'I tried the Therabody SleepMask for 2 months — here's what happened' (2025)

All sorts of things can disrupt sleep. From external factors, like light and noise, to intrinsic issues — stress, anxiety and ruminating thoughts (plus those intrusive flashbacks that play out, in excruciating detail, the most humiliating moment of your life) — there's a lot keeping us up. Not to mention travel, shifting time zones and the clocks changing, which can all throw our circadian rhythm (the 24 hour cycle every cell in our body operates on) out of whack.

So it's no surprise that 96% of people in the UK say they've experienced disturbed sleep, nor that 27% of women are turning to sleep aids like sleeping tablets in the pursuit of a good nights' kip. Here at WH we're always on the lookout for anything that can help make those precious eight hours a reality, so when a product that promised to tackle a whole host of the things that keep us up at night landed on my desk, I knew I had to give it a try.

The Therabody SleepMask looks like a traditional eye mask, but there's a twist: this thing vibrates. Via a blackout design and built-in massage capabilities, it can eliminate light while soothing a busy or stressed mind, promising to 'help you fall asleep faster and improve sleep quality.' Bold claims from our favourite massage gun purveyors.

'Muscles in the eyes and temples are sensitive to stress and tension building, and research reveals that gentle, rhythmic movement can promote sleepiness,' says Therabody's Founder and Chief Wellness Officer, Dr Jason Wersland.

The SleepMask also boasts thick cushioning around the eyes, an adjustable strap and a 100% blackout design. 'Wearing an eye mask blocks out light, which disrupts melatonin production and misaligns our cardiac rhythms,' Dr Wersland adds.

The science checks out — numerous studies show that wearing an eye mask can improve sleep quality and even give your brain power a boost, while the positive effect of massage on sleep is well-documented.

However, Dr Wersland stresses the importance of a consistent wind-down routine when it comes to quality sleep, so if that's all but non-existent and you simply start wearing the SleepMask, don't expect any miracles. It's akin to exercising but not paying any attention to nutrition or recovery — you need to address every part of the puzzle.

Over eight weeks I wore the Therabody SleepMask almost every night. I largely kept to my regular sleep routine, but also went on a long haul trip to Costa Rica in that time, where I faced jet lag, very early sunrises (teamed with some paper-thin Airbnb curtains) and an overnight flight on the way home — so perfect testing conditions. I also faced some busy and stressful periods at work while testing.

Who I am: I'm an active woman in my early thirties with generally good sleep (according to my Oura Ring). That said, I see a huge dip in duration and quality of my sleep when I'm stressed or anxious, it takes me a lot longer to fall asleep if I've done a high-intensity evening exercise class, and I find it pretty much impossible to sleep on planes.

I've tested a lot of sleep products (including eye masks like the cult favourite DROWSY and Therabody's SmartGoggles) throughout my seven year career in the wellness industry — many in my role as Health and Fitness Ecommerce Editor at Women's Health.

The Therabody SleepMask arrives in a neat rectangular box which houses the mask itself, a soft zipped storage pouch, the USB-C charging cable, a user manual and a care card, which encourages you to give the padded layer around the eyes a spin in the washing machine before use (full disclosure, I did not do this until about a month in — whoops).

For just shy of £80, you'd expect this eye mask to do more than simply block out light. Luckily, it delivers on the features front:

• Blackout design
• Three vibration patterns
• Auto shut-off
• Stored memory — the device will remember the last vibration pattern used and pick back up where you left off
• Machine-washable padding layer
• Magnet in the middle ensures the removable layer goes back on in the right place
• USB-C charging
• Device lock
• Adjustable, non-slip strap
• Listen to complimentary TheraMind Sound Content in the Therabody app

First impressions of the mask are that it looks a little on the sci-fi side for my liking (I'm more a fan of silky, cushioned numbers that look like they're woven from golden hour clouds), but is certainly stylish enough to take on a plane. It's also decidedly unisex, which is a plus for those who want to spread that rather high price by sharing with others.

Design-wise there are two key components: the padding around the eyes, and the strap. Let's get the negatives out the way first: I'm not a huge fan of this strap. Rather than a thick, cushioned wrap-around design that hugs your head, the SleepMask uses a thin, stretchy strap that adjusts with a buckle, similar to ski goggles.

