By Michele Narcavage

Sleep masks have been around for a long time. A new type of sleep mask, though, one which helps promote sleep, but also helps people fall asleep, does what most sleep masks don’t do: it works.

The mask, called Glo to Sleep, is an aptly name product because of four glowing lines of light inside the mask’s eye wells. Because the purpose of the Glo to Sleep is to focus on a fixed object, the eye wells are just deep enough for you to sleep comfortably without your eyelashes brushing the inside of the mask.

Made of a lightweight, spongy material, the Glo to Sleep actually helps induce sleep by having the person wearing the mask look “upward” at the soft glow of the four lines of blue lights. If you hold the mask in your hand, with the eye wells facing upward, you see the four small lines that appear nothing more than a decorative touch on the inside of the mask. That all changes, though, after you “charge” the mask for about 20 seconds by placing it near any light source, such as under a table lamp.

After having charged the mask, jump in bed, put on the mask, and those four seemingly decorative lines inside the eye wells of the mask are now glowing softly.

The instructions that come with the mask encourage the wearer to practice slow deep breathing while using the mask. If you have ever tired biofeedback or any form of meditation, you’ll be familiar with the suggested slow, deep breathing recommended while wearing the Glo to Sleep they recommend to help you reach a relaxed state.

I have experienced the blissful “zoning out” state that comes with using the mask. In fact, going to sleep using the Glo to Sleep mask brings a new feeling — a new experience — to the seemingly simple act of “going to sleep.”

Instead of “simply closing your eyes” to head off to sleep, I felt what I consider something of an epiphany. I had the realization that I was no longer lying in bed with my mind reeling about the day’s activities. All the things that used to run through my mind when I went to bed, such as what’s on my calendar for tomorrow, or about a presentation I must have ready before next week, often kept me awake much longer than I need to be, I found while evaluating the Glo to Sleep.

Glo to Sleep helps break bad habits

When using the sleep mask, once I laid back with the mask on and began focusing on the photo cells, I found my mind in a peaceful, relaxed state. None of my normal thoughts about tasks and meetings I must accomplish tomorrow filled my mind. I had no concerns, and, surprising to me, I had no real thoughts at all. It was wonderful and relaxing sensation.

I have started using the Glo to Sleep mask every night to help me break another very bad habit: watching TV while trying to fall asleep.

Remember, the light from a television, as well as the mental stimulation that comes from the very act of watching TV, is one of the most counter-productive activities a person can do while attempting to fall asleep for the night, but it’s also not helpful in you staying asleep once the nightly slumber comes.

I developed the bad habit of turning on the television in my bedroom each night back in my single days. It’s something I haven’t managed to break, but now, with the Glo to Sleep, I found I have a tool in my arsenal to help break that bad habit once and for all.

Hit the fast-forward button and go many years forward, to my no-longer-single life and you will find the bad habit is still with me. Yes, I am chided for having the television on by my husband, and as he has pointed out, it adds to my sleep deprivation by keeping me “awake” when I really should be closing my eyes, focusing on nothing more than a peaceful night’s rest, and drift off to a night of restful sleep.

Sleep specialists suggest that you should have no electronic device, including televisions, radios, computers, or other devices — including laptop and notebook computers, as well as the new netbook computers. Closer to the truth, though, was the reality that I truly dislike a totally quiet house and the background noise from the TV provided “company” when I was alone or going to sleep.

Step one on the road to better sleep hygiene is turning off the TV and using the Glo to Sleep mask to turn off the noise in my mind so I no longer fight to stay awake; the goal of getting in bed after a long day is to get restorative nights worth of sleep and feel refreshed in the morning. The Glo to Sleep mask is helping me to break the TV habit and helping me to fall to sleep sooner.

Since I have sleep apnea, I also wear another mask, a nasal continues positive airway pressure mask (CPAP) mask. Because of that, I wear two different masks or if you will two different pieces of head gear at the same time. This initially posed a bit of a challenge, I found if I put on the nasal CPAP mask first and then put on the Glo to Sleep mask it did not seal out all of the light when laying on my back and the nasal mask was not sitting quite right on my nose.

With a little tweaking I was able to resolve the light leak caused by wearing the Glo to Sleep and the nasal CPAP mask. I found that if I put the Glo to Sleep mask on first, then carefully maneuver the straps of my CPAP nasal mask head gear over the top of my head, as well as over the Glo to Sleep mask head gear, I can use both successfully. I had no light leaks with the Glo to Sleep sleep mask and no air leaks with the CPAP nasal mask.

