Getting enough good quality sleep is an important factor in keeping our bodies healthy, it gives the body a chance to rest and rejuvenate itself.
A commonly found condition for all ages is insomnia.
A lack of sleep or regularly interrupted sleep can have a noticeable effect on our cognitive skills such as speech and memory.
An eye mask or sleeping mask will help promote deeper sleep which is one of the most important components for individual health and wellbeing.
We all know what the effects of a poor night's sleep are, feeling groggy, irritable and forgetful.
The brain's ability to function is seriously affected by a lack of sleep.
Memory, language and even a sense of time would be greatly affected by a continued lack of sleep.
There would be a noticeable decline in ability to plan and make decisions.
In time sleep deprivation would lead to a decline in physical health with high blood pressure and obesity becoming a severe health issue.
There are many reasons why people are not getting enough sleep and this has an unhealthy effect on our bodies.
The most significant cause of insomnia is stress but there are many other factors that can keep us awake, it could be something as simple as light entering the bedroom.
If you are having trouble sleeping you should try wearing an eye mask or sleep mask to bed which will help improve your sleep pattern by keeping the light out.
Sleeping masks fool the body clock into producing chemicals that prepare us for sleep.
Sleep is initiated by a fall in body temperature and a rise in the production of the hormone melatonin.
This hormone when produced tells our body when to sleep and how much it needs to get.
The pineal gland in the brain produces melatonin, this results from periods of darkness or dim light which can be provided by an eye mask.
Melatonin strengthens the immune system and so reduces the likelihood of diseases, this is in addition to the hormone's ability to support sleep.
Even while asleep it has been found that bright light prevents the production of melatonin.
Eye masks provide total darkness during sleep resulting in a constant supply of melatonin to the body.
Light acts as a signal to the body with sunlight signalling to the brain that it should be awake and alert.
Many functions are controlled by the body clock such as when it is time to sleep, body temperature, blood pressure, hormone production and digestion.
Achieving extra sleep will improve levels of alertness, memory skills and ability to solve problems.
Getting enough sleep is vital with a recommendation that this should be at least eight hours though many people only get five to seven hours a night which is not enough to fully recharge and revitalise the body.
Good sleep assists the body to fight illness and diseases better and helps beat stress, fatigue and depression.
Wearing eye masks will send the right signals that it is time to rest and sleep.
A link between sleep deprivation and obesity has been demonstrated by research.
Appetite is altered by sleep deprivation leading to a subtle change in food choices.
Tiredness leads to an increased desire for food types with higher fat and sugar content.
Those who sleep for shorter periods of time have a greater likelihood of obesity.
Increased appetite and decreasing energy expenditure results from an imbalance of leptin and ghrelin hormones.
Fatigue resulting from insufficient sleep will affect attention and result in a reduction in cognitive performance specifically, learning, memory and creativity, also finding it difficult to concentrate.
Probably the most noticeable consequence of sleep deprivation is decreased energy and motivation, feeling lethargic and uninspired to work.
Irritability is also a common characteristic of a sleep deprived person.
Those who are sleep deprived are much more accident prone than fully rested people.
Drowsy driving is potentially one of the most dangerous effects of a lack of sleep.
This is in part down to being groggy or sleepy due to a lack of adequate rest.
It is also in part due to the fact that a sleep deprived person tends to drift into sleep for very short periods.
Dosing off for these brief periods of sleep is the body's way of attempting to make up for the shortfall of good quality sleep the night before.
To achieve a good night's sleep you need complete darkness since your eyelids alone are not enough to protect your eyes from any light.
An eye masks or sleep mask helps promote sleep by directly blocking out light causing a biological change to occur in the body.
As a result of wearing a sleeping mask it is much easier to experience restful and refreshing sleep, which is so important to your overall health.
Deep, restful sleep strengthens the immune system, allows the body to recover from the day's activity and restore cells.
A good night's sleep brings out the best in us during the day and is integral to processing and retaining new information.
Adequate sleep may also help you stay thinner.