When it comes to sleep, I’m all for innovation. Whether it’s a weighted blanket, a guided meditation, or one of the new high-tech eye masks, anything that gets people thinking seriously about their sleep is a good thing.
But not all devices are designed to do the same job. Over the past few years, I’ve had a chance to test and study a variety of these tech-based “sleep goggles.” What I’ve found is that most of them aren’t actually meant for sleeping—they’re meant for preparing you to sleep. That’s an important distinction.
Treatments vs. Support
Most of these tech masks are what I’d call treatments. They use vibration, heat, massage, or light therapy to relax you before bed. And to be fair, many of them do that quite well. They can take the edge off after a long day and help quiet the mind before you turn in.
But when it’s time to actually fall asleep, that’s where things change. Because these devices tend to be bulkier and more rigid, they’re not really meant to be worn all night. Think of them as the warm-up before the main event—useful for winding down, but not for the full night’s journey.
SOMO, on the other hand, isn’t a treatment. It’s sleep support—something that works continuously throughout the night to help you stay asleep and get better quality rest.
The Difference Is in the Design
When we developed our patented SOMO mask, we wanted to create a product that felt as natural as sleeping itself. So it had to be thin, light, and comfortable no matter how you sleep—on your back, side, or stomach.
It also had to do more than just block light. That’s where the acupressure node comes in. This small, simple feature applies gentle pressure to a specific point that triggers the parasympathetic nervous system—the body’s natural “rest and digest” mode.
That light, steady pressure helps calm the brain, relax the body, and ease you into a deeper, more restorative sleep. And because it works without batteries, motors, or cords, it continues to support you throughout the night.
What Continuous Support Really Means
Sleep happens in cycles—roughly 90 minutes each, repeating throughout the night. Within each cycle, you move through Light, Deep, and REM sleep.
Light Sleep (Stages 1 and 2) is the gateway—it prepares your body for the deeper, more restorative stages that follow. But it’s also when you’re most likely to wake up.
That’s where SOMO makes a difference. The acupressure node keeps working as you shift through your sleep cycles, helping your body stay in that light sleep state instead of fully waking. Over the course of the night, that adds up to more total sleep time and better-quality rest.
This isn’t about choosing between SOMO and a tech mask. In fact, they can complement each other beautifully. Use a tech mask for a few minutes before bed to relax, and then slip on SOMO eye mask to carry that calm through the night.
Think of it this way: the tech mask sets the stage, and SOMO helps you perform the main act—sustained, high-quality sleep.
At SOMO, we think about sleep fitness the same way you might think about physical fitness. It’s not about gimmicks or quick fixes—it’s about giving your body the right conditions to do what it already knows how to do.
SOMO isn’t trying to replace technology or compete with it. It’s here to support the one system that’s already built for perfect sleep: your own.
So, while others are focusing on high-tech stimulation, we’ll keep focusing on natural restoration. No noise, no batteries, no chargers, no helmet—just you, your breath, and better sleep.