While this means you can adjust the fit well enough to ensure the massage lands where it's meant to, for someone like me with fine, tangle-prone hair, this is an issue — particularly as the brand recommends you adjust the fit while wearing the mask. Therabody claims the non-slip features on the strap (a raised rubber pattern on the inside) prevent hair tangling, but this was not the case for me — mainly due to the buckle, which also occasionally dug in a little bit.

That said, for the most part I found the SleepMask very comfortable and managed to fall asleep in it countless times. And that's all down to the padded eye area, where this product really sings. Thick cushioning outlines your eyes and lifts the mask away from your face, while ensuring total darkness underneath. This means you can blink or open your eyes freely, without feeling like your eyelashes are being smushed, which makes for a much more natural sleeping experience.

The woven material on the inside of the mask is lovely too. It feels soft and non-sweaty against skin, and I never experienced any irritation. The material on the outer feels a little more on the synthetic side, but is still soft and unmistakably high quality, with a very light sheen.

One small issue I did have was with the 'all position comfort' claim — while yes, overall the mask was comfortable, I found that the vibrations only seemed to be distributed properly when I was flat on my back. Otherwise, the mask was either pushed into or lifted slightly away from my face, and the differing pressure resulted in uneven intensities of massage. This made me feel like I could really only lie still on my back while wearing it — not an issue when you're on a plane and can't really move, but if you're someone like me who shifts around trying to get comfortable before you sleep, then you'll have to be patient and wait for the 15 minute auto-shut off before you can snuggle up properly.

The massage section of the SleepMask sits on top of the mask — between the brows — with the vibrations emanating outwards so you feel them across your forehead, moving towards the temples. Depending on how tight you have the mask, you can sometimes feel them all the way around the eyes too. The one button control and charging port also sit at the top, in the centre.

There are three modes, each with two intensities (so six possible settings), all controlled with that single button — you simply cycle round and round. While a more intuitive control panel might have been nice, it's understandable that you wouldn't want to pack out what's meant to be overall a soft, comfortable product with hard plastic buttons.

Here's what I made of the three different massage patterns:

Pulse

Described as: 'A gentle pulsing rhythm like a calm, relaxed heartbeat to help reduce stress and calm the mind'

Of the three massage modes, this was my favourite by far. It follows a slow heartbeat rhythm, with pulses moving outwards from the brow bone. It really does encourage you to steady your breathing and slow down, and is incredibly relaxing when trying to fall asleep — maybe it's the evoked sense of safety and familiarity a heartbeat suggests. I also found this pattern most reminiscent of Therabody's (much more expensive) SmartGoggles.

Wave

Described as: 'A slow rise and fall like a mellow rolling wave. Follow with your breath — inhale as the vibration rises and exhale as it falls — to help relax and reduce tension in the body'

This felt a bit like air pressure being built up and released, and while I did find the gentle welling and ebbing of this pattern calming, I would rarely pick it over Pulse mode. It sounded a bit like an engine revving up at times, but that said I did use this after a particularly stressful day and it was a big help in getting me to sleep — I would usually ruminate for hours but this forced me to focus on my breathing instead.

Constant

Described as: 'A gentle, steady rhythm — like white noise in physical form. This subtle, ambient distraction helps clear the mind and relax the senses'

For me, this mode was a little basic — it let my overactive mind wander, whereas the other two were enough of a distraction to prevent that. On the low setting it was quite difficult to feel at all — so is ideal if you're after something subtle, but that's not me (for the record, I'm the sort of person who likes to leave a deep tissue massage feeling like I've been beaten up). However, it was still pleasant and calming, but just felt like more of a background effect than anything discernible.

Across all three modes, the 'massage' feels more like a a light, tingly, faint pulsing, rather than a kneading massage (go for the SmartGoggles if that's what you're after). Of the two intensities (high and low) I found I always opted for the higher one.

All three settings also boast a white noise effect as a byproduct of the vibrations, which can help you fall asleep by masking disruptive noises. However it's worth noting that the auto shut-off feature means the treatment times out after 15 minutes, so you won't experience these benefits all night.

