Sleep Mask

Nurses Stress 101

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Hello,

I am looking for reviews on specific sleeping masks. I am going to start working the night shift at the end of January and I need complete darkness or I don't really sleep. My living situation now does not allow for me to put up curtains, or foil in the windows as others have suggested before, so in the mean time for the few months that I will be renting a furnished room in someone's home, I am looking to find a comfortable sleep mask so I can sleep well in the day light without having to alter someone else's home by hanging curtain rods or violating their HOA policy by putting up foil.

One that was particularly interesting to me was the tempur pedic one. I know it's a little pricey for a face mask at about $30 but, if it's worth it, I don't mind making the purchase.

I'm also looking for some comfortable ear plugs. Any special brands? The wife where I am living now doesn't work and has the TV on all day which happens to hang on the wall that the head of my bed is on in my room. Since it's a furnished room, I cannot do any rearranging and even if the TV is on low, I can still hear it. Requesting she not watch TV in her own home is going to be rude on my part, especially since my rent is VERY low. They are actually doing me a huge favor with the low rent.

Specializes in Emergency.
Have you looked into white noise machines? Or download a white noise/sleep sounds app on your phone

I have one. I still wake through all the ruckus.

The BEST sleep masks are Buckys. Hands down. They aren't tight across your eyes, and they block darn near every bit of light.

Specializes in pediatrics; PICU; NICU.

I got a great sleep mask at Kohl's. It's not too tight but blocks out all the light. The outer part of it is terry cloth & I put a few drops of lavender essential oil on it. Very calming & I sleep great!

Specializes in Med Surg, Tele, Ortho.

Best sleep mask ever is this one. I use it daily. Going on five years. http://www.tempurpedic.com/Travel/Tempur-Pedic-SleepMask.asp

Find some other techniques other then the earplugs. It really hurts. Why didn't find some thing better to help your boyfriend to get rid of snoring . you can find a snoring anti snoring mouth piece. it may help you.

I agree that earplugs are not comfortable, and mine would always fall out. I downloaded some white noise and I play that. I put on one earphone (since I lay on my side) and it helps me fall asleep like a baby because I don't hear anything since on ear is on the pillow and the other has an earphone. Also, since you can't replace anything, buy yourself a big black beach towel and place it over the curtains, no one will even know.

Find some other techniques other then the earplugs. It really hurts. Why didn't find some thing better to help your boyfriend to get rid of snoring . you can find a snoring anti snoring mouth piece. it may help you.

Ear plugs shouldn't hurt, but then again you aren't supposed to be jamming them so deep the are right up against your ear drum. *LOL*

Tend to use the foamy types and merely roll/squeeze them between fingers to flatten them out a bit, then using the other hand slightly raise the ear and then insert just abit inside. Upon release the things should "fluff" up and that is what keeps out most of the noise. Once the things stop fluffing up easily it is time to chuck and grab new from the box.

Usually find by AM one or both of my ear plugs have come out however it really doesn't befront me. Once am asleep you could play Wagner at full blast and wouldn't wake me. *LOL*

Sleep masks always fell off me. I did black out curtains on a spring loaded shower rod until I tinted the window. How about a folding screen that you place by the window and hang the blackout curtain on that or some use big clips to clip the blackout curtain to the blinds? I used an old circulating fan...it was noisy and cooled the room too. If you are concerned you'll sleep through your alarm when using earplugs, they sell things that you place under your pillow that vibrate when your alarm goes off.

Specializes in Psychiatric Nursing.

Industrial headphones sometimes with foam earplugs. And a new age eye pillow --it feels like a satin sock filled with rice...

Specializes in Emergency.

So, here's what I did. I got an ap for my iPad that is pretty loud, called Relax Melodies, you can make it sound like rain or a floor fan or combo of noises; it's been working pretty well. For the bright issue, I use pants hangers and clamp the ends of a blanket and hang those onto the window frame, they go up when I sleep and I take them down when I'm not sleeping. It looks kind of ugly, but it keeps the light out and it doesn't cause any permanent damage.

Specializes in Psych.

When I am on nights (my shifts rotate :crying2:), I use a sleep mask that I got from Kohl's. It is very soft, has an elastic band with velcro for a good fit. As for ear plugs I have found that the silicone ones work best. I got my ear plugs at the local WalMart for a couple dollars .. they mold to your inner ear, don't go into the ear canal and yes I can hear my alarm as long as it is next to me on the night stand and the volume turned up. Oh, neat trick if your alarm is your cell phone - put it in a 'glass' on the stand, somehow the glass magnifies the sound. Hope this helps. :cat:

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