Cost versus value

As far as sleep aides go you get a lot of value from the Glo to Sleep mask. An investment of around $50.00 for the mask which is expected to last a year or more costs around 13 cents per night. When compared with using over the counter or prescription sleep aids which average anywhere from 25 cents to a dollar or more per can pill you can easily save yourself a $50 dollars over the course of a year.

Another more compelling benefit is the Glo to Sleep carries none of the risks, the possible of side effects of the medications. When it comes to medication I use it when necessary; but like many folks I prefer solutions that do not require chemicals or surgery if a safe effective alternative is available.

Learning to use the Glo to Sleep mask is not hard, once you get past the notion of keeping your eyes open to fall asleep the rest is easy. The benefits are huge; waking up fully energized and rested after a full night of sleep is satisfying.

Background info on the sleep mask

The Glo to Sleep mask is light, comfortable to wear during the night and held in place with a single strap. Out of the three weeks I tested the Glo to Sleep, I did wake one night because the mask seemed to be holding in body heat. I found myself taking off the Glo to Sleep that night because of the warmth alone.

How did the Glo to Sleep come to be? It seems Tim Blott, a Canadian engineer and inventor of the sleep mask, had problems sleeping, so to help address the problem, he decided to find a solution to help him get to sleep each night without taking sleeping pills.

Blott, along with his wife Vanessa, researched common sleep issues and learned the main reason most people have problems getting to sleep is because their minds are still too active, such as reviewing the events of the day, thinking about things they must do the following day, or some other kind of worry.

As the husband-and-wife team learned of various relaxation techniques, they learned how to help the mind settle down for the night, and in the process, came up with an idea for a simple black-out mask with one added twist: it was integrated with inert photo luminescent focal points on the inside of the eye pieces. The focal points are well secured to the mask, and they help draw the eyes upward, as if looking toward the eyebrow, which is one of ever relaxation techniques. By implementing the photo cells, the Blotts’ found a way to convert disruptive Beta brain waves to calming Alpha waves that help promote sleep.

The Glo to Sleep is made of breathable, hypo-allergenic materials and, according to the company, will not react with any cosmetics, lotions, colognes, or cause puffy eyes.

Trying the Glo to Sleep, to see if it can help you get to sleep faster and easier, is a no-risk issue. Each Glo to Sleep mask comes with a 30-day satisfaction guarantee. The U.S. distributor, Peter Mackeonis, explained that if someone buys a Glo to Sleep mask and feels it didn’t help them get to sleep easier, faster, or didn’t work for them in some way, the person need only return the mask for a full refund, including postage. The sleep mask is also warranted against any manufacturing defect.

Glo to Sleep information

Cost: $49.99

Website: http://www.GloToSleep.com/

Guarantee: 30-day satisfaction guarantee (money back, including postage

Dealing with daytime sleepiness or fatigue?

Signs of not getting enough sleep or sleeping poorly include consistently taking more than 30 minutes to fall asleep, awakening more than a few times or for long periods each night, feeling sleepy during the day, or having trouble concentrating at school or at work.

Keeping a daily sleep log, or diary, can help you track your sleep habits and identify what might be interfering with sleep. You may download a sleep diary. To download files from this site, you need to be registered as a site member to gain access. Once registered, simply login, and then download the files you’re interest in.

Links of interest

Have you had bouts of insomnia lasting two weeks or more? Do you walk around in a constant fog, feeling sleepy, fatigued, and as though you have no energy? Perhaps you “feel” older than you are, or maybe it’s all you can do to stay awake while driving. If any of that, or similar issues are familiar, or if you snore or have disrupted sleep, even if just a few simple, repeat trips to the bathroom during the night, check out these two online tests to help you get to the root of the issue. While they will not make a diagnosis for you, they will help you, your physician, or, more appropriately, a sleep specialist, find out what’s causing you the problem sleepiness.

• Epworth Sleepiness Scale
• World Class Snoring Quiz
• Sleep Diary
• Tips for better sleep
• Maintaining and practicing good sleep hygiene

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/Sleep News – Product Reviews/glo-to-sleep-shows-light-as-new-way-to-go-to-sleep/2008-12-17.1215