Darkening Your Room For Daytime Sleep: Effective Methods

Getting a good night's sleep is essential, and light plays a crucial role in our sleep-wake cycle. Our bodies produce melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleepiness, in response to darkness. However, exposure to light blocks the production of melatonin, disrupting our sleep. To improve sleep quality, it is essential to create a dark environment in your bedroom. This can be achieved through various methods, such as investing in blackout curtains or blinds, using light-blocking shades, covering electronic devices, and wearing eye masks. Additionally, blocking light from entering through windows and doors is crucial, and choosing darker colours for your walls can also help minimise light reflection. By making your room darker, you can enhance your sleep quality and overall health.

Use blackout curtains

Blackout curtains are a great way to darken a room during the day and promote better sleep. Here are some tips to get the most out of them:

Choose the Right Curtains

Select blackout curtains that are generously sized and cover the entire window, with edges extending beyond the window frame. This will ensure that light doesn't seep through from the sides or top. Ideally, you want the curtains to run at least 3 to 4 inches above the window, or even up to the ceiling, and overlap the curtain tracks to prevent light from entering through the gap in the middle.

Combine with Other Window Treatments

For maximum light blocking, consider combining blackout curtains with blinds or shades. This double window treatment will significantly reduce the amount of light entering the room. You can also use blackout fabric or blackout film attached directly to the window for an extra layer of protection.

Ensure Proper Installation

Proper installation is crucial for blackout curtains to be effective. When hanging the curtains, make sure they are clamped down at the corners to prevent light from sneaking in around the edges. You can use command strip clamps if you're renting or small nails if you own the property.

Maintain Flexibility

If you want versatility, combine heavy blackout curtains with lightweight voiles. This gives you the option of complete darkness at night and a light, private space during the day.

Consider Temporary Options

If you're not ready to commit to permanent blackout curtains, there are temporary options available. Portable blackout blinds come in various styles, such as sheets with temporary velcro or paper blinds that can be cut to size. These are great for renters, travellers, or those who want a summer-only solution.

By following these tips, you can effectively use blackout curtains to darken your room during the day, creating a peaceful and restful environment for better sleep.

Cover light sources with painter's tape

Covering light sources with painter's tape is an effective way to block out light and create a dark environment for better sleep. Painter's tape, specifically blue painter's tape, is a recommended option for covering LED lights as it is opaque enough to block light without being too sticky, which helps to avoid damaging the surface when removed.

When covering lights, ensure that the tape does not cover any important parts of the light source, such as air vents, and that it is not placed over anything that may emit heat, as this could be a fire hazard.

Painter's tape can be used to cover lights on various electronic devices, such as phones, tablets, laptops, alarm clocks, air conditioners, routers, power strips, and chargers. It can also be used to cover lights on smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and other lights with LED indicators.

When blocking light from windows, it is important to ensure that the tape is applied properly and covers the entire window, extending beyond the edges, and overlapping the curtain tracks if necessary. Combining painter's tape with other light-blocking solutions, such as curtains, blinds, or window film, can further enhance its effectiveness.

Additionally, painter's tape can be used to cover small gaps or cracks that allow light to enter the room, such as the gap between the door and the floor, or window frames that let light through.

By covering light sources with painter's tape, you can create a darker and more peaceful environment, promoting better sleep and improving overall sleep quality.

Wear a sleep mask

If you're looking to darken your room to sleep during the day, one of the most effective solutions is to wear a sleep mask. Sleep masks are a great way to eliminate light and improve your sleep quality, especially when used in conjunction with other methods such as blackout curtains or blinds. Here are some tips for getting the most out of your sleep mask:

Choose the Right Material: Opt for a thick, light-absorbing material for your sleep mask. This will ensure that no light penetrates through, providing you with complete darkness.

Select a Dark Color: Go for a dark-colored sleep mask, as lighter colors may allow some light to penetrate. Black or navy blue are good choices.

Ensure a Snug Fit: Make sure the sleep mask fits comfortably and snugly over your eyes. This will prevent light from entering around the edges and provide a more secure feeling.

Avoid Night Lights: Refrain from using night lights in the bedroom, as they can reduce the effectiveness of the sleep mask. Even a small amount of light can interfere with your sleep.

Place the Mask Before Turning Off the Lights: Put the sleep mask on before turning off the lights to ensure maximum darkness. This way, your eyes will already be adjusted to the darkness when you go to bed.

Keep the Mask On: For the sleep mask to be effective, it's important to keep it on throughout the night. Removing it or having it slip off during sleep can expose your eyes to light, disrupting your sleep.

Sleep masks are a simple yet powerful tool for creating a dark environment conducive to better sleep. By blocking out light, they can enhance melatonin production, making it easier to fall asleep and improving overall sleep quality. They are particularly useful when travelling or in situations where you can't control the lighting in your environment.

Use a rolled-up towel to block light from under the door

A rolled-up towel at the base of your door is a great way to block out light from the rest of the house. It's a simple, cost-effective solution to darken your room and improve your sleep quality.

To start, grab a towel that's large enough to cover the gap between the door and the floor. If you don't have a towel, you could also use a blanket or a similar piece of fabric. Roll it up tightly so that it can fit snugly under the door without unravelling.

Next, turn off the lights in the hallway or any adjoining rooms to minimise the amount of light entering your room. If you're unable to turn off the lights, perhaps due to safety concerns, you could try using a dimmer to lower the light intensity.

Now, place the rolled-up towel at the base of your door. Ensure that it covers the entire gap to prevent light from passing through. This will help create a darker environment in your room, especially if you have a lot of light sources in the hallway or other rooms nearby.

By blocking out the light, you're helping to regulate your body's production of melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleepiness. This can be particularly useful if you need to sleep during the day or if you're sensitive to light while trying to fall asleep.

Additionally, if you're looking for a more permanent solution, you could consider purchasing a door sweep or a draft excluder, which can also help with temperature control and noise reduction.

Turn off electronics

Turning off electronics is an important step in darkening a room for sleep during the day. Even the tiniest sliver of light can stimulate us to wake up, so it's crucial to address any sources of light from electronic devices.

Firstly, identify all sources of light from electronics in your bedroom. This includes digital clocks, charging stations, and other electronics with small lights. Cover up these lights or store them outside the bedroom. If possible, avoid charging your phone or other electronics in the bedroom, and keep them on the nightshade setting to minimise blue light exposure.

Additionally, put away your cell phone, laptop, and tablet at least 30 minutes before bed. The use of electronic devices before bed is associated with increased sleep issues and poorer sleep quality. If you can, leave your phone outside the bedroom and use an alarm clock to wake up in the morning. If you need to keep your phone in the bedroom, place it face down on the bedside table to avoid the screen light turning on and disrupting your sleep.

Remember to also unplug any electronic devices that emit light, as these can inhibit the production of melatonin, the hormone that promotes sleepiness. Cover or disable any night lights that may be on power outlets or light switches.

By taking these measures, you can effectively reduce light infiltration from electronics and create a darker environment conducive to better sleep.

Frequently asked questions