Making your bedroom as dark as possible is one of the most efficient strategies to increase your rest if you work nights, are sensitive to light, or just want a better night’s sleep.
But how can you achieve total darkness in your bedroom, even in the middle of the day?
You are reading: How To Make Your Room Dark for a Better Night’s Sleep?
For maximum darkness, don an eye mask and use a blackout curtain that sits in front of the window’s blackout blind (or another blackout window treatment like a film) to totally block light.
Because I’ve worked nights in the past, I understand how difficult it can be to fall asleep in the middle of the summer with the windows open.
That’s why I’ve outlined 19 of the greatest ways to darken your bedroom for better sleep in the following paragraphs.
How to Make Your Bedroom Pitch Black
For a more restful night’s sleep, consider closing all of the windows, turning off all of the lamps, and rearranging your furniture to make the space completely dark.
Detailed instructions are provided below:
1: Black Out Your Windows
Using any of the following methods will go a long way toward getting your bedroom completely dark:
Blackout Curtains
Using floor-length drapes or blackout curtains, you can keep out most of the light that enters your bedroom at a reasonable price.
Make sure the curtain rail is strong enough to support the blackout curtains, which tend to be heavier than standard curtains, before hanging them.
The length and width of the window should be completely covered by blackout curtains.
To guarantee that the maximum amount of light is blocked out by your blackout curtains, follow these steps:
- Above the window frame, the curtain rod is fixed 4-5 inches (10-13 cm).
- The curtain’s entire width (including both panels) is 1.5-2 times that of the window frame (measured from the outside).
- At the very least, the bottom of the window frame is at least 1 inch above the bottom of the curtain (longer is better if there is no air conditioner, heater, radiator, or other fixture below the window).
Keep this in mind:
- With multiple rods overlapping, you can ensure that the curtains can close completely in the middle and block off any light that could otherwise get in.
- Using a curtain rod wrap-around prevents light from leaking in around the curtain’s borders when the drapes are drawn up against the wall.
- Create a pitch-black bedroom by adding a second layer of blackout fabric behind the curtain.
Shades
Shades, unlike curtains and drapes, are made of cloth that is looped around a horizontal rod and can be drawn down to the bottom of the window just over the sill to block off significant light.
Solid shades are preferable than slatted blinds when it comes to completely enclosing your bedroom.
It’s ideal to use blackout curtains that extend past the bottom of the window to totally block out light and completely darken your room when using shades because they may not sit flat against the sill.
Among the most effective ways to keep your bedroom dark are:
- To block out light, cellular shades are offered in either single or double layers.
- If you’re going to use roller blinds, be sure to pick a durable material.
- Roman shades are a great option because of their versatility and practicality.
In order to completely block out the light in your bedroom, you must follow these steps:
- Shades should fit snugly over a window’s frame, preventing light from penetrating around its corners.
- If you want total darkness, go with a thick blackout material that is completely opaque.
- Installing the bracket first, then the shade’s body, is the procedure for shades that are mounted inside a window frame. Fitting the shade completely and smoothly within the frame requires a shade width of 1/4-1/2 inches less than the window’s inner width, while a shade height of as long as the inner window frame is acceptable (but not longer).
- The bracket for outside-mounted blinds is attached to the front of the top frame (some people prefer to install it on the wall). The shade will be able to cover the frame’s breadth from side to side as a result of this. At the same time, the shade’s height should be sufficient to cover the entire window frame.
- If you want to keep light out of your room, use a light-blocking channel or Magnetic Sleepy Tracks to keep your curtains nice and tidy.
Blackout EZ
To use the blackout fabric in a rental home, or if you simply need to darken the room on occasion and don’t want to install full blackout curtains, the Velcro-based Blackout EZ window treatments are ideal.
Curtain Liner
Using hooks or Velcro to attach a blackout panel to the back of your drapes is an option if you have drapes in place or can’t install an extra rod for a blackout curtain. This also acts as a detachable option if you don’t require it.
