the guided TheraMind sound-therapy choices and nature soundscapes from the Therabody app. As someone that has difficulty falling asleep quickly, the experience definitely felt relaxing to me.

My WHOOP is in full support, with data stating that my sleep efficiency, or the time spent in bed actually asleep, increased by 15 percent over multiple nights of sleep using the mask. It would be interesting to see how this design develops in the future, with different types of vibrational patterns to be experimented with, or adding in changes in temperature.

Oh, and will they make a SleepMask for dogs? My puppy's inquiring mind would love to know." — Jade Esmeralda, health and fitness staff writer

Rating:
★★★★★

Therabody SleepMask ($99)

"Not to brag, but I'm a great sleeper. Under normal circumstances, I've never had major issues falling or staying asleep. The only exception is when I'm stressed out. If I'm overwhelmed with deadlines at work or facing a sticky interpersonal problem, racing thoughts can keep me awake at the beginning or in the middle of the night. I can also be sensitive to light, and prefer a dark room to drift off in.

All that to say, I wasn't expecting much out of the Therabody SleepMask, because I don't need much help to begin with. But I was pleasantly surprised!

My first impression of the mask was that it is super comfortable. There's a plastic piece at the top of the mask (which contains the on/off button) that I was worried I'd feel all night, but it somehow disappears when you put the mask on. I loved the thick, plush cushioning around each eye cover, which was completely effective at sealing out light and kept the mask from actually touching my eyelids, so I could forget I was even wearing it.

The one downside: while the vibrations were relaxing, I had trouble falling asleep with them on. I'd get to the brink of sleep, then would suddenly become aware of the vibrations again and would jolt awake; it reminded me of a hypnic jerk. That said, I'm not giving up. The Therabody Sleep Mask has three different vibration patterns, each of which can be adjusted to use low or high intensity levels. I'm going to experiment to see if a different pattern and lower intensity works better for me."

— Mirel Zaman, health and fitness director

Rating:
★★★★

Therabody SleepMask ($99)

"The Therabody SleepMask definitely makes for a soothing experience. Just like the rest of the brand's products, it's extremely comfortable against the skin and the blackout fabric blocks out 100 percent of light. While I enjoy using the mask teamed with Therabody's TheraMind sound content in the app for a sort of mindless meditation, I can't seem to fall asleep with the vibration on. Though all three sleep-inducing patterns are wonderful, and I like switching through them during use, there's something about the feeling of active vibration that disallows me to fall asleep, even though it does help me relax. Of course, this is probably not the case for everyone, but I tend to use the mask as more of a massage tool when I'm unwinding at the end of the day, rather than as a sleep essential." — Sarah Wasilak, associate shopping director

★★★☆

Jade Esmeralda (she/her), MS, CSCS, is a health and fitness staff writer and a strength and conditioning specialist. A lifelong martial artist and dancer, Jade has a strong passion for strength and conditioning, sports science, and human performance. She graduated with a Master of Science degree in exercise science and strength and conditioning from George Washington University.

Mirel Zaman (she/her) is the health and fitness director at PS. She has over 15 years of experience working in the health and wellness space, covering fitness, general health, mental health, relationships and sex, food and nutrition, spirituality, family and parenting, culture, and news.

Sarah Wasilak (she/her) is the associate director of shopping at PS. With plenty of experience in the commerce market, a keen interest in SEO, and 10 years as an editor at the brand, she enjoys writing across the lifestyle and health-and-fitness categories. She has bylines at PS, InStyle, Elle, Refinery29, Who What Wear, Elite Daily, Byrdie, and The Quality Edit and aims to amplify minority voices in all her work.