Our rating:

Pros

• This truly is a blackout design. I tested this by wearing the mask while my face was right in front of my SAD lamp on its highest setting and trust me, it works — even when you’re sleeping on your front or side, as it doesn’t bunch away from your face
• The padding around the eyes is very comfortable and I loved that you can open and move your eyes while wearing the mask
• The vibrations are soothing and calming, providing enough distraction to quiet a busy mind, but not so much stimulation that you won't fall asleep
• Customisable massage patterns mean you can tweak the mask's function depending on your stress levels or sensory preference, which should suit everybody
• I only had to recharge the mask couple of times over the eight weeks I tested it, thanks to that 240-minute battery life
• The removable padding washed well with no shrinkage (you just chuck it in the washing machine at 20° — dreamy)

Cons

• The adjustable fastenings on the strap are no friend to long, fine hair like mine that tangles at the mere thought of a breeze
• A padded strap with no buckle to dig in would have bumped this up to a five-star rating
• If you want an even massage you're better off lying flat on your back until the massage function has timed out

This is easily the best blackout mask I've used — not a peep of light found its way in, no matter what sleeping position I was in. But as mentioned, I do think the massage settings work a lot better when lying down flat on your back than lying on your side or when sitting up (as you would on a plane) — possibly gravity is a factor here.

I did find myself reaching for this after stressful days when I felt I need a little help to unwind, and it really did help me switch off faster.

Did I sleep better?

In my normal sleep environment this certainly didn't hinder my sleep, but it's hard to say if it improved it either. Therabody claims the SleepMask will 'help you fall asleep faster and improve sleep quality.' I can't say I saw any improvement in sleep quality while wearing the mask (according to my smart ring), but it certainly didn’t hurt. Did I fall asleep faster? Yes — it's incredibly relaxing and my latency times (how long it takes to fall asleep) were a lot l lower than usual during my testing period.

Perhaps the highest compliment, however, is that I fell asleep while using the SleepMask on a plane, which is pretty much unheard of for me.

If you struggle to wind down or find light disturbs your sleep, the Therabody SleepMask is worth a shot. I'd be surprised if anyone would regret buying it as it's certainly not going to cause any problems. That said, it's more a harmless nice-to-have than a necessity, and if your only complaint is light then you might prefer a sleep mask like the DROWSY, which is padded all the way around (including the strap).

It's also worth noting that this is a sleep aid, not a cure. If you are experiencing persistent sleep problems, visit your GP or see a sleep specialist.

How do I use the Therabody SleepMask?

As with any eye mask, you slip the SleepMask over your head and then adjust the fit. The strap should sit just above your ears, and you use the buckle at the back to tighten or loosen (righty tighty, lefty loosey applies here). It should feel snug on your face yet comfortable.

To activate the massage you press and hold the button to switch the mask on, then press the button again to cycle through the settings. Once you've settled on your massage, the treatment will play out for 15 minutes.

Is the Therabody SleepMask washable?

Yes! The padded layer around the eyes peels off and can be washed in the washing machine at 20° with a mild detergent. I'd recommend using a net laundry bag and a gentle cycle — or you can hand wash if you prefer. Lay flat to air dry.

Once dry, simply place the cushioning back on the mask — there's a magnet in the centre to ensure it lines up properly.

Can the Therabody SleepMask be used for travel?

Yes. The SleepMask comes with a soft zipped pouch so you can chuck the whole thing in your carry-on without worrying about it getting dirty — and the battery is no issue either. It looks stylish enough to wear on a plane and the noise it makes is minimal, so you won't disturb other passengers.

Does the Therabody SleepMask help you sleep?

In my experience, yes — as it certainly helped me fall asleep faster and quietened my mind in periods of stress. Research commissioned by Therabody in conjunction with SleepScore Labs found, over a six week period, the 91 subjects saw a 33% decrease in tossing and turning, an 18% improvement in staying asleep, and a 20% improvement in overall sleep satisfaction.

While any self-commissioned study should be viewed with some scepticism, extensive external research does back up the theories that light-blocking eye masks, white noise and gentle massage all promote relaxation and help you fall and stay asleep.

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