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A thicker curtain liner can work as a thermal liner to help you save money on your energy bill by blocking out ambient street lights, car headlights, and the sun.
Magic Blackout Blind
Using clingfilm-like adhesive, a magic blackout blind blocks out light by adhering to the surface of the window.
Paper Shade
Paper shades are an inexpensive and simple way to block out light, and you can easily trim them to fit your needs.
Blackout Window Film
Blackout film is a transparent window film that adheres to the glass using an adhesive, allowing you to quickly trim the material to match your needs.
Films that block out the light and keep you from seeing out of your windows are known as blackout curtains.
Garbage Bags
If you want to block out light from your windows, all you need is a roll of waste bags that are at least 4-5 millimeters thick.
Reddit users have found that putting rubbish bags over their windows (or even a movie poster) is a cost-effective solution to darken their rooms and get to sleep after a night shift.
Cardboard
For a short-term remedy, you can tape cardboard to your window frame, but be mindful that it will not look nice from the outside.
Aluminum Foil
An inexpensive option to darken your bedroom without damaging the glass or surrounding paintwork is to tape aluminum foil to the window with painter’s tape or any low-tack tape.
Plywood
Using Velcro to attach a piece of plywood to the window frame is an easy and inexpensive solution to totally block out light without having to drill holes or alter the construction of the window fixtures..
DIY Fabric Curtain
It is possible to build your own blackout curtains for less than the price of a store-bought one by draping a thick piece of fabric over the window and affixing it using thumbtacks.
Canvas
You may also darken your bedroom on a budget by simply placing canvas over the window.
2: Eliminate Bedroom Light
In order to get complete darkness in your bedroom, you must eliminate all sources of light within the space:
Unplug Electronics
Because these light spots can stand out in a dark room, turn off all televisions, laptops, power indications, charging cables, and anything else in the room that emits even the tiniest amount of light.
Switch Out Digital Clocks
If you have sleep anxiety and can’t stop staring at the clock, you may find it easier to fall asleep if you use a normal clock instead of a digital one, or if you turn the clock away from you or cover it up.
Secure the Door
In order to keep light from entering your bedroom, lay a thick towel or blanket over the door draft blocker and keep it closed while you sleep.
A thick fabric, pillow, blanket, or a permanent blackout film should be used to cover any door panes in your bedroom.
Wear an Eye Mask
If you want a room that appears completely dark, wear an eye mask with padding around the corners and around the nose to prevent light from penetrating.
3: Change the Decor and Furniture Layout
For total darkness in your bedroom, you should make the following décor and furniture changes:
Paint the Walls a Darker Color
If your room is white or very light in color, painting it a darker shade might help make it appear darker by blocking out light reflections.
Rearrange the Room
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The furniture should be moved to a different direction if your bed faces a window or other light source, and you may want to consider using Feng Shui design principles to achieve a more serene atmosphere.
Combine the Eye Mask With Window Treatments
You can achieve a pitch-black bedroom by wearing a tight-fitting eye mask that blocks most of the light from the windows and inside your room.
Blackout curtains and a roller blind or curtain liner should be used to completely block out light from the windows, which will be the primary source of illumination.
In addition to the eye mask and blackout window curtains, painting the room a dark hue and rearranging the furniture may be helpful.
Tips for Making Your Room Dark
Good sleep hygiene includes adhering to healthy routines and creating a sleep-friendly environment in your bedroom. Remove any light sources from your bedroom and avoid bright lights before going to bed in order to achieve the greatest night’s sleep possible.
Cover Windows
Windows in the bedroom can let in light from the sun, moon, and even nearby street lights or security cameras. A blackout curtain may be necessary if your current blinds or drapes don’t block out enough light. An inexpensive and effective way to reduce glare from the outside is to use aluminum foil to cover the window.
Mind the Gap
Another potential source of light at night is the gap between the door and the floor. Before you go to sleep, turn off the hallway lights or use a rolled-up towel in the gap between your door and the wall to keep light out.
