The Tiny Travel Essential That Lets Me Get a Good Night’s Sleep Literally Anywhere
When I was young, I prided myself on being able to fall asleep anywhere, no matter the conditions. In high school, I remember lying under the seats of a coach bus during a cross-country trip, and my husband still jokes about the time I slept in the Qatar airport curled in a dining chair using a newspaper page as a blanket.
Although I can still rest easily on planes, trains, and hotel rooms, as I’ve gotten older — I’m in my early 50s now, for reference — some things prevent me from drifting off as quickly as I did in my youth. Temperature, noise, and odd airplane smells rank high, but brightness tops the list. Of course, using a traditional sleep mask is a quick fix, but these often don’t block light entirely or slip off while sleeping. However, I found the perfect solution: the Manta Sleep Mask.
What Is the Manta Sleep Mask?
Part sleep mask, part luxurious hug for the eye sockets, the design is ingenious. The outer part resembles a traditional mask, but the secret that puts this sleep mask a cut above the rest is the pair of soft, socket-conforming eyecups on the inside. They are attached with strong velcro, meaning you can easily adjust them to your face shape and remove them for handwashing while on the go.
The construction blends a durable exterior with a cozy interior, perfect for avid travelers, light sleepers, or people with a partner who insists on scrolling while they’re trying to doze off. Plus, Manta’s claim that it blocks 100% of light has also proved true.
Why I Love the Manta Sleep Mask
As a travel writer who has had this sleep mask for over a year, I’ve had the opportunity to really put this eye cover to the test. The Manta mask handled the task like a champ when posed with the simplest job of blocking light on overnight flights. However, it wasn’t until I put it through some tougher challenges that I was completely sold.
When my mom invited me on a 10-day tour of Poland and Prague, I couldn’t resist. I love traveling to new-to-me places, and more importantly, it was also a chance to spend solo time with my mom, which included sharing a hotel room.
I like getting as much sleep as possible — typically eight to nine hours per night — but my mom is somewhat of a night owl who survives on only six hours of sleep. When faced with the inconsistent flashes of TV light as I tried to sleep each night, I put on the Manta mask and quickly nodded off successfully time after time.
However, the biggest test for the mask was during a visit to Spain. I attended a media trip at the luxurious, five-star Majestic Hotel & Spa in the heart of Barcelona and tacked on a few extra days in the city. I booked a safe but inexpensive Airbnb, but going from a spacious room with light-blocking curtains to an Airbnb, where I had a private bedroom with a shared bath, was a shock to the system. It was one I was prepared for… until I tried to fall asleep at night.
Although my flatmates were quiet and considerate, what I didn’t realize before booking was that my room had two interior windows — one opening to the hall and the other opening to the stairwell — and because there were no blackout curtains, the light filtering through illuminated my room all night long.
I’m convinced that the Manta Sleep Mask saved that experience for me by allowing me to drift off in soothing darkness so that I could wake up refreshed and ready to explore. I now swear by this particular eye cover. Not only is it a travel essential that I’ve come to rely on, but I keep it in my ready-to-go travel bag so I never forget to take it with me.