The Nodpod Weighted Eye Mask Improved My Sleep — and My Husband and I Fight Over It

As someone who values a good night’s sleep over pretty much everything else, I’m always looking for ways to wind down for the night, whether it’s reading a few chapters of a good book in bed or having some rooibios tea. But recently, I came across something I never knew existed: the Nodpod Gentle Pressure Sleep Mask ($34). Dubbed “the weighted blanket for your eyes,” this handy little invention was especially intriguing to me. While I totally get the concept of full-on weighted blankets, which are known to help with anxiety, how much of a difference could this contraption actually make? Spoiler alert: a lot.

So what exactly is a Nodpod? Essentially, it’s a weighted (nine-ounce) eye mask that’s filled with microbeads — it applies gentle pressure while totally blocking out light. Additionally, it’s designed so that it boasts 100 percent cooling cotton on one side and warm recycled polyester microfleece on the other. Pretty neat concept, right? I thought so, too, but I had no idea how much of a hit it’d be in my house until I actually tried it. Ahead, I share more about my experience using the Nodpod sleeping mask so you can decide if you need one, too.

Admittedly, the Nodpod sat in my backpack for a few days once I brought it home. But after a busy Saturday, I remembered I had meant to try it and pulled it out of its packaging. As I was doing this, my husband waltzed into the kitchen and asked, “What the heck is that?!” I read the back of the box to him and was met with a “sounds weird, but you do you” look.

My sleep schedule is usually pretty hit or miss: I either sleep like a log or wake up every two hours; there’s no in-between. I experienced the former using my Nodpod. As someone who has always wanted a weighted blanket but never truly felt like splurging, this product is a great middle ground. And for what it’s worth, my 100-pound black lab — who has zero concept of personal space — sleeps on me regularly, so I might as well stick with the free version, right?

Fast forward to a few days later, when Chris came down with a cold. Although I had been banking hours of unbothered sleep for the previous few evenings, I knew that he needed the Nodpod more than I did. Trying to be a good wife, I let him borrow it. Big mistake. Despite poking fun at me for looking like a ninja a few days prior, Chris really ate his words. As soon as he woke up the following morning, he rolled over and said, “Wow, this thing actually works.”

As much as I wanted to say, “I told you so,” I let him use it for the next few days, given his illness. Once he was feeling better, however, he didn’t want to give it back! Talk about a true testament to how effective the product is. Now we have a regular schedule for who gets to use the Nodpod because I’m told marriage is all about compromise.

The most important thing worth noting about the Nodpod is that I had to ask my husband to help me put it on my head the first night of use. The hole you use to pull the other side through was hard for me to find at first. Once I got it on, it stayed on, but some shoppers note that it could use a little something extra to help it stay on their head. “Unfortunately the method of pulling the one end of the eye mask through the hole of the other end is not enough for securement,” wrote an Amazon shopper who gave it a three-star rating. Another wrote: “The slot that’s supposed to allow you to pull the other end through (in an effort to fasten the eye mask) is way too small/short.” While the design worked for me, I certainly wouldn’t have a problem with an updated version that satisfies people’s qualms.

The NodPod is best for those looking to level up their sleep routine by blocking out light and promoting relaxation. Whether you’re already a fan of weighted blankets, white noise machines and other sleep products or brand-new to the category entirely, it might just surprise you as much as it did my husband and I.