Wear an Eye Mask
Wearing an eye mask may help if you can’t or don’t want to keep light from entering your room. Keep in mind that the eye mask will only be beneficial if you use it the entire time you sleep with it on. The generation of melatonin may be inhibited by light penetrating the eyelids.
Stow Away Electronics
At least 30 minutes before bed, you should put away your mobile devices such as your cell phone, laptop, and tablet. This will help you get a good night’s sleep. Identify any sources of light in your bedroom, including digital clocks, charging stations and other electrical devices. Keep the lights out of the bedroom if possible.
Dim the Lights
During the hours coming up to bedtime, consider switching from strong overhead lights to dim ambient lighting in your home. Melatonin production is suppressed by bright light.
Consider Nighttime Needs
Even in the middle of the night, you may find yourself in need of a trip to the restroom or a sip of water. Instead of relying on overhead lights to illuminate your route, motion-sensor nightlights can be installed. Limiting the amount of light that you are exposed to can help you sleep better and get back to sleep faster, even if you need enough light to safely navigate your home.
Clamp Down the Curtains
Curtains are made to hang loosely and at a slight distance from the wall. Even with blackout curtains, a few stray rays of sunshine can sneak through. Clamping down the corners of your curtains is the greatest technique to keep light from leaking in around their borders. Curtains that adhere to your wall more like a suction cup than a skirt are what you’re looking for.
Command strip clamps are the greatest option for renters because they can be removed without damaging the paint or punching a hole. To secure the curtain’s edges to the wall around the window opening, all you need are a few small nails and a few minutes of your time. In the early morning hours, when sunlight enters from east-facing windows at a nearly horizontal angle, this is the greatest approach to prevent light from slipping in.
Tape or Shroud Every Glowing LED
Turn off the lights now that the window has been covered. Find all the unintended nightlights that are keeping you awake by scanning the surroundings. For instance, consider the tiniest flicker on the edge of the screen in your bedroom. Your laptop charger’s glowing wire end, or your stereo’s joyful, brilliant blue LEDs. If you’ve got one, don’t forget to use it as an alarm clock. In a bedroom, there are a plethora of potential sources for excessively bright LEDs, and the only solution we have is tape.
In order to hide up the LED light’s tiny sources of unwanted illumination, use a strong fabric tape like duct tape. One for each light on your router, the remote control, the stereo head unit, and the TV. More LEDs you can mask with tape, the easier it will be to sleep the following night.
The shrouding method should be used for any lights or displays that you want to see during the day: To keep the light out until the morning, cover it with a clean t-shirt.
Place Your Phone Face-Down
Automated email messages cause your phone to update its background software or momentarily turn the screen back on when they arrive. Sleeping, that sudden brightness may appear harmless, but it can wake you up without your knowledge. For those who have trouble falling asleep, it can also keep them awake when the screen brightens.
Placing your phone face-down on the bedside table while you sleep is the best approach. Drop a t-shirt on the screen if the case doesn’t completely prevent it. It’s a great method to avoid waking up in the middle of the night to check your phone.
Roll a Towel Under the Door
The light illuminating the doorway of many pitch-black bedrooms is the most obtrusive source of illumination. Even if you like to sleep in complete darkness, the rest of the house is still exposed to sunshine and the desire of people to see where they’re going. It’s best to keep things sacred by placing a folded towel at the bottom of your door. Light and air can move freely through your door when the hallway outside becomes bright.
FAQs
How can I make my room blackout?
How long will tin foil applied to the window with water last?
What if I don’t have any money?
Why can’t I have electronics before bed?
How do I block sunlight coming through the door of my bedroom?
How do I cover a window with a blanket?
Would black felt along a window make a room darker by shading it from sunlight?
How do I stop light from coming in on the sides and top of blackout curtains?
What can I do if I don’t have a sleep mask?
What do you think?
Source: https://bestpillowsleepers.com
Category: Sleep Advisors
