Wellness
An Honest Review Of The $34 Sleep Mask Taking Over TikTok
As a committed sleep mask user, I had to give it a try.
Snoozing without a sleep mask gives me the same feeling as leaving a big, bright overhead light on at all times: it ruins the vibes and makes it impossible to relax.
Even if your bedroom is relatively dark, there’s always some light that sneaks in, whether it’s from a clock, a street lamp, or the glow of a partner’s phone, and it can totally mess with your rest. But if you cover your eyes with a sleep mask, it blocks out all the extra light, and it can truly help you fall and stay asleep. That’s one reason why the Nodpod keeps popping up on TikTok, where its reviews are constantly going viral.
This sleep mask is said to block out light in the best way, thanks to its unique design. It’s also heavy, so it has a comforting, sort of weighted blanket effect for your face.
Creator @aprettycoolhoteltour was one of the first to rave about the Nodpod, saying it felt like a “gentle shhhh” for her face. She went on to say she’s so obsessed with using it, and that she now brings it with her whenever she travels.
Under her video, commenters also seemed to be into the Nodpod. One person wrote, “these have changed my life” while another said, “I’ve had mine for three nights and I loooove it. I wake up shocked by how light it is in the real world.”
As a certified light sleeper, I knew I had to give it a try. Keep reading below for my honest review.
Fast Facts
- Price: $34.00
- Best for: Blocking light, sleeping deeply, relaxing
- My rating: 3.5/5
- Size: 29” by 4”
- Weight: 9 ounces
- Material: One side is 100% cotton, the other is 100% recycled polyester microfleece, and the fill is 100% BPA-free beads
- What we like: Soft fabric, cute colors, comforting effect, blocks light
- What we don't like: Not budget-friendly, could be heavy on the eyes
What Is The Nodpod?
The Nodpod is a sleep mask and a weighted blanket for your eyes that’s available on nodpod.com and Amazon. (FWIW, it has an average 4.5-star rating with nearly 5,000 reviews.)
Instead of a strap, it has four bean-bag-like chambers or pods and two long, flat sides. The whole thing drapes nicely across your eyes, while the scalloped edges of the mask block out any light that might sneak in around your nose.
The inside is filled with little beads that contour to your face, and they also apply pressure to the area around your eyes in a way that can help you feel calm and relaxed. The Nodpod works well as a sleep mask at night and when you want to take a mid-day nap. The pressure also feels soothing when you have a headache.
The ends of the Nodpod are bead-free, so they won’t feel lumpy under your head. One end also has a small slit in it so you can secure the Nodpod to your head, which is great if you toss and turn or if you like to switch sleep positions.
As a bonus, you can put the Nodpod in the freezer for a cooling effect. There are two sides — one jersey and one microfiber — so you can opt for a smooth or a cozy sleep mask, depending on your mood. And it’s also machine washable, so you don’t have to worry if your nighttime skincare leaves a mark.
My Experience
My go-to sleep mask is another popular one from Amazon that has contoured, eye-shaped cups and a head strap that keeps it in place. It’s one of my favorite bedtime necessities, but it isn’t weighted, and it does let some light sneak in around my nose.
I thought it would be fun to test out the Nodpod to see if it would be a better fit, and I was curious about the weighted blanket effect. Would it help me sleep better? Would it soothe away my pre-bed worries? (Nodpod says three minutes with the weighted mask is often all you need to feel relaxed.)
After doing my usual bedtime routine, I got situated on my back and plopped the mask on my face. I’m a lifelong stomach sleeper, but I’ve been trying to make the switch. Back sleeping is more ideal for your health, and as it turns out, it’s also the easiest position to use the Nodpod, as it helps it stay in place.
I squished the beads around to fill in the light gaps by my nose and then basked in the absolute darkness. It truly did get rid of every last scrap of light in my bedroom, and that alone made me feel at ease. The weight also encouraged me to lie still and chill, and I can’t complain about that.
The weight of the mask also seemed to slow everything down, sort of like a soothing sensory deprivation chamber. Sleeping, though, was another thing. The first night I woke up with the Nodpod on the other side of my bed, so I tried the next night to tie it in place.
The loop on the mask does help to keep it secure, but the slippery material required some adjusting and repositioning before I could get it just right. Once I figured it out, the mask stayed put while I snoozed.
I also tried some side sleeping action. As suggested by Nodpod, you’re supposed to put the two bottom bean bag pods over your eyes while the other two rest on top of your head. After I got it in place, the mask definitely blocked the light, and it felt super comforting.
The Verdict
The Nodpod has a lot going for it, so I can see why it’s always having viral moments on social media. It’s soft, it’s weighted, it blocks light, and you can make it cold, which is ideal if you’re prone to headaches. The cute colors are also a big draw. (I got the sage green.)
As a stomach sleeper, I think I might appreciate a mask that has a tighter strap — something that can withstand all my flopping, tossing, and turning. The Nodpod straps were a little finicky, but I did eventually sort them out.
This mask would be perfect for natural back and side sleepers who don’t have to worry as much about keeping it on. That said, I’m definitely going to continue using it, though I think it might work best for quick afternoon naps where I only want to sleep for 20 minutes while blocking bright daylight, as well as the occasional night when I’m feeling stressed and want that comforting weighted effect. It is so cozy, after all.
Studies referenced:
Eron, K. (2020). Weighted Blanket Use: A Systematic Review. Am J Occup Ther. doi: 10.5014/ajot.2020.037358.
Greco, V. (2023). Wearing an eye mask during overnight sleep improves episodic learning and alertness. Sleep. doi: 10.1093/sleep/zsac305.
Touitou, Y. (2017). Association between light at night, melatonin secretion, sleep deprivation, and the internal clock: Health impacts and mechanisms of circadian disruption. Life Sci. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2017.02